Daily Art Activities
I'm an art teacher for elementary students grades K-6. This site was created to stay in touch with my students and give them art experiences outside of class when school was dismissed for the Coronavirus quarantine in 2020. As access to art supplies and resources was difficult for some to come by, all of these projects make use of materials that students are likely to already have at home. Nearly all projects are adaptable to every level of student learners.
Scribble Art, March 19
One way to process the world around you is to find a way to express it constructively. Here is a simple exercise using lines to create shapes, which make spaces to fill with your own color and emotion.
For an extra challenge, try using the "Four Color Theorem" which is a mathematical principal used by mapmakers. This video explains it in a fun and simple way.
Collage, March 20
Eric Carle is an artist who first published "The Very Hungry Caterpillar in 1969, and has since illustrated over seventy books, authoring many of them as well. More than 145 million copies of his books have sold worldwide. His style is marked by creating collages assembled from painted tissue paper. To find out more, please visit his website at https://eric-carle.com/
You can try making collages from either paintings or drawings that you cut or using paper materials you may already have at home. Make sure you have parental permission and supervision before cutting anything up!
Contour Maps
Cartographers (mapmakers) use contour to help define elevation of 3-dimensional landscape features with a 2-dimensional map. For a good explanation, watch this short video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4i_6eToM3X8
Try making a topographical map in three dimensions using simple cardboard shapes.
Contour Mazes
Well, it looks more like a maze when you're done, but not a traditional 'got stopped by a wall' maze. This lesson is more about observing shapes and deciding where to exaggerate or simplify them to create interesting spaces.
Blind Contours
First, find some small objects around your house that have interesting shapes.The challenge with this project is to avoid the temptation to look at what you're drawing. You'll wind up with some interesting (though not exactly accurate) shapes, but be patient. This has everything to do with careful observation and nothing to do with a polished finished product. I do hope you'll have fun with this.
Contour Drawings, March 24
Contours are the outline of a shape. Our focus here is on the actual shape of the object. I use simple chess pieces because they have interesting shapes, but you can use any object that has a little variety in its form.
Additional challenges for this project include trying to identify and draw the interior contours of highlights and shadows. This concept lies at the heart of accurate observational drawing.
You can also try doing this project with paint. Be careful to let the paint dry between edges or they will blend together.
Air Dry Clay, March 25
This is a very simple recipe to make from just a few ingredients you are likely to already have in your cupboard. (See recipe below) Please have an adult supervise the mixing of them on the stove.
Once your clay is cool and not too sticky, protect your work surface with wax paper or an empty cereal bag and begin your sculptures. Use your imagination and be as creative as you like. There is no limit to what your imagination can guide you to make. Watercolor paints work well to color your creations before they dry.
Use the plastic lining to allow your sculptures to dry for at least 24-48 hours, depending on the thickness. You may need to turn them over to let the bottom dry after a day or so.
I hope you'll share photos of the amazing artwork that you make!
Math Challenge
If you want to cut the recipe in half, try this:
1 cup = 16 Tablespoons (Tbsp)
Convert the recipe to Tbsp and cut every number in half.
How many Tbsp are in a 1/2 cup? In a 1/4 cup?
I found this recipe on an internet blog in September. Sadly, I cannot find the original source to credit its creator, but I did not invent this recipe and would prefer to give credit where it is due.
DIY Air Dry Clay Recipe
1 cup baking soda
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup water
(This makes a ball twice as large as one in my demo since I cut the recipe in half. I double the recipe to make enough for a class of 25.)
1. Whisk all ingredients together in a small saucepot. It will be very liquidy. Turn on medium heat. Stir constantly.
2. Mixture will begin to bubble. Keep stirring so that it won't stick to the bottom.
3. The mixture begins to thicken and pull away from the sides. Turn the heat down just a little and keep stirring.
4. When the clay begins to clump together, keep mixing until it begins to stick together well.
Remove from heat and put in a plastic container without the lid or the condensation from the heat will make the dough mushy. Turn the clay over every 15 minutes or so to ensure even cooling. Once the clay is completely cool, place an airtight lid over the clay and take out what you need for your creation!
Clay Beads, March 26
Using homemade clay or a commercial variety, here are some tips for coloring and making unique beads on your own.
Pinch Pots, March 27
These are very simple creations and have lots of possibilities for fun things you can create with clay. You can make a small pot or a miniature animal friend with these basic instructions.
Foil Printmaking, March 30
Did you know that water-based markers (standard school markers) can act like paint if you get them wet? You'll also need a permanent marker (Sharpie) as well as paper and a sheet of aluminum foil. Have fun getting creative with this simple technique!
Cardboard Tube Animals, March 31
I hope you all have plenty of toilet paper tubes to spare for this project. :) The basic cardboard tube is an easy-to-work-with 3D shape that you can embellish in hundreds of ways. For this project, I used random scraps from old projects such as yarn, buttons, and colored paper. You could also use fabric scraps, plastic wrap, cupcake liners, or anything else with interesting color and texture. Use your imagination! For eyes, you can draw them and cut them out or find googly ones at the dollar store (mine were $1/125 eyes).
Paper Mache Paste,
Part 1, April 1
This is the easiest and most economical paste for paper mache and very fun to work with. PLEASE have adult supervision for working at the stove. It takes several hours for the paste to cool, so follow the recipe to the right and keep it in a covered container in the fridge between uses. Get it ready for tomorrow's activity!
Paper Mache Paste Ingredients
1/2 cup flour
2 cups cold water
2 cups boiling water
3 T sugar
Paper Mache Paste Instructions
1. Place 1/2 c. flour in a small saucepan and add 2 c. cold water a little bit at a time to make a smooth mixture (don't add it too fast or it will be lumpy)
2. Heat and stir until it begins to boil, stirring to prevent lumps.
3. Microwave 2 c. water for ~2 minutes and add this boiling water to the mixture in the pot.
4. Let the flour and water mixture come to a rolling boil, still stirring to prevent lumps.
5. Remove from heat and add 3 T. sugar. Stir until smooth. Mixture will be runny.
6. Mixture will thicken as it cools. Transfer to a container with a lid and store in the fridge until ready to use.
A Few Pinata Ideas, Tips, and Tricks
I first discovered this recipe in Family Fun Magazine, August 2002. As a young mother with five little kids, I couldn't afford to buy pinatas for their birthday parties, but I could certainly make them for a dollar or two, plus some inexpensive candy. I just had to be organized enough to start them at least a week in advance. Here are a few samples from several years' worth of party creations, all made from this simple recipe and a punch ball (large balloon) from the dollar store.
The teddy bear pinata that my girls are holding was one that I made in 6th grade and could never bring myself to smash until my oldest daughter's 5th birthday. It's made from smaller balloons, all individually covered in paper mache. The larger balloon body shape was then cut into for armholes and a spot for the head, then they were secured together with tape and more paper mache.
I suggest doing 3-4 layers of mache for a standard pinata. It's surprisingly strong. The flag pinata was made for a huge family party with about 20 kids and a dozen adults. I made it seven layers thick and NO ONE could smash it, even with a metal baseball bat! It broke off the string before it broke through to the candy.
With that lesson learned, the Christmas Gift package was made for an equally large party, but I only made it four layers thick (not including the box but including the wrapping paper cover) and even the adults got a turn before it cracked open.
A few other tips: It's helpful to attach the string and secure it with both strong tape and paper mache before adding the decorative outer layer. I also cut a hole and add the candy after most of the decorative layer is done. This way I can tape it up and add the finishing layer over the cut so that it looks nicer and is less vulnerable to breaking.
Paper Mache Sculpting,
Part 2, April 2
For paper mache, you need to start with some kind of base form. For a pinata, it is generally a balloon or other cardboard form to give shape and definition to what you are creating.
But paper mache, can also be used for sculpture. Try using aluminum foil to make the basic shape of an animal and then cover it with mache strips.
Let each layer dry completely before adding another to make your project hard and strong.
And remember to cover your work surface and clothes. It can get a bit messy. :)
Paper Mache Finishing,
Part 3, April 3
For pinatas and items that you'd like to be more durable, you'll need to add several layers of mache. For the simple-figured dinosaurs that aren't going to take a beating with a bat, a single layer of mache over the foil core may do just fine.
You can cover your creations in white paper that you can color, use colored construction paper, or tissue paper. Since tissue is very thin, it's easier to wet your hands in the paste and smooth the paper on. Dipping tissue in the paste may make it fall apart.
When your creation is dry, find a fun place to display it and send me a photo of your work. I'd love to share it in the gallery!
Daily Activities from April 6-17
Please see the page for "Life Notes" ~ a special unit designed to talk about courage, strength, and problem-solving. We will be focusing on creating a keepsake book and projects that help develop self-assurance through art.