Edible Architecture Year 2

Last week my Computer Arts class worked on their Edible Architecture projects.  I can't claim this project as completely my own, I did get inspiration from Worth 1000.  I found this project last year on Worth 1000 and thought I'd give it a try.  Both sets of students fully enjoyed the lesson and got pulled into the project.  What I like so much about it is that it uses most of the tools and textniques they have learned on previous projects.  This project was a good one to talk about the warp tool, burn, and smudge. 

Information given to the students:

Turn a building into food or a food into a building. Make it interesting and as realistic as possible.  Consider all the parts, building, windows and doors, shingles, background, location, landscaping, the tenet, ** the lighting for each object.  Where is the light coming from?

Tutorial: Color changing objects/Warping/Burning

Example Pictures:  Pinterest Link


Student Examples:

Rick's Blog 

Noah M's Blog

Ryan's Blog

Nory's Blog  (based hers off of a real building)

Emmaly's Blog

Two In One - Art 1

I have completely rethought how I start teaching art 1.  Taking a look at how the kids approach the project I picked something that even I found interesting but didn't restrict the students to just a few items.  Students for this project were given 1 theme;"Two In One."  This concept could be taken from a transformation or morphing of an object into another, or even 2 time periods depicted, 2 emotions, and so on.  To start the project we looked at some professional inspirational art.  ---->  Inspiration Pinterest

1. Students planned - Throwing around ideas the students were able to plan by making a pinterest board themselves, a list, or thumbnail sketches.

2. 1 page sketch - of the idea that found most motivated or interested by

3. Started on their project

Students were required to post a blog 1/2 way through their pieces.  This encouraged them to reflect on their difficulties and successes so far.  

Here are some of the finished products:

These are wonderful first projects.  I am proud of how hard these students have worked (especially due to the crazy snow days).

WHOooooHooooooo!  YAY!

4. Class critique using TAG

   T- tell something you like about the piece

   A- ask a question

   G- give a positive suggestion

Earth Works - Eco Friendly Art in the Classroom

Before it gets too cold my Art 1 & Sculpture classes completed a Land Art project.

We first checked out an amazing video by Tony Plant.  This helped the students understand why art is created as well as introducing the idea of it being temporary.  My Art 1 classes worked together as a table to create their pieces whereas the sculpture class worked individually.  It was nice to see how their approaches to the project were so different.

Land Art  Lesson

Art 1 : Photoshop Head Swap

Obama's face on Bush's body

 Art 1 tried out a fun mini project today in Ms. Sudkamp's class.  Most of these students have never used Photoshop before and are just starting to understand the editing software.  Using this awesome tutorial the students became familiar with layers, cropping, blending, and moving within photoshop.  Hopefully more to come soon!

Hipster Kitty Bear

Stenciled Self Portrait

Art 1 classes we have been working on stenciled self portraits.  After painting our background images (based off of non-objections pieces) we edited photos of each students using Pixlr.com.  They changed the contrast and exposure of each image.  In doing so they were able to filter their images to the "art poster" seting. Using the projector we traced the images to create our own stencils. 

 Layering the pieces helped show the positive and negative space.  This project was successful for all ranges of art students. 

Forced Perspective Photography

Perspective changes everything.  I thought it might be fun to try something different this week.  The kids have been working on their realism drawings for the past 2 weeks, I thought we'd try something else. Inspired by Ian Sand's post earlier this year we took a shot at forced perspective.  

I introduced forced perspective photography as art that incorporates an opitcle illusion based on perspecitve.  Students even watched a video on how they used this method in Lord of The Rings. If you'd like to see how they were introduced check them out here. 

Functional Paper Making: Recycled Art in Elementary

Students creating the base of their bowls (2nd grade)

      For Earth Day I wanted to incorporate recycling within art but honestly... recycled art looks like trash glued on a board 90 % of the time when done by kids. Over the semester I have been collecting every tiny scrap paper I could get my hands on.  The kids and teachers know of my "hungry hungry scrap box" and help me with this process.  After separating the colors out it was time for paper making!  All you have to do is blend paper and water in a blender, strain and slightly squeeze out the water.  You will end up with a mushy pill of pulp.  After a couple times you'll get the hang of how much water to paper (more water is better).

It is important to build the base of the bowl first.  Each color should be applied in a small pinch or ball.  Once the entire bowl has been made with the little balls of paper pulp you can press it, linking the fibers. Once dry you can paint with glue, harden, and pop out.  These bowls will stand on their own! They are even strong enough for a set of keys to be placed inside.

This is a great end of the year project to use up all those scraps or even right round Earth Day, focusing on recycling.  I used an AWESOME video talking about paper.  Where it comes from, how it is made, invented, recycled, and even more!  Check it out HERE.

In progress paper bowl (2nd Grade)

The kids had a blast! They almost can't believe that what they made comes from the materials too many of us toss from day to day.


Important vocabulary:

Paper Pulp

Fibers
Pattern
Texture

****Special Credit to Kim Furstenberg of Ayden Elementary for the wonderful inspiration.  She created paper bowls with holes in the side, making them into tambourines for the music element.

Keith Haring Lesson : Day 2

Keith Haring is such a kid friendly artist.  His work appeals to all ages.  I recently focused on Keith Haring's work for my Kindergarten and first graders.  Here are the lessons!  I think next time, if materials allow I would have them cut each shape and glue it on the background.

"Art is for everybody." - Keith Haring

Part 1: Keith Haring Street Art (Chalk) (outdoors)

Part 2:
     The Kindergarten and 1st grade students loved learning about Keith Haring.  His art is so kid friendly.  This lesson the kids already had an understand of who Keith Haring was, his subjects, and where he worked.

    Lesson can be found: HERE

One clever boy turned his into Superman Keith Haring style!