The 6th Grade Invention Convention

Crafting with Water Bottles

This week the second grade continued to learn that Kermit was wrong. It is very easy to be green and alot of fun as well! Enjoy the show!

Today we had a special pre Tu-B'Shvat program for the 2nd and 3rd grade students. They learned about how to recycle and then recycled old newspapers into new paper creations. Just click on the video to view the fun.

The Joy of Mxing

One of the most enjoyable aspects of doing a painting is mixing up the colors that you will use. I don't need to elaborate on this. The video below speaks for itself. It shows our kindergarten working on their "Portraits with Landscape Backgrounds." Each child was given an egg carton pallet with only 5 or six colors. Enjoy the show!

Painting on Torn Paper

Painting on torn paper offers the artist a chance to add interesting texture and pattern into her painting using a unique process.
After choosing the frame for her project, each student carefully took it apart and removed the cardboard. The glass and frame were set aside and the cardboard was prepared with a coat of Mod Podge. The girls chose pieces for their background from a wide selection of papers, old books and wall paper samples. These pieces wore hand torn and adhered to the cardboard using more Mod Podge. Then the second layer was added using paint, tissue paper and even more Mod Podge. Paper towels were used for blotting, wiping and also to add texture.
The hardest part of the project was waiting for the complicated paper design to dry so that they could paint on the surface. During this time the students thought about the subject for their painting and tried out their ideas by making quick sketches in their art journals. When they were ready the girls transferred their ideas onto the prepared surface using tempera paints and collage elements.
The entire process was fun and exciting. Every unique painting is an original delight to the eyes and must be viewed for several minutes to take in all the details of both the subject and fantastic background. The results are now on display in the MHA Sculpture Gallery (located just outside the Teachers’ Room). The sample above was created by Brina Cooper.

The Art of Journaling

Every year, when my older students enter the art room they each receive a shiny red art journal with the words “sketch book” printed on the front. They spend the year filling these books with all kinds of wonderful things such as; information from our lessons, preliminary sketches, ideas that pop into their heads, and even random drawings done just for fun. So why, you wonder, do you never see these shiny red books at the end of the year?

By the time these books make it home they are no longer red or shiny. Journals are personal objects. Though some of the contents may be the handouts I supply, the inside of these books reflect the journey through art that each individual student takes every year. Because these creative experieces are so personal, everyone has the chance to design his own Journal cover. This is no easy task. It requires a great deal of thought to decide what will grace the cover of these books and the students will often spend several sessions getting it just right.

We use a collage method in the art room to create our cover designs. The students begin by sorting through the visual images collection I have available and choose the ones that suit their taste. Glue sticks ad mod podge flow abundantly and so does the chatter as students discuss their ideas with each other and with me. When the images are secure and coated with even more mod podge it is time to hit the collage collection. The decisions are not made easily. The students must choose the right collage elements for their design, but also keep in mind that too many elements will weigh down the cover.

There is no scientific explanation for it, it’s just a gut feeling, but somehow, you can feel when the journal cover is done. When the images are placed just so and there is just the right amount of tissue paper and bling, when you look at the cover and see it completed you can instinctively say “That is MY art journal!” Now it is time for the art journey to begin.

I am very excited about the year ahead. I have so many exciting adventures planned for our children. You can stay updated by visiting my blog: chayfleischhacker.blogspot.com If you can’t wait until the end of the year to see these journals, please feel free to stop by to visit and/or volunteer in the art room.

Please Help Keep The Art Room Green

I have a recycle wish list,that I’m sure some of you already heard about from your children. Each time a child brings me an item from the list she will receive a sticker. Ten stickers will be rewarded with a prize from my treasure box. The items are: Styrofoam egg cartons, paper towel tubes, yogurt containers, the tops from the yo crunch containers, apple sauce and snack fruit cups, crystal lite containers and shoe boxes. Please make sure that the items are clean and in usable condition. Thanks.

The forks were on the table but no one was eating. That’s because these forks were for painting. During their last art class, the Kindergarten students were introduced to Vincent Van Gogh. Vincent liked to use thick rich paint that he place onto the canvas with very visible strokes. He always used his paint to create texture and movement within his paintings and this gave them an exciting and mysterious quality. After viewing one his most famous pieces, The Starry Night, the students were given the opportunity to create Van Gogh like landscapes as well. They used a special paint that had been thickened up with glue and aside from brushes; they were also given forks to create swirly textures just like Vincent! The results are currently on display just outside the kindergarten room and can be viewed until the end of the month.