Art Making from Kindergarten to Graduation
Pablo Picasso (photograph) by Beaton, Cecil is licensed under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 Picasso is a great artist to teach to young kids. I like introducing him to kindergarten students because he was a very skilled, technical artist, even considered a prodigy. He mastered realistic drawing early in his life and began exploring abstraction during a time… Continue reading Picasso-esque Self Portraits
I have taught molas fora few years now and find it an interesting subject for my students for we discuss 2 things when making them; Only the kuna people are allowed to sell molas Only kuna women make molas and are he breadwinners of their family These two facts allow for some great discussions on… Continue reading Molas Multiple Ways
I have always loved alebrijes with their bright colors and patterns. It wasn’t until I wanted to teach alebrijes as an art project that I learned the history behind their creation. Back in the 1930’s, paper mache artist, Pedro Lineras Lopez, had a nightmare where mythical creatures were following him around a forest chanting “alebrije”.… Continue reading Color Scheme Alebrijes
Roy Lichtenstein was an American Pop Artist who grew in popularity in the 1960’s along with Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, and others during this exciting art movement. Most famous for his comic book like paintings, Lichtenstein took inspiration from the idea of mass production and popular culture combined with humor for his pieces. Below is… Continue reading Pop Art Yarn Prints
Mandala, Sanskrit for circle, is a design made up of geometric symbols and can be used for spiritual meditation and focusing one’s attention. Mandalas can be found in several religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism, and can be dated back to the first century BC. Due to its repetitive nature, mandalas make a great printmaking project… Continue reading Printmaking Mandalas
One of my kids favorite books to read is Yayoi Kusama Covered Everything in Dots and Wasn’t Sorry. The book, written by Fatsu Gilberti, gives a great background on the artist with fun cartoon illustrations making this book a resource for elementary age kids. While reading, the author discusses Yayoi’s love of pumpkins. While I… Continue reading Yayoi Kusama Inspired Pumpkins
This is one of my favorite projects for many reasons. One, they come out very unique and can push the creativity of individuals. Two, it involves many different skills and subjects making it a more bang for your buck kind of project. I usually finish this project with playing cards because I can pick up… Continue reading Picasso Scale Playing Cards
A good way to begin the year with a Kindergarten art class is to give them an assessment disguised as a project. This allows you, as a teacher, to see their skill level, creativity, ingenuity, and level of independence your new students have. Doing this will help you plan future lessons and differentiate instruction. In… Continue reading Robot Assessments
Introducing Kindergarten to printmaking is a fun and creative process by using legos. This project lets you give your students creative freedom while also making the process relevant to them (since many kids have been introduced to legos by this grade). With these easy steps, lego print robots can become a favorite project among your… Continue reading Lego Print Robots
Students are introduced to the elements of art early on during art class. I tend to introduce the elements in kindergarten and then revisit them every year adding to the concept and the difficulty of the lesson. After I teach the primary colors, I like to continue our elements journey with lines. Introduction I like… Continue reading Watercolor Lines
In the Art Room with Mrs. D 