Emphasis on Oil Pastels

I asked my 7th grade to create Emphasis using oil pastels.  I was impressed with their results.  Students drew their images on black tag board and traced their lines with white glue.  When the glue was dried they filled in the spaces with oil pastels.  I encouraged students to create as much shading as they could.  If you want to see more works from this lesson, please visit my flickr site.

7th Grade clay project- 1st quarter

Here you see one of the clay projects from last quarter.  The 7th grades students were asked to bring in a container to use as a mold.  They places white clay in the container on day one.  Day two, they painted a red clay slip over the outside of the clay container.  Finally on Day three, they carved out of the red clay to revel the white clay again.  In this work you see the bottom side of Nolan's work.  I found the bottom of most of the clay works were the interesting part of the work.  We are starting a similar project with my 7th grade this quarter.  I will have a post in the next couple of months with the changes I made for them.  To see more clay works like this one please view my flickr site.

Thanksgiving Wish

My Mini's and I would like to "WISH" you a happy Thanksgiving.  

8th grade Word Face

8th grade Word Face, a set on Flickr.

This was a fun wrap up or warm up project for 8th grade.

1) Ask students to draw a contour line image of themselves in pencil.
2) Write words on the lines they have drawn with sharpie marker. I suggested words from a song, or poem. They could use the dictionary or simply write words that describe themselves.
3) When finished. They filled the background in with words as well.
4) I asked students who had time to place water on their face and then use bleed tissue paper on the art work. It gave a great effect.

Fun project and lots of successes.

Shading a Bow

Source: artsonia.com via Nic on Pinterest

Shading a Bow, a set on Flickr.

Now that I am officially addicted to Pinterest, I have been inspired by many lessons.  This was one that I tried for the end of the quarter.  The first image is off from Artsonia.com, specifically Connie Baalman, from Immaculate Conception School in Old Montroe, Missouri.  Her project was done in oil pastel.  I had just finished a lesson with oil pastels and shading so I asked my students to transfer their shading skills to colored pencil.  It was a fun 'wrap up' lesson.  

2 point perspective

2 point perspective, a set on Flickr.

7th grade enjoyed this two point perspective challenge. Come check out some of the wonderful examples!

Fall Conferences

I tried something new for conferences this year.  I had conferences two nights this year and the first night I was amazed at the endless amount of students and parents that came to visit me.  It was wonderful.  I felt bad for the lines however.  The second night I made a table in the hallway for siblings and waiting families.  I had my 8th grade place scribbles on the table and fill a couple spaces up with zentangels.  I left a short explanation of what zentangles are as well as a couple of step by step packets on the table top as well.  There was an array of colored pencils for participants to use.  It was fun to see the art the families made.  I saw it used through out the night.