Key Hole Paintings

5th grade is moving into a painting and construction unit... two at once.
Today we begin our Key Hole Paintings.
We will be working on a larger sheet of paper and we will be creating a 'key hole' that will show the viewer another world.

Some examples of this are:

Think about the opportunity to create any kind of setting.  What would you choose?
Another country?  Another world?  Will it be real or make-believe?
What objects will help us to know what we are looking at?  What parts of those objects are the most important for us to see?
1st Sketches.  Then, we work large.

Totem Poles

Storytelling is done in many ways... the Totem Pole is a great example of visual storytelling.

Your objective- is to create your character or setting in the story we will compile.
Yes, this is a bit backwards.... but creativity comes in many different forms and sometimes our best stuff has yet been planned out.

1..  Sketch the slab creation : character / setting
2..  Begin on your slap - providing a space to connect the clay when complete
3..  You MUST work hard to make sure you are connecting clay correctly - Scratch and Wet in order to Connect
4..  Be mindful of what you are doing.  Small pieces dry fast - make them be a part of your FINAL detailing and cleaning of your piece

5..  Be Creative.  Think hard on what is the most important part to create in order for the person looking at your work to know what kind of character or setting they are looking at.

Jasper Johns : Flag Painting

2nd grade is getting introduced to Jasper Johns and his Flag paintings... 

Moma : Jasper Johns - Flag

“One night I dreamed that I painted a large American flag,” Johns has said of this work, “and the next morning I got up and I went out and bought the materials to begin it.”

We will be working with complimentary colors and creating our own 'artistic' American flags, inspired by Mr. Johns.

Monet and The Impressionists + Wayne Thiebaud and his ice cream cones

Kinder is working on their collage skills.  A ripped paper collage is creating their ice cream cones.
Why a ripped paper collage - definitely helps in building their fine motor strength!
This can never be overlooked - our quality of life changes dramatically when we are able to have better control in our hands and the strength to do even life's simple requests - like ripping paper.
How it's made : Ice Cream

I have also realized Wayne is very influential in our classroom... is it our love of desserts?

Monet and the Impressionists......

lighter brush strokes, brighter colors, less attention to detail, and inspired by landscapes and the life around them....

The work gives you the impression of the subject they are painting.....  so let us get inspired by the Impressionists!

More specifically - Monet!

Video- Getting to know the worlds greatest artists : Monet