Happy February

Its almost the end of February. I'm a little late on posting my Valentines projects.

It's second winter break and I thought I would get so much accomplished!  We all have been there. The anticipation of time off... all the things I'll  get caught up with. I'll have extra time to work in my studio. Maybe I'll even get some yard work done. Well... where did the week go. I did get a lot of things done, but not nearly the time a would have loved to spend in my studio.

But the yard looks a little better.

(In the North West, one needs to to advantage of a dry day)

Up Up And Away

Happy Valentines Day

Water color paper as the back ground.

Kids cut out water color paper hearts. I took a photo of each child reaching up to the sky.

The following week, when everything was dry. We assembled our Valentine project.

Hearts, string, and a cut out of each student. What fun!

Any time I incorperaite a self photo into the kids art, they love it. Lots of smiling faces.

 

I have 33 kids in my after school program. 3 classes a week. I had 6 kids out with sickness.

So I drew silhouettes for the returning kids to color them selves in.

Clay Birdie

Kindergarten / Pre-school 

Clay Birdie's 

We had so much Fun making these clay birds. A friend of mine, Steph Madder of Tolt River Studio,
Donated 30 small bags of paper clay. 
Each student started with a ball of 2" diam. paper clay. We shaped only the body and head of the bird. Plus beak!

Funny look'n little fella

About two days later, I insert toothpicks for the legs...watch carefully so that the clay doesn't become to hard. You want the clay to be set but soft enough to still poke the toothpick into. 

Note: I found the paper clay dries a little slower than Crayola air dry clay.

. We painted Styrofoam 3x3 blocks that I cut up. Then attached moss with glue. Pays to live in the North West! The moss was from my back yard! After 4 to 5 days the birds should be dyed out.

Second class, we painted the birds and pasted feathers. I tried to find paste and evidently its a thing of the past. Sooo...  I took 4 large glue sticks and 1/2 cup glue. Soften glue sticks in microwave on LOW, Until soft enough to blend in glue. mix well. Viola! Paste
I thought it easier to apply feathers with paste. Glue is to thin and runny.

Paper clay recipe

 The birds turned out so cute!

Above is my teacher sample.

 

It was so fun to watch the birds take on their own individual personalities!

I love this one. it started out as blob.. and turned into this amazing bird stretching his wings! so cool.

A few more birdies from my pre-school class

 

James Rizzi

    James Rizzi

unicorn-art-lounge.com

James Rizzi was born in 1950 in Brooklyn. He studied art in Florida (Gainesville), where he started experimenting with printing, painting and sculpting. Rizzi’s work often shows his birthplace New York. His paintings look sometimes childishly naive, with the bright colours and brilliant gaiety. In the art press Rizzi is often described as "Urban Primitive Artist '. Rizzi himself says he is influenced by Picasso, Klee and Dubuffet.

Show some paintings of Rizzi and discuss the characteristics: 

• bright colors
• no gradations within colors
• everything is outlined with a black marker
• houses have human faces/characteristics
• the artwork is full and busy
• background is full too

unicorn-art-lounge.com

  

 

Teacher's sample.. later I added faces to the buildings

Seattle skyline .. "Rizzi" style

 My preschoolers

r

Great use of paint chips.

We also used markers and cotton balls!! the kids loved the idea of faces on the buildings.