What’s in the Suitcase?

Posted on September 26, 2015 by artlessonsforkids

The power of art my lovelies. Look at this amazing piece of sculpture by the artist Frances Bruno Catalano, which symbolizes the vacuum created by being forced to leave your land, your life, your people…Very fitting, powerful and so sad. What do you think?

Image source: http://www.smashinglike.co.uk

I highly suggest you show this to your students ( doesn’t matter the age!) and start a conversation and discussion about what is happening in the world at this moment- make an art to world connection. Have your students try and guess what’s in the suitcase and what you could possibly fit there that represents all your possessions and life you are leaving behind. How does this man feel? Where is going? What would you put in your suitcase?

More importantly, show how art can be so powerful and a way to express our feelings, emotions, pain, suffering, create change, and make a statement.

Oh the beautiful power of art ❤️

How can you use art to shed light on world events, inspire compassion and action? Please leave your comments below and share this post.

Tints and Shades

Posted on November 23, 2008 by artlessonsforkids

Sample of tints and shades of red

I love teaching my students how to make tints and shades because it gives them the freedom to make their own colors and and they are always amazed how many colors they can make by using black or white and another color.

Since I am laying a foundation for color mixing the rule in my class is they must make a tint and shade of a primary color or if they want a secondary color they must mix it first. This reinforces mixing secondary colors.

Begin by explaining or reviewing what a tint and shade is. You can show a slideshow of art work that show tints or shades to show your kids what they are capable of doing. Introduce the word momochromatic colors to your older students.

Start by letting your students choose one hue to work with. On their plastic plate they should place a spoonful of white, black and 2 amounts of a the hue of their choice.

Grade three were given a white piece of paper and they cut out two big shapes. They were to show their pure hue gradually get lighter (tint) on one shape and gradullay get darker (shade) on the other shape. They could either start in the middle and work out or start on the outer edge of their shape and work in.

This is an example of a tint

This is an example of a shade

Grade five practised making tints and shades on a piece of paper and then drew a cityscape with curved buildings, to make their art work a little more interesting. Their challenge was to fill in all the white space of their drawing with tints and shades of the color they chose. If they chose a secondary color (orange, green or purple) they had to first mix it with the primary colors. This was a great project for them to because the final result is stunning and they really grasped the idea of tints and shades.

Filling in the design with tints and shades

Here are some examples of fabulous artwork done by making a tint or a shade of a color.

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Amazing Color Blots

Posted on November 13, 2008 by artlessonsforkids

Making new colors

Making color blots are fun and the kids get a real sense of how colors mix to make new colors. Give each child a white piece of paper and have them fold the paper in half. Meanwhile you have already set up a painting station with the primary colors in tubs and with a plastic spoon in each tub.

I really like this blot!

Discuss the primary colors (red, yellow and blue). Explain that you cannot mix other colors to make blue, yellow or red. The primary colors are special colors because if you mix two of them together you make a new color called the secondary colors.

Allow them to discover the new colors they make by letting them choose their combinations. They should spoon a dollop of two primary colors into the middle of the crease on their paper. Tell them to close their paper, rub the paint around, open the paper and what do you see? Their amazement at discovering a new color is wonderful and they’ll want to make more colors! Let them do this with other primary color combinations till they have made green, orange and purple (the secondary colors).

Fill the white space with primary colors

With the Grade Ones and Two’s I encourage them put paint on their paper and fill the entire white space with two primary colors. Then they close it, rub it a little and their final product looks pretty awesome!