Monet- First Grade

Picasso Inspired 1St graders

Look closely, do you see a face?! I do!

Loosen up, get those creative juices flowing. Great Picasso warm up silly face drawing activity from Scholastic art submission. Check it out! http://art.scholastic.com/

Following silly face warm up, I did a demo on taking ideas from multiple sketches and creating a final oil pastel drawing on a large sheet of paper. I actually pulled ideas during the demo from their drawings... which was interesting trying to recreate a child's drawing, not as easy as it sounds! ha!

Students created their own 10 x 20 inch Picasso inspired face- then folded. numbered into four parts, and cut! Students kept their own number 1 and...

...dropped 2, 3, and 4 into the boxes. This was challenging for some students (correct number on each piece of the drawing, cutting into four pieces, and dropping it in the correct box.. but we're learning!) Also, some students had trouble detaching themselves from their original drawing. This was a good introduction to collaborative artworks, and well.... sharing!

Students then took turns drawing a mystery facial features from each box to create a new mixed up, jux-ta-posed portrait. I heard a lot of funny comments during this activity such as, " oHhhH! _______, I got your nose!" Once the students arranged their facial parts in an  appealing order, they glued.

Construction paper mosaic tiles for frame.

Then students added more oil pastel- some students were missing a nose, maybe an eye.. good opportunity to "doctor it up!" They loved that.

Next, we watercolored. We used traditional, glitter, and Metallic watercolors. So fun. (we did this step for two days, allowing the watercolor to dry and be layered up adding interesting texture.)

Last step, a Mosaic border... framing all of a specific element of their drawing- very interesting choices as this stage in the project. We focused on patterns.

Love the metallic watercolors!

This is in my top picks for favorite lessons this year, so fun. It took us about 6 class periods.

Today, you are you!

First Grade Self Portraits. "Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” -Dr. Seuss

Calabash inspired bowls

Apologizes for the blurred image, I enjoy the colors of this bowl!

Ice cream trays to hold paint for each table.

Inspired by traditional Moroccan gourd "Calabash" bowls, the first graders paper mached (over a plastic container), painted (designs using the "line families"), glazed (gel medium),  beaded (punched holes and used embroidery floss and beads) to create their own version.

Parade Masks

First graders created masks focusing on two objectives: creating a mask that is symmetric and has an expression. I set up supply stations, which allowed them to roam around the room and work together. First step was to fold and cut a symmetrical mask design with some facial features, Then the decorating began with yarn, raffia, construction paper, drawing supplies, foam and wood shapes, pipe cleaners, feathers, beads, puzzle pieces and tape... lots of tape. First graders LOVE tape. I brought each first grade section around the school in a parade fashion to "scare" or maybe rather "entertain" the other classrooms. It was good fun.

Amate Bark Paintings

Bird Paintings inspired by Amate Bark paintings. I have always loved the bright pigments against the natural tones of the paper, and have always wanted to create/teach this lesson. When I began to look through all of the lessons/examples from the previous art teacher I found a good selection of amate bark paintings done in a variety of styles. These examples are from my first grade students.

Three day lesson...
Day 1- Introduction to project with visuals and sketching bird and plant designs
Day 2- crumple and unfold brown butcher paper squares (appox. 18 x 18) about five times, then iron.... yes first graders ironing- no accidents thankfully! Transfer sketch design onto "bark", trace over with thick sharpie or black tempera paint
Day 3- Paint bird patterns, ferns,  and border patterns with neon tempera paint and white/glow in the dark.