Autumn leaves mandala

You need:

1. white drawing sheet A4 size
2. compasses
3. pencil
4. oil pastels

Draw a circle with a diameter of 20 cm. Draw within about 1 cm another circle (the edge of the mandala). Cut out and fold into 8 pieces. Draw against one of the folds half of an autumn leaf using black oil pastel.

Fold the sheet and press firmly with the hands to get a print of the leaf on the other side of the fold. Trace this half with black oilpastel. Repeat this and draw the other three leaves. Colour the leaves and background with oil pastels in warm colours. Colour the edge with a nice pattern.

all artwork made by students of grade 6

Just like Bart van der Leck

Bart van der Leck (1876-1958) was a Dutch painter and designer. He was part of De Stijl art movement with, among others, Theo van Doesburg, Piet Mondrian and Gerrit Rietveld. Artists of De Stijl searched for a new art style that better suited to the future after World War 1.   

To create his abstract art, Van der Leck reduces a figurative representation further and further to squares, rectangles, triangles and lines in red, yellow and blue against a white or grey background. Although art work of Mondrian and Van der Leck may look similar, there is an important difference: Van der Leck works from a figurative representation that he slowly simplifies, while Mondriaan works directly from abstraction. 

artwork made by students of grade 3

View three works of art by Bart van der Leck without mentioning the titles: The Sower (1921), Composition IV (1918) and Farm girl with cow  (1921). (due to copyright only the links to the originals here.) 

Ask students what they see in the paintings. They may nog immediately see a sower, but probably come to a man who does something. A hiker? But what are those red squares? Do they see a cow and a farm girl? How do you recognize a cow? And finally: what do you see in Composition IV? This is the most abstract work and there is no clear representation in it. Perhaps students have an idea? 

Ask about the similarities between these works: 

• primary colors + black
• just straight lines 
• white background

What do you need?

1. action photo of an athlete
2. black sheet and a half white sheet
3. scraps of paper in red, yellow and blue 
4. scissors
5. glue

What should you do?

1. Find a photo of an athlete in action and paste in on black paper.  
2. Cut out strips and squares from red, blue and yellow.  Place them in the same shape as the athlete on white paper. Satisfied? Glue them.
3. Glue the white sheet below the photo on the the black sheet. 

Elements of art: shape, line, color.

Techniques: cut and glue en plakken. 

Stained glass, like Theo van Doesburg

 

 You need:

1. firm white drawing paper  
2. ruler
3. pencil
4. color marers
5. waterproof black marker 
6. salad oil
7. brush 
8. paper towels

Theo van Doesburg (1883-1931) was a Dutch painter, architect and writer. He was charmed by the abstract art of Kandinsky and Picasso's cubistic work. In 1917 he founded the magazine De Stijl, in which he and other artists could publish their innovative ideas about art. Famous Dutch artists who belong to the Stijl are Piet Mondriaan, Bart van der Leck and Gerrit Rietveld. 

Theo van Doesburg, abstraction of a cow (1918)

Van Doesburg also designed stained glass windows. Abstract art thus became a functional part of a building. 

For this lesson I used his stained glass window Composition VIII. It was designed as an upper window for the front doors of houses built in 1918 in Rotterdam. During the restoration of the houses in 1989, the windows were removed and a number of them were purchased by museums. 

Composition VIII

Discuss what stands out:

• only rectangles and squares 
• rectangles can stand or lie
• maximum 3 colors plus white
• never two of the same colors next to each other  
• black outlines 
• a long horizontal line through the center  

What should you do?

Step 1

Use a ruler and pencil to draw a horizontal line through the center of the drawing sheet. Then draw rectangles and squares. Measure carefully to be sure your shapes are really symmetrical.  

Step 2

Choose 3 colors of markers and color the shapes. You can use white too, by leaving shapes white. No two of the same colors next to each other. Trace the dividing lines with black permanent marker; use a ruler! Draw thickenings at the intersections of the lines, just like in stained glass windows.   

 

Step 3

Place your work on a newspaper and pour a dash of oil on it. Spread it with a brush. 

Step 4

Remove excess oil with a paper towel. Let the work dry. This can take some time!  

Elements of art: color, shape, line.
Techniques: measuring, working with a ruler, coloring. 

The vase of Kandinsky

You need:

1. colored cardboard A3 size
2. sponges
3. paint rollers 
4. strips of  ribbed cardboard
5. bubble wrap
6. tempera paint
7. brushes
8. scissors  
9. glue

Read here about Kandinsky's concentred circles. 

Organisation

Divide this lesson in two moments. For lesson 1 (step 1-4) create four table groups where students can print. Divide students among these four groups. When someone is ready, he can go to the next group. In this way students rotate between the groups. In lesson 2 (step 5) the individual parts are combined into a work of art and students sit in their own place in the classroom.  

Group A: printing with sponges. One sponge per color. Some paper plates with tempera paint and a paint roller on each plate. 

Group B: printing with cardboard. Lay out cardboard strips  about the width of a ruler. Spray s few colors of tempera paint on paper plates. Students smear the head side of the cardboard with a brush, see picture. 

Group C: printing with bubble wrap. Lay out A4 drawing sheets and pieces of bubble wrat. Students roll in the bubble wrap with a paint roller and print it on a sheet. 

Group D: painting concentric circles. Place thick drawing paper, tempera paint and paper plates here. 

What should you do? 

Step 1: Place the cardboard upright in front of you. Stamp approximately 1/3 of the bottom full with a sponge and paint. Don't rub, stamp!  

Step 2: Stamp with the cardboard strips horizontal and vertical stripes above the sponge strips. 

Step 3: Use a paint roller to roll a piece of bubble plastic with tempera paint and print it on a white sheet. Let dry. 

Step 4: Fold a white A4 sheet into 6 squares. Paint 6 different concentric circles in each square like Kandinsky did. Each circle has 3 colors. Let dry.  

Step 5: Cut the circles. Draw a symmetric vase on the back side of the bubble plastic print and cut out. Paste vase and flowers on the colored cardboard. 

all works of art are made by students of grade 3 

Elements of art: color, nuance, shape, line

Techniques: printing with different materials, painting, cutting, pasting.  

A day at the beach

Artworks made by students of grade 5

You need:

1. drawing sheet A3 size
2. white drawing sheets
3. tempera paint
4. brushes
5. scissors
6. markers and/or pencils
7. glue
8. pencils

Talk about a day at the beach: things (to do) on the sand, things (to do) in the water and things (to do) in the air. Talk about people standing in the water: they seem to have half legs!

Cover four tables with newspaper and put three containers with paint on it:

• yellow and a little brown besides (beach) + two big brushes
• blue and a little green (seawater) + two big brushes
• blue and white (air) + two big brushes 
• white (surf) + two brushes to stamp

Show how to paint the beach: a lot of yellow on the brush and a little brown for the beach (do not mix!). Do the same with blue and white for the air, and blue with green for the sea. Make wavy motions with the brush to accentuate the water. Finish with a white stamping brush for the surf.

While four students are painting, the others can start with the drawing part of this lesson: draw people and things you see on the beach. Color with markers or color pencils. Cut those little drawings and paste them on the beach, the water or in the air.

Summer memory

You need:

1. white drawing paper
2. watercolor paint
3. brushes
4. jar with water
5. glue
6. color pencils
7. grey or light brown cardboard

Passed holiday's are always full of memories. Sunset on the beach, a sunny afternoon in the woods or impressive clouds above the sea. What colors belong to that memory? What colors belong to a sunset, to the woods and what colors would you use for the upcoming thunderstorm?

Paint your sheet full with your holiday memories using watercolor paint. Paint strips in different colors. After drying, tear the sheet in strips while following the different colors. Glue your strips with a little space between them on the grey/light brown paperboard. Write a title and decorate the frame with little holiday memory doodles (shells, clouds, flowers etc).

Made by students of grade 5

Pumpkin, like Burton Morris

 You need:

1. several colors construction paper
2. black cardboard 20 by 20 cm
3. colored cardboard 20 by 20 cm
4. scissors
5. glue
6. black marker

Burton Morris (Pittsburgh, 1964) is an American pop-art artist. He is influenced by pop-art artists from the 60's and 70's, like Warhol, Lichtenstein and Haring. Now he is one of the most famous modern post pop-art artist. Morris's work shows a contemporary twist to traditional pop-art. His work is cheerful, energetic and colourful. His characteristic lines with the bright colors give his work a fantastic energy. Morris's work is known of tv-series like Friends and also appears in major advertising campaigns by U.S. companies like AT & T, Pepsi and Heinz. 

Step by step description with photo's, see my other post about Burton Morris. 

And read the mail I got from Burton Morris when he came across my lesson of 2011: 

Dear Jacquelin,

I came across your blog and saw your student's artworks. I am truly touched that you honored my artwork in your teaching lessons and hope it was a success and inspired the children! 
I hope to show again in the Netherlands one day and feel free to keep in touch.
Your friend,
Burton Morris

Haunted house in the moonlight

You need:

1. white drawing sheet A4 size 
2. black construction paper
3. yellow chalk pastel
4. scissors
5. cutting knife
6. glue
7. white pencil
8. black marker
9. blue and purple tempera paint
10. sponge
11. saucer

This lesson is all about Halloween and haunted houses. 

What to do? 

• Tear a strip of black paper from about 5 cm and paste it on the bottom of the white sheet: the ground. 
• Draw a old house on black paper and cut out.
• Use a cutting knife for doors and windows. 
• Paste the house on the white sheet. 
• Use a white pencil for details such as bricks, ghosts, spiders, spider webs etc. Use a black marker to draw things in the open window.
• Cut and paste a moon. 
• Outline moon and house with yellow chalk pastel and smudge the chalk outwards. 

• Stamp the background with purple and blue tempera and a sponge. 
• Finally paste the artwork on a yellow background sheet.

Sunflowers in pieces

by Neil 

Celebrate end of summer by tearing your sunflower artwork in pieces!

This lesson shows we can do more with our artworks dan stick them on a colored background. Pretty scary to tear or cut your drawing, but the effect is great! 

You need: 

1. white drawing sheet 
2. black construction paper for background 
3. pencil
4. oilpastels
5. liquid water color paint
6. brush
7. scissors
8. glue

Draw at least four sunflowers. Be sure three of them are over  the edges.  Color them with oilpastels. Paint the backgrond with liquid water color paint. 

Neil's drawing is torn in pieces. Those pieces have been re-glued for a spatial effect. Before tearing check which side of the paper is best. One side gives nice white tear lines, the other side does not.  

by Lyan

Lyan and Jurre have pasted black strips over their artwork, creating a window through which you look outside. 

by Jurre

Elements of art: color, space.

Olympic athletes

You need:

1. scissors
2. glue
3. white drawing paper A1 size
4. cardboard in Olympic colors
5. compasses

Start this lesson with the symbol of the Olympics: the colored rings. What do these rings mean? What colors do they have? How are they placed together? Ask one or two children to take the position of an athlete. What is the position of the legs, arms and body? Ask another student to show another position and discuss it again.
This is a group work for five students. Every group gets a big white sheet, five sheets of colored cardboard (colors of the rings: black, yellow, red, blue, green) and at least five copies of the athlete.
Step one: each group member cuts an Olympic ring, using compasses and scissors. Paste this five rings on the big white sheet. Look carefully which ring has to be pasted in front or back, and which ones have to be pasted through each other. Be sure the little cutting line is pasted underneath another ring.

  Step two: Every student takes a copy of the body and cuts every part of it. Then these bodyparts have to be pasted around, in, behind and in front of the Olympic rings.

Monet's waterlilies pond

 You need:

1. drawing paper A3 size
2. tempera paint in green, blue, white, red and yellow
3. two brushes per student
4. two spunges per student
5. paper towels
6. oil pastel crayons 
7. schotels  

Claude Monet (1840-1926) is considered one of the most important painters of Impressionism. 

 Typical for Impressionists:

• they choose subjects from ordinary life 
• special attention for light and color
• work in the open air
• smooth brushstrokes
• dashes resemble a sketch
• it's about the impression!

Discuss the term impressionism. Show some paintings by Monet and zoom in on a work with water lilies in Arts & Culture. Do students see the characteristics of impressionism in this artwork?

Monet had a large garden with a pond and a Japanese bridge in Giverny France. He liked to paint in that garden. His works of water lilies are therefore famous and are the basis of this lesson.

Lesson 1

Squeeze some blue, green and white paint onto a saucer. Dipt your sponge into the blue paint. Stamp on the sheet. Do the same with green paint and stamp all over the sheet. Finally do this with white paint. You can use the green side of your sponge,  to get a light green color also. Let the work dry.

Lesson 2

To paint the water lilies: mix a little bit of red with white paint. Paint ovals spread across the sheet. Not too neat, it's all about impression!

Paint a green border at the bottom of the ovals: the leaf. To make it fresher, you can mix some light green paint and use it. You don't have to clean the green brush first. 

Then paint a heart in your flower with yellow. Let the work dry. 

Finally draw lines in your lily with a dark red or purple oil pastel: the petals. 

Artworks made by students of grade 1 and 2.

Mexican amate

You need:

1. brown paper bag
2. tempera paint in fluoresecent colours and white
3. brushes
4. jar with water
5. black marker
6. coloured paper for background
7. glue or stapler

Amate is a way of making paper, done for centuries by Mexican Indians. Amate paper is made by cooking the inner bark of various trees. At the beginning of the 20th century the Nahua Indians of Mexico started making amate paintings as a form of folk art, especially in order to exchange and sell them to tourists.

Show some pictures of Mexican amate paintings. Discuss the features: birds, flowers, bright colours and black outlines. A frame around the drawing with a pattern in bright colours too.

Tear the edges off the paper: use thumb and fingers of both hands and tear slowly. Use a pencil to draw some birds and flowers, add a patterned frame and paint everything with fluorescent tempera. Let dry and outline everything with a black marker. 

Paste or staple the artworks on coloured construction paper.

Tamponing an Easter bunny

 You need:

1. colored paper
2. tamponing brushes 
3. white tempera paint
4. pencil and color pencils  

A lesson to learn the technique of tamponing with a tamponing brush: do not move the brush back and forth, but stamp. Result will be a softer texture than when using normal brushes.  

No tamponing brushes in school? Give students a cotton ball in a cloth spin. 

What to do?

Scetch the outline of an Easter bunny. Press the pencil as gently as you can, to avoid thick pencil lines under the white paint. 

Stamp the bunny and let dry. 

Draw the outlines with a blak pencil. 

Draw small lines all around with a black pencil. 

Decorate the artwork with spring flowers. 

Art work made by students of grade 2.

Pretty tulip prints

 

You need:

1. corrugated cardboard or a cardboard box 
2. scissors
3. roller 
4. blockprint or tempera paint* 
5. colored or white sheets 

* blockprint dries more slowly and therefore works better than tempera paint. 

With cardboard boxes you can make beautiful prints. These tulips are cut from a cardboard box. 

roll in with block print

Cut a simple tulip from cardboard. Roll them in different colors and print several times on a sheet. Experiment with colors on top of each other and wet in wet. Print the tulips in several heights and let them overlap for a spatial effect. Let dry and stick the art work on a colored sheet. 

Elements of art: space, color, texture.