Pumpkins like Yayoi Kusama

 You need:

1. black construction paper
2. colored paper
3. black marker
4. black fineliner
5. scissors and glue
6. white pencil

About the artist
Yayoi Kusama (1929) is a Japanese artist. She creates paintings, sculptures and large installations with mirrors and lots of light, symbolizing infinity. All her artworks have one thing in common: polka dots. That's why she's affectionately known as 'the princess of polka dots'. 

From an early age Kusama wanted to make art, but her traditional Japanese parents didn't like this. That's why Kusama left for NewYork and joined artists there, including Andy Warhol. 

By adding all-over marks and dots to her paintings, drawings, objects and clothes she feels as if she is making them (and herself) melt into, and become part of, the bigger universe. She said:

‘Our earth is only one polka dot among a million stars in the cosmos. Polka dots are a way to infinity. When we obliterate nature and our bodies with polka dots, we become part of the unity of our environment’.

View and discuss artwork of Kusama. 

• use of large and small polka dots 
• backgrounds are often filled with triangles
• use of bright colors
• her installations suggest infinity

What to do?

1. Draw three pumpkins on the colored sheets and cut them.
2. Draw bigger and smaller dots on the segments using black markers.
3. Draw triangles on the black sheet with a white pencil - start with a zigzag line.
4. Paste the pumpkins on the black sheet.

Works of art are made by students of grade 4. 

Whirling leaves

You need:

1. white drawing sheet A4 size
2. watercolor paint
3. brushes
4. jar with water
5. small and broad black marker
6. colored construction paper for background
7. glue

Ask students to take some flat dried leaves. Every student chooses one of his own leaves and outlines it several times with a pencil. Remember to draw not all the leaves in the same way on the paper, because they whirl down from the tree. Make sure some leaves go over the edge; those leaves will later be finished on the background.

Paint the leaves with watercolor paint. Use water to dillute the paint less or more. Choose warm fall colors and try to make transitions in the colors by using wet in wet technique.

Paint the background blue. Use again the wet in wet technique, and/or choose for wet on dry. You don't have to paint exactly against the leaves, because they will be outlined later.

Leave the work to dry and paste in on a colored background. Outline the leaves with a thick black marker. Use a fine black marker for drawing the veins, while observing carefully the real leaves. Don't stop with outlining and drawing veins when you reach the background, but go on with it there.

Works of arde made by students of grade 6.

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 works of art made by students of grade 6.

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. 

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.

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.

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. 

Mix and match with Mondrian

 by students of grade 3

You need:

1. white sheets 21 by 21 cm
2. black sheet 23 bij cm
3. paper strips 3 by 6 cm in yellow, red and blue
4. black squares 3 by 3 cm
5. glue

Discuss life and work of Mondrian and the art movement De Stijl.  

I did this lesson in grade 5, students worked in  pairs. The figures are cut  before class. Per art work you need 4 black squares and 16 colored rectangles 

The assignment is:  

• make a composition of 4 squares, each consisting of 4 colored rectangles and a black square in the middle. Make sure there are no 2 of the same colors next to each other
• paste the composition on the white sheet, keeping a small white edge visible around each shape. 
• finally paste the art work on a black surface 

Students from higher groups can measure and cut the figures themselves. 

Difficult assigment and not everyone succeeded! 

Elements of art: shape, color, line. 

Grey, like Theo van Doesburg

You need:

1. white drawing sheet
2. black construction paper
3. ruler
4. charcoal
5. pencil
6. glue

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

Characteristics of the Stijl artists:

• use of primary colors and non-colors 
• horizontal and vertical lines
• use of geometric shapes 
• strive for balance and harmony in the artwork

Van Doesburg, Composition 12 - abstraction of a landscape, 1918

In this lesson we discuss an artwork from 1917 that hangs in the Guggenheim New York. No primary colors, but only the non-colors black and white and everything in between.The goal for this lesson is not to copy the work, but to practice the technique of working with charcoal. 

Van Doesburg, Composition in grey, 1919

Look at the painting and discuss what stands out:

• no color, only non-colors
• geometric shapes with some rounded corners
• suggestion of depth: some surfaces appear to rise through the use of light and 
• dark next to eachother 
• only horizontal and vertical lines 

How to make your own Van der Leck? 

First practice drawing with charcoal on a scrap. Press hard, soft, wipe. Get to know the material this way.  

Divide the sheet into rectangles using a pencil and ruler. Color with charcoal. Make sure that lines between the rectangles are clearly visible. Create color nuances by pressing harder or softer, rubbing and wiping. 

Stick the work on a black sheet. 

Elements of art: color, nuance, line, shape. 

Artworks made by students of grade 5.

Selfportrait like Roy Lichtenstein

At our school it's customary to keep artwork at school until the of the school year. Students make a portfolio in june to take their work home. 
On front of it is a drawing in the style of one of the art movements we studied that year. In 2021-2022 it was pop art. 

These are the grade 6 portfolio folders with a self portrait in the style of Roy Lichtenstein. 

You need: 
For the folder: paper A1 size, folded in half
For the drawing: 

1. white drawing paper A4 size 
2. markers
3. skin color pencils 
4. fine marker in black

Show artwork of Lichtenstein and discuss the important features: use of primary colors (sometimes with green), grid dots, black outlines, speech bubbles and slogans (onomatopoeia).

contents portfolio folder grade 6

How?

1. Draw a self portrait on the small sheet. 
2. Add a text in a speech bubble that suits you. 
3. Color your face using skin color pencils. Use markers for the rest of your drawing. 
4. Fill one part of your drawing with dots. 
5. Fill the background with a pattern. 
6. Outline everything with a black marker. 
7. Past e your work on the large sheet. 
8. Draw in large letters: portfolio + you name + the school year. 

all artworks are made by students of grade 6

Prisoners in World War II

You need:

1. white drawing sheet A4 size
2. ribbed cardboard
3. pencil
4. watercolour paint
5. brushes
6. jar with water
7. black wool 
8. glue

In Holland we rembember the victims of World War II on the 4th of May. The 5th of May we celebrate the day of liberation. In schools World War II is an important part of the history lessons. Students are always very interested in this topic.

"We had to draw one or more people in a concentration camp. Our drawings should show the fear and powerlessness of the prisoners. Most of all did well and the artworks were really beautiful. When the drawing was finished, we had to paint it with watercolour paint, using sad colours. We used black wool to make barbed wire and pasted it in front of the drawing. Finally we pasted the artworks on ribbed cardboard. It was an intense task, and it made us really think about that terrible time."

Artworks are made by students of grade 6

Thanks to Sylvia Versteeg

Painting without using your hands

 

You need: 

1. big drawing sheets
2. brushes
3. tempera paint
4. liquid water color paint
5. tape

Painting without using your hands is quite a challenge! You can paint with your feet or mouth. We tried both. 

Painting with your feet
Put tables aside, newspapers on the floor and stick drawing sheets on top. Very important: take off the shoes in the hallway and leave them there 😀

Place a container with three colors tempera paint between two students. A beautiful portrait is too much, so ask them to paint simple lines or shapes. 

Painting with your mouth 
This is less difficult. Cover the tables with newspapers. Place jars with diluted water color paint and brushes. Students may paint what the want. You may also give them a simple goal: paint rectangles in different colors.