Ming Vases

I saw this wonderful lesson on an art blog. I tweaked it a bit. We learned about Ming Vases, we discussed the time they were originally made, uses for them, and that they were traditionally blue and white. Students learned about how to draw vases using imaginary guidelines and ellipses to understand the form. Keeping in mind the light source they blended various blue oil pastels gradating light to dark. White acrylic paint was painted over the oil pastels and we used toothpicks to scratch out patterns and designs. When they were dry we cut them out and placed them onto patterned paper. I set up a vase and lit if from one side so students could see what the shadows would do. Applying what they learned from this observation they used charcoal pencil to put in their shadows. I'm so pleased with the results! I love the play of patterns. The students spent quite a few weeks on these and I believe it shows!

Summer Camp 2012

Studio Art for Children has been experiencing some technical difficulties. Still working on them, but now can do some posting! Here are some fun times from this past year's summer camp. I'm working on summer 2013 dates and will post on blog as soon as they are ready.

HERE ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM SUMMER 2012

In painting class we made our own tempera paints from chalk. We ground the chalk with a mortar and pestle and added egg yolks and water. I read them the book A Boy Named Giotto by Paolo Guarnieri so we could be inspired by the amazing Renaissance painter who used paints that were ground from pigments that derived from minerals and flowers. Then we painted a landscape inspired by Giotto.

Sketch Booking Below

Cezanne inspired still lifes

 Asian inspired scrolls on rice paper. The students used ink with sumi brushes for the branches and tempera paint for the blossoms.

Jackson Pollock fun!

We made multiple prints from a printing plate where the image was drawn on with glue. After the glue dried we used brayers to apply the black ink. After the prints dried we chose one to hand-color with watercolor.

 After studying Chuck Close's finger print portraits, the students made their own from photos we took of them. Please excuse the poor quality, I just couldn't pass up posting them.