Out of this World Outer Space Resists

Recently, 4th grade artists thought about how to use color to make shapes appear less flat and more three dimensional. We noticed that adding shading to a shape, as well as a highlight, helps transform the flat shape into a three dimensional looking form. We applied this concept to our outer space drawings, using oil pastels. 

To begin, students brainstormed a list of things you might see in outer space, including the Earth, sun, planets, stars, asteroids, space stations and more. After sketching out their compositions, students drew their outer space scenes on larger paper and used oil pastel to add color and depth. 

Students were encouraged to use several colors on each object, considering the light source and where there might be shade to help give objects and three dimensional appearance. We used monochromatic colors, or colors within the same color family, as well as analogous colors, or three colors next to each other on the color wheel. 

Students thought about using light, medium and dark colors to use on the same object to create a three dimensional appearance. Students got very creative and imaginative with their details, including aliens, food items, and space junk! 

When they finished drawing with oil pastel, students painted their entire artwork with black watercolor paint. This is called resist, because the oil pastel resists the watercolor paint, and allows the oil pastel outer space objects to stand out. Here are some examples of our out of this world outer space resist paintings! 

Anastasia, 4th Grade (Graves)

Anna, 4th Grade (Doherty)

Ava P., 4th Grade (Mattson)

Brian, 4th Grade (Mattson)

Callan, 4th Grade (Butera Wandicho)

Elizabeth, 4th Grade (Mattson)

Etta, 4th Grade (Graves)

Isabella, 4th Grade (Graves)

Marwa, 4th Grade (Mattson)

Mary, 4th Grade (Graves)

Mera, 4th Grade (Mattson)

Muntaha, 4th Grade (Butera Wandicho)

Sophie, 4th Grade (Mattson)

Willa, 4th Grade (Doherty)

Coleman, 4th Grade (Doherty)

Dylan, 4th Grade (Butera & Wandicho)

Autumn, 4th Grade (Graves)

Viveca, 4th Grade (Doherty)

Kalleby, 4th Grade (Mattson)

Brazil: Endangered Animals of the Amazon Rainforest Artwork

As part of our 2nd grade for our Arts Around the World curriculum, students are learning about art and music from four different countries -- Brazil, Ghana, Japan and Scotland -- throughout the year. In art class, we started Brazil with our Romero Britto inspired paintings and continued with another project, this time focused on the endangered animals of the Amazon Rainforest. 

We started by learning about the Amazon Rainforest, 60% of which is located in Brazil. Then we looked at the endangered animals of the Amazon Rainforest and discussed what it means to be endangered, which is when there are not many of an animal species left and they are at risk for extinction. We noticed that the word "danger" is part of the word "endangered." We learned specifically about five endangered animals from the Amazon Rainforest, including the hyacinth macaw, jaguar, poison dart frog, golden lion tamarin monkey, and the three-toed sloth. 

We also learned about the Amazon Rainforest and its environment and climate, as well as reasons why certain animals are endangered there. For example, the jaguar is endangered because people hunt them for their fur and the hyacinth macaws are being caught and sold as pets. 

Students selected one animal to sketch, using reference images, and drew the animal it its rainforest habitat. Using oil pastels, students added color and thought about the texture of their chosen animal. 

During the following class, students added details to the background to suggest the Amazon rainforest, such as leaves, branches, and vines. We made sure to leave some of the white paper showing. 

Then we painted over their oil pastel drawing with liquid watercolor to create a resist, since the oil pastel and watercolor paint do not mix. We used shades of green, blue, and violet to paint the background of our artwork.

We also heard the story The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry, a children's book about the Amazon Rainforest. The story begins with two men who enter the rainforest with the intent to cut down the great kapok tree. One man starts to cut down the tree and eventually falls asleep. While he is sleeping, all of the animals that live in or off of the kapok tree come to the man to whisper in his ear and tell him about the significance of the kapok tree to their lives as well as to the world. The man wakes up, picks up his ax and prepares to cut the tree, but then he remembers what the animals told him and finally decides not to cut it down.

As a conclusion to Brazil, students participated in a gallery walk to see everyone's finished artwork. Students shared their observations afterwards, noticing the bright colors, different choices, and vibrant patterns. Here are some finished examples: 

Amelia, 2nd Grade (McCarthy)

Audrey W., 2nd Grade (Hinds Thiemann)

Dakotah, 2nd Grade (O'Connor)

Joshua, 2nd Grade (O'Connor)

Kai, 2nd Grade (Stone)

Katherina, 2nd Grade (O'Connor)

Lucas P., 2nd Grade (Pearse)

Sannan, 2nd Grade (McCarthy)

Violet, 2nd Grade (O'Connor)

Will, 2nd Grade (Hinds Thiemann)

Xavier, 2nd Grade (McCarthy)

Fall Leaves Watercolor Resist

In keeping with the fall season, 1st grade artists looked at leaves and noticed that the green leaves change to red, orange and yellow when it becomes fall. We noticed that these are all warm colors. We began by looking at real leaves, as well as photographs of leaves, that have changed color during the fall. 
We noticed that some leaves had more than one color. 

Students drew several large leaves on their paper, using oil pastels, looking closely at the examples of leaves and drawing them from observation. We practiced close looking and noticed the bumpy edges of many of the leaves and the lines or veins inside. 

Then we painted our leaf drawings using watercolor paint in warm colors -- red, orange and yellow. The oil pastel lines of the leaves show through the watercolor paint, which demonstrates resist, an effect students learned about last year in kindergarten. 

Students also learned about a watercolor technique called wet-on-wet, which means the paper is wet before adding more wet paint on top. Students tried painting the paper with water first and then dropping or painting with watercolor on top, or painting a wash of one color and adding other colors on top. 

The watercolor blooms or spreads because the paper is already wet which creates a blurry effect. Students enjoyed experimenting with this technique, and many found its effect "magical"! We had to bring our artwork to the drying rack very carefully to make sure the paint stayed inside our leaves. 

The following class, we added some lines with white oil pastel to the background and then painted the background with cool colors of watercolor paint. Students experimented with wet-on-wet and also learned about another watercolor technique: using salt sprinkled on top of the wet paint. The salt absorbs the color from the paint, creating a white spot underneath as it dries and making a interesting texture. 

Students enjoyed combining some of the watercolor techniques they learned about during this project. After our artwork had dried, the salt was brushed off and students were excited to see the effects of the salt, as well as the wet-on-wet. Below are examples of our warm and cool color fall leaves:

Beatrix, 1st Grade (Landay)

Brigham, 1st Grade (Massa)

Clara, 1st Grade (Talamas)

Dylan, 1st Grade (Mandile)

Karissa, 1st Grade (Talamas)

Leo, 1st Grade (Massa)

Nathan, 1st Grade (Mandile)

Nora, 1st Grade (Massa)

Parissa, 1st Grade (Talamas)

Roslyn, 1st Grade (Salvucci)

Keegan, 1st Grade (McIsaac)

Amar, 1st Grade (McIsaac)

Nora, 1st Grade (McIsaac)

Sebastian, 1st Grade (Landay)