Hey! I'm a photographer!

The history of photography is a very interesting one, and today we'll learn all about it!  starting with the first photos every taken with the first cameras, to famous photographers, and then we'll learn some tricks to take some of great photos of our own! 

Now its your turn to be the photographer! Each of you will pair up and take a turn being the photographer and then the model for the portrait.  

moms- this is what you'll need,  digital cameras, white sheets for backdrops, clip or tape on wall, tripods- they may also just want to hold the cameras.  I also have them bring in their favorite stuffed animal for one of the photos.  The photos I upload, crop, change to black and white and pick the best 4 expressions of each child.  The frames are from the dollar store.  Tada! the best Christmas present ever!  Don't forget the labels on the back with the date, class, etc.

Here the link to the slideshow on photography!

Remember- 

1. Make sure the camera is focused and still
2. Make your subject feel comfortable,
    tell them nicely how you want them to pose.
3. You want to get 4 different looks from them, make sure 1 is a nice smiling one.       How about happy, thoughtful, goofy, sad, sleepy, dreamy, excited or cuddly!
4. Take about 3 photos per expression. Take your time !
HAVE FUN!

Henri Matisse- Master of Color

Henri Matisse

 Henri Matisse (1869-1954)
French painter and sculptor; full name Henri Emile Benoît Matisse. His use of nonnaturalistic color led him to be considered a leader among the Fauvists. His later paintings and sculptures display a trend toward formal simplification and abstraction.
Here is a Art Masterpiece Project that was on Artsonia,  Johnny Appleseed Day is coming up and this is a great project for it.  It really is adaptable for any age group, this masterpiece below was done by a Kindergartener!  

materials:
White 12"x18" paper
Liquid Laundry Detergent Lids
Black, Red, Yellow and Green (to make "apple" green) tempera paint
Warm and Cool watercolors OR watered down tempera
Brushes
Large Circle tracer and crayon for plate
Sharpie fine point black marker

blow dryers to dry the paint

LOTS OF HELPERS!

most of these supplies can be had from the art department,  make sure to check in advance.

procedure:
1. Introduce Henri Matisse "Apples" 1916, The Art Institute of Chicago Image found  here. 

It is also found in the slide talk -link is below.

2. Compare and contrast other still life images.
3. Have the students trace large circle on 12" x 18" white paper - or to save time,
 I pre-draw the plate with brown crayon prior to distributing to the kids.
4. Discuss warm and cool colors. I have them paint the plate first and then one half with warm colors.
(I have used watercolors in the past but now I find that if I water down tempera and put it in little cups,
the effect is much nicer.) While they are painting the outside of the plate, I go around and soak up any
puddles to keep the apple print from bleeding into it.
PRINTMAKING
I made green apples by mixing tempera paints. We used liquid laundry caps (of different sizes) to make
 the print. I tell them to lift straight up and hold the paper down with their other hand if the paper sticks
to the cap. While they are printmaking inside the plate I soak up any puddles outside the plate in case
they want to show an apple falling out. We let dry until the next week.
The second week . . .or if you have helpers,  break out those blow dryers from the art department, and
 try to dry as much as possible where the apples will be printed.
1. I start with sharpie for the apple stems.
2. I premix watered down tempera for the cool colors and the black shadows. When they are doing the
 shadows, I turn the warm colors so that they are on the "right" side of the student.
3. I ask the children to draw the letter "C" ON the apple (this makes the cool side the shadow side).
Then I have them draw the letter "C" for the cast shadow and fill in. I do the two shadows separately
 because the tempera from the apples sometimes remoistens and will spread into the cast shadow.

link to slidetalk for Matisse

Don't forget to take photos - natural light, straight on, of each artwork, 

then they will be posted on Artsonia for all to see!

art by a Kindergartener.

Wassily Kandinsky

Wassily Kandinsky: Russian painter and theorist. A pioneer of abstract art, he co-founded the Munich based Blaue Reiter group of artists in 1911.

This a really fun project that I've done in first grade, they learn about basic color mixing, talk to them about the primary colors ( red,blue,yellow) and ask them what colors do they make when they mix.

Link to Kandinsky slideshow

Elements of art covered: Color and Line

Materials for the project:
Bleeding art tissue.

Cut the colored tissue up into squares 2-3". Don't use white, black brown, only the bright colors.
Use a mixture of 50/50 water/glue, or water/mod podge. I mix it in a water bottle as I go so I can pour it easily into their cups of their tables, and refill as necessary.
Paint brushes, or sponge brushes.
Black tempura paint, thin brushes
Do a sample in advance of putting down three primary color tissue paper and gluing them with the mixture, it will show them how the blue yellow and red, primary colors will mix to make the orange, violet, and green secondary colors with the tissue paper.
Pass out a Dixie cup of glue mixture, handful of various colors of tissue squares and the foam brushes.
Don't forget their name on the back of the watercolor paper first.
Working in smaller sections, have them generously apply the glue mixture and start laying and overlapping the tissue paper on top.
**be careful that they don't brush on top of the tissue paper, it will tear when it's wet!!!***
have them completely cover the paper, leaving no white part.
For the black part, sometimes, I wrap up the lesson for the day, and let everything dry overnight, then when I come back for a 20 minute session,
Talk to them about one of the elements of art being line, and how Kandinsky
Would paint to music and feel the music with his brush strokes, not trying to paint specific shapes, but flowing lines etc. I have brought classical music in for this part too.
Pass out their dry projects, they will use thinned black paint and thin brushes. Show them the Kandinsky sample ( you can just show the one slide up on the smart board if needed)
They will paint some simple lines and shapes on their masterpieces. Keep this session very short, give them too much time and they will want to paint stars, moons, puppies, trees etc.
When it's dry take pictures and send them to me for artsonia!

Van Gogh's Sunflowers

Vincent Van Gogh 1853-1890 Dutch painter. He is best known for his post-Impressionist work. His most famous works include several studies of sunflowers and A Starry Night (1889)

The kids will learn about Van Gogh, as an artist, and his series of sunflower paintings. Then they will make their own little Van Gogh's!

Materials needed:

12 x 18 Acrylic paper or drawing paper.

Tempura paint- (in the art room)- Yellow, green, brown & red

Pencils, Medium paint brushes

Disposable plates or plastic palettes for mixing paints.

A vase with real or fake sunflowers

Images of sunflower paintings

What You Do:

First, introduce the students to Van Gogh. Show them the Slide show, and trying to get them enthused and ask questions about what they see, or are interested in. Take time to discuss the different elements that they notice in each painting that they are to imitate, as well as the principles of art. We discuss the use of color and techniques we might use to paint certain aspects of each work of art. Ask them what they think Van Gogh's favorite color was (yellow!) Talk about and show them real sunflowers, how they grow, show how they droop a little in the vase sometimes. Try www.sunflowers.com for loads of information.

Explain and show students how lots of yellow and a tiny drop of red mix to make an orangey-yellow. Have a helper pass out a paper towel, paintbrush and set up the paint palettes. The plate should have lots of yellow, tiny bit of red, brown (for pot, or center of flowers) and green (for stems)

Have the students write their name on the back of the paper, then they can sketch a vase with their pencil. Not the flowers, they are freehand. If it is kindergarten then you might pre-trace vases on the paper. Then the students are left to paint their unique versions of the famous masterpiece. They will need lots of encouragement, and with different levels of motor skills and artistic ability, sometimes lots of help. Make sure to ask other moms for help on the big day.

http://www.vangoghgallery.com/

Link to Van Gogh Sunflower slideshow