Elements and Principles

 

Description: In this project, we had to identify different elements and principles of art in our everyday lives. I choose shapes and balance. On a tissue box, I saw it using organic and geometric shapes to make a design on the box. I used the leaf for balance as it has an equal distribution of visual weight, and it is symmetrical. 

Extension activity: This could be used anytime you need to teach students to slow down when they are working on assignments. It teaches them to pay attention to details and not rush through their work. 

Clay Tiles

 Description: In this lesson, we learned about the history of Mosaic clay tiles, including the origin and development of techniques used to create tiles. We learned different techniques to add texture to the clay tiles as well. We then brainstormed what we wanted on our tiles and how we wanted them to look. We kneaded our clay, rolled it out to an even width using wood blocks, and used a square template we cut out our tile. we then added additive elements and subtractive elements onto our tile. Finally, we painted our tile. We left the bottom unpainted as our clay was wet when we painted it, and it needed an unpainted side to allow the water to escape and dry. If the clay had been dry, we could have painted all the sides. 

Extension activity: This would be a great activity to do when learning about history, and different time periods where clay was used heavily in their artwork. You could learn about the society you are studying and then have students make a clay tile, or clay piece, based on that society, but also unique to the student. 

Pop-out Scene

 

Description: After learning what makes things 3-D, we made a scene with 3-D characters. First, we folded our paper, marked our cutout areas, and colored the background. Then we cut out our pop-out folds, and used construction paper to add more elements to the background. We folded the pop-out cuts the opposite way the paper folded, in instead of out. We made our characters out of construction paper as well and then glued everything together. 

Extension activity: This could be used when learning about history and plays. Students can work in groups to make the scene for their characters, make their characters, and then create a story to go along with their scene.

Ornaments

 

Description: In this project, we first brainstormed what we wanted on our ornaments. After coming up with ideas that represented us, we then traced a circular item and drew our idea on a square piece of paper inside the circle we made. We took a piece of styrofoam and taped our sketch to it. We traced the design we already made, pushing very hard to make lines on the styrofoam. We then separated the sketch to see our design on the styrofoam. On a big piece of white or black paper, we drew four lines to be the strings for our ornaments. We took paint and a roller to put the paint onto the styrofoam and then stamped it onto our drawn strings to make our ornaments. 

Extension: This could be used as an activity to show unity in the classroom. We could make a tree and then have the leaves be stamps that the students made. It would show how, even though we are all different, we are also similar, and can come together to do great things. 

Snow Flakes

 

Description: this project we first learned about snow flakes and how each one is unique. As a class we followed the instructors in cutting out two snow flakes the way they did, then we made our own snow flake. After making the three snow flakes, we then glued them down onto a piece of blue paper. After a few minutes to let them dry we took our glue and make thin lines on the snow flake that we designed, then we poured salt on the glue lines. After a few more minutes of drying we took water colors and added color to our lines of salt. After we talked about how ours looked compared to our classmates and how even though we followed the same instructions for the first two snow flakes they still all turned out different form each others.

Extension activity: This could be used when learning about seasons and the water cycle. Students can either make this project when learning about the winter season or when they are learning about the water cycle and how in the winter when rain falls from the clouds it turns into snow. 

Stained Glass Turkey

 Description: This activity was making stained glass turkeys. We used brown paper, different colors of paint, painters tape, and paint brushes. After looking at stained glass we made our own stained glass inspired turkeys. We first put down the tape to make the head and feathers. After we painted each space, leaving the head unpainted. We needed to use two primary colors, two tints, and two secondary colors. My primary colors were blue, red and yellow, my secondary colors were green and purple my tints were pink and light blue. After painting the feathers, we then as a group painted the turkeys face. After letting it dry overnight we came back and gently removed the painters tape to reveal our turkeys. 

Extension activity: This could be used when doing a history lesson talking about different architecture thought the world and different time periods. It could also be used in science when talking about light reflecting. 

Zentangle Pumpkin

 

Description: After a short lesson about what zentangle  were and what they looked like, we practiced makin your own on a separate piece of paper. We then drew our pumpkins and added a different zentangle  pattern to each area. When making the zentangle  patterns we needed to make 3 different fall patterns and three different patterns that represented us. For the fall themes I did: spiders, lattice, and swirls for wind. The matters I chose for myself were, vines, lines, and stars. 

Extension activity: With could be used in a classroom when working on making maps, and using keys to read the maps. It could also be used to create a class project where each student gets one piece and makes their own zentangle pattern on it, to help show unity in differences.