We used a variety of painters throughout history, each with his own unique style and point of view. We wanted to make sure that the projects stayed fresh and interesting throughout the week. Children had the opportunity to use water colors, tempera paint, and paint textured with shaving cream; as well as exploring different application techniques and materials.
For Monet, children drew inspiration from "Water Lilies" to create dot-by-dot water color images of our vase of daffodils. They used wide tipped sponges to apply the color for a bright and bold look without the dripping.
Van Gogh's "Starry Night" offered us the opportunity to experiment with texture. We mixed liquid water color with shaving cream and glue to mimic the soft, raised impressions of the stars, and we gave children the opportunity to experiment with different swirling techniques to bring in the breezy nature of the sky.
We delved into color mixing to find just the right hues and tones for portraits with Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa". Friends worked together in palettes mixing white paint with peach, brown, and yellow water colors. They were encouraged to look at their friends around the table and consider how the different areas of the face can be conveyed with different shades and strokes. While the final projects may have turned out more abstract, the intention behind the works they produced was actually quite careful and precise.
We also returned to a previous project with Michelangelo's work in the Sistine Chapel. We did a group project this time, creating a communal mural to place on the ceiling of our own classroom. Friends negotiated space under the table and worked together to create a work that all the artists could agree on and be proud of.
Andy Warhol brought us into the modern art era with his photos of Marilyn Monroe. We used our own photos as the canvas and added those splashes of color with crayon. While some friends used broad, undefined strokes of color, others worked diligently to fill in every line of the face and hair in a particular way with a particular color. Each face offered its own unique character, and friends were excited to be such an integral part of their own art.
In honor of Jackson Pollack, our friends had a very fun and exciting day of splatter painting. Friends stood about a foot away from a piece of white cloth on the ground and splattered tempera paints with their paint brushes. We considered how art can be anything you want it to be. It can be messy, or it can be tidy. It can be bright, or it can be dull. It can look like real things, or it can be completely abstract. And, it doesn't have to be what anyone else expects.Please make sure to check out our gallery on the windows (and ceiling!) throughout the classroom!
