Looking for an exciting name art project? How about introducing a famous artist at the same time? Try this Paul Klee-inspired graphic name art project.
Second graders create name art in the style of Paul Klee. Allow 1-2 40 minute classes. Artwork by Tyler.
Start out by introducing artworks by Paul Klee. This project is inspired by his graphic works such as Castle and Sun. WikiPaintings has lots of images of his art. Click here, here, here, and hereto see some of Klee’s other graphic artworks. This is a good time to talk about abstract art.
Students should turn their paper horizontally. They write their names in pencil, using all capital letters. Encourage students to S-T-R-E-T-C-H their letters from the bottom to the top of the paper (note: students with long names may need to draw extra skinny letters, use longer paper, or perhaps use their nicknames). The letters can touch the left and right sides of the paper AND touch each other: letters such as ‘E’, ‘F’ and ‘K’ look more abstract when drawn in this manner.
After they are pleased with the layout, they trace over their pencil lines in white oil pastel.
Students write their name in white oil pastel, then fill in the spaces with colored pastels.
Next they color in the spaces in their name. Encourage them to use a variety of colors, although it is fine to repeat colors. Students must not color in with black pastels.
Completed second grade art:
Randie
Flynn
Jax
Chris
Kian
Show students the completed projects and ask if they can read the artist’s name. Successful artworks are often abstracted to the point it is challenging to see the artist’s name! How does this compare to Klee’s graphic artworks?
This lesson plan was inspired by (or abstracted from!) this fabulous post on the Kids Artists blog.
Enjoy!
Do you have a favorite name art lesson plan for the beginning of the year?
Third grade is doing a Japanese unit. In music class, they are working hard on their school play, a Japanese-themed ‘Emperor’s New Clothes’ (featuring real Taiko drums). I found this great kimono collage lesson plan developed by Renee Collins at My Adventures in Positive Space. The project was extremely successful – 100% of students made beautiful collages.
3rd graders stamped a line landscape with black acrylic paint, then painted with pan watercolors. Allow two 40-minute sessions.
Do you want a landscape lesson plan that delivers gorgeous art with 100% success in only two 40-minute sessions? Try the Paul Klee lesson featured in the book Dynamic Art Projects for Children by Denise M. Logan. Students spent their first class using black acrylic paint and small pieces of mat board to stamp a jagged landscape. They painted with watercolors during the second class. Here are the results:
Dynamic Art Projects for Children is a fabulous book with many colorful, engaging lesson plans for kids in grades 1-6. I wrote about the book’s Kuna mola lesson plan in this post.
Can you recommend a book with awesome lesson plans? Leave a comment!
Maybe you have used scratch foam for printmaking in the art room. I’ve seen a lot of beautiful art work using scratch foam and printer’s ink applied with brayers. But did you know scratch foam prints can look like this?
This set of four cupcake prints were all made from the same scratch foam plate during a single 40-minute class.
3rd graders used watercolor marker and scratch foam to create multiple prints. We did an easy directed drawing of a cupcake onto scratch foam, colored the foam with watercolor markers, and then printed the cards onto damp paper.
Materials:
Scratch foam, cut to desired size
sketch paper, cut to same size as foam
dull pencil
masking tape
watercolor markers in assorted colors (I use Mr. Sketch markers)
oil pastels or other embellishments (optional)
shallow tub (dishpan) of water
beach towel (several if you are teaching multiple or large classes)
plastic sleeve protectors for printing station
white construction paper for printing – cut larger than scratch foam
Prep:
Set up a printing station. Fill tub with water depth of 2-3 inches. Set out a folded towel. Tape a sleeve protector to the table. Slide in an alignment sample (see below). Cut a stack of printing papers, enough for each student to make at least 3 prints. Think about drying space (always an issue when printing multiples). Drying rack? Clothes line?
Drawing
draw cupcake onto sketch paper. Click here for my step-by-step how to draw a cupcake instructions.
Remind students: NO LETTERS, NO WORDS, NO NUMBERS.
tape sketch paper on top of scratch foam.
go over cupcake sketch with a dull pencil. The lines should transfer to the scratch foam below.
pull up the paper. Drawing directly on the foam, go over any lines you missed with the pencil. You can also add sprinkles or other small lines at this time.
discard the sketch paper and tape.
Tape sketch on top of scratch foam. Go over lines with dull pencil to incise foam below.
Inking
use the watercolor markers to ink the scratch foam. Students should use multiple colors. Fill the scratch foam completely with color.
Color in the scratch foam with watercolor markers.
Printing
take your foam to the printing station.
write your name in small letters on white construction paper. Use pencil.
dip white construction paper in water
put wet paper in folded towel to blot
align inked scratch foam on sleeve protector INK SIDE UP
put damp white paper on scratch foam NAME SIDE UP (align using the sleeve protector)
rub paper firmly without wiggling
PULL THE PRINT
Printing station. Students align foam with white rectangle, damp paper with blue rectangle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAY0pGj7c7g&rel=0
The third graders were amazed!!!! Vibrant colored cupcakes for their beautiful birthday cards.
ARE YOU READY FOR EVEN MORE FUN?????
Re-inking
Students re-ink the scratch foam plates using a different color scheme. It doesn’t matter if the plate still has a little color on it – go right over the plate with a different color.
Print again!
Students should carefully sign their name on the back of the foam plate WITH PENCIL. Write small.
A word of caution: as always, test this project out yourself before attempting with your students.
1) The degree of dampness of the printing paper is critical. Too dry and the ink won’t transfer to the paper. Too wet and the ink will bleed and blur as the paper dries. For blotting, a fresh beach towel is ideal. My towel was too damp by the third class of the day. I wish I had a couple of fresh dry ones with me. Next year!
2) Size of drawing matters. Tiny drawings the size of a thumbnail just won’t look good.
Day 2: Embellish Prints with Oil Pastels
Students have the option of embellishing their dry prints. These cupcakes are decorated with oil pastel. This is a great way to rescue students less-than-perfect prints. Can you imagine these with a little clear glitter and/or a sequin?
Next we trim our cupcake prints and glue them onto colored construction paper. What fabulous birthday cards for all our family and friends.
Fun – colorful – successful – easy to clean up!
This would be a great Wayne Thiebaud lesson plan – it relates to his dessert paintings in terms of subject matter and repetition.
Wayne Thiebaud. Cakes. 1963
A huge thank you to Carol Catelano Webb, master art teacher, who taught this printing process at a San Diego Art Educators workshop back in 2005.
