Easter Basket Collage Art

Here is a paper collage project suitable for any kid who looks forward to Easter, loves making things, and especially enjoys being super-creative!

This process art project utilizes cut paper and glue in new and exciting ways. First it's a collage, but really it's a whole lot more because it features some three dimensional elements. 

(Plus, a few chocolate bunnies and marshmallow peeps to make this basket really special!)

Once they catch on, young artists will figure out on their own how to add texture and other 3-D elements to their collages. 

Various scrap booking papers, stickers, and gold wrapping paper (for the ultra-desirable golden egg) can add to the fun!

We employed some interesting paper-working tools such as our handy grass-maker (okay, a paper shredder), a butterfly punch, and a paper crimper. If you have these, great, but kids can always figure out how to create their own special effects once they get going with their own ideas. 

We also used a variety of pre-cut cardboard egg templates, which were traced on various papers and cut out to make awesome decorated eggs!

One particularly challenging process is that of weaving paper. In the past I have had 12-year-olds who had never woven paper before! So below, I am including some basic instructions for teaching kids how to get started with weaving, until eventually the light will come on and bingo!  

"Oh, I get it!"

Basic Paper Weaving Instructions:

We start with 8 strips of construction paper, any color. Choose 4 to weave through the other 4, one at a time. It's okay if they are messy. Use these to practice until artists figure out the over-under-over-under process.

Next the paper strips are squished together until they touch and form what looks like little squares. Wow! This looks cool!  Next, weave more paper strips along the edges to make a larger shape or to change the square shape to a more rectangular shape.

When done weaving, artists carefully cut around the shape like the one below. To keep it from unraveling, put a spot of glue beneath each loose flap along the edges. We use glue sticks because they dry fast! If you want to, you can carefully flip the weaving over and do the same thing on the back.

A bit of texture was added to the top and bottom of this basket using crimped paper strips.

For more Easter Basket collage ideas, take a look at our previous post:

                                                    Awesome Easter Baskets 

Backyard Birds in Oil Pastel

American Goldfinch  by Jackie, oil pastel on black paper

In February we created these sweet bird paintings in oil pastel on black paper. 

Wait, did I say "paintings?" 

Yes! Pastel artwork is generally considered a painting, not a drawing. Did you know that? 

Dark-eyed Junco or Snowbird, oil pastel on black paper 

These portraits of backyard birds are first lightly sketched on 9" x 12" black sulfite paper using either black or white soft pastel (which can be brushed off easily with a soft cloth as the sketch is being adjusted).   

Rose-breasted Grosbeak, oil pastel on black paper 

Northern Cardinal, oil pastel on black paper

Black-capped Chickadee, oil pastel on black paper

Since our intent was to learn how to work with oil pastels, we did not want to spend all of our time attempting to draw anatomically correct birds. So a shortcut was available.

First, artists chose a photo of a bird from my large file of resource photos (from calendars). They could use the photo to observe and draw their bird freehand, or, with tracing paper, they could trace the basic outline, eye placement, and main markings of the bird. 

Then a piece of carbon paper was sandwiched between the tracing paper and the black paper and the bird was retraced onto it. 

A natural element, such as a branch, was also sketched in the scene for the bird to perch on. The background was left black. 

Now artists selected a pallet of oil pastel sticks to be used for the painting. They held up each possible color to compare to the resource photo. Once chosen, this pallet was kept until the painting was finished. 

Artists learned that oil pastels can be blended, mixed to make new colors, and used lightly or heavily to create shadows, highlights, and textures.

If you have a set of oil pastels that you would like to get to know better, give this little bird portrait a try. You will likely be pleasantly surprised! These samples were painted by adults, but I have also had great success with teens and children (ages 8 and up).

Winter Scene in Watercolor

 

A small group of adult artists came by to paint this lovely little winter scene, a perfect subject for this very cold January! 

This is an easy watercolor painting that works well in a small format. Our artists chose either 9"x12" or 7"x10" watercolor paper. (90# works for the smaller size, 140# is better for the larger format.)

Want to paint your own? You can do it! First, tape the paper down to a watercolor board to keep it from curling and to ensure a nice white border when you are all done. 

Next, sketch a basic scene, starting with an uneven horizon line. Try to keep it below the center if the paper. Sketch in the basic shapes of the birch (or aspen) trees in the foreground. Feel free to use resource photos of trees to help you. Just sketch the trunks and large branches - no need to include the smaller branches and twigs. 

Now, with an old brush, fill in the tree trunks and branches with masking fluid (or frisket) and allow to dry. 

To complete the painting, take a look at The Virtual Artist for detailed instructions. 

We found this painting to be easy and fun, and we loved the results! Everyone's painting was different, showcasing each artist's interpretation of this crisp, wintery scene!

To see more about this painting, see our previous post Winter Landscape.

Christmas ArtWorkShop

 

What is an ArtWorkShop?

First of all, this is not a grammatical error.  It is a combination of an "Artwork Workshop" and, in this case, a "Christmas Art Workshop." So, in essence, it is an ArtWorkShop; all one word. 

In any case, this artworkshop was an open studio experience that allowed artists to create their choice of Christmas-themed artwork. They could use any of the displayed studio artworks for inspiration, or create something totally unique. 

(Sometimes artists already have something in mind and I certainly encourage this!) 

As the artists' assistant, my job is to provide materials, supplies, technical support, and positive feedback. Nothing more. The artist is responsible for his/her own ideas and creativity. 

Note: I try to incorporate the TAB process as much as possible into an open studio experience. (Teaching for Artistic Behavior.)

This talented artist wanted to work on her drawing skills. The nutcrackers on display in the studio caught her eye, so she decided to create one of her own. 

This artist utilized construction paper to create these 3-dimensional figures, similar to popup cards. This is what I believe construction paper is designed for: imagination-based creation: cutting, gluing, folding, and embellishing with markers, stickers, and what-have-you. 

Viola!

Here's another paper-construction masterpiece, this time created by a four-year-old, with the help of her adult assistant (otherwise known as Grandma). 

While having fun making art, she made a plan and then dabbled in paper cutting, punching, folding, rolling (around a pencil), arranging, and gluing; as well as drawing, embellishing, and finishing a unique project. 

All of these art-making skills and experiences will benefit her when she enters school.

Obviously I don't treat every art class as an open-studio. Novice artists want to learn specific skills or how to use unfamiliar media and as an instructor, I can provide that instruction. However, the best learning experiences often come from self-guided creativity, unfettered imagination, and free experimentation with materials and processes. 

Autumn-Themed Still Life Art

    Autumn Still Life   
By Jackie, oil pastel on paper

I just love the amazing colors of fall, so as an artist I'm always looking for new ways depict them in our artwork. 

In the past we have utilized watercolor, colored pencil, pastel, and tempera paint for our fall-themed still life art.

This time, we created these stunning autumn-themed still life artworks with oil pastels on black sulfite paper. Here's how we did it:

Our selected still life elements

The still life. First, we collected a variety of fall-themed objects with which to build our still life model. We couldn't use everything, so we selected the most interesting objects, making sure to choose a variety of sizes, colors, and textures. 

The final still life arrangement

Next, the still life elements were arranged on a seamless 'stage' (such as a poster board) to create the still life model, and a good light source was set up for distinct shadows and highlights.

The sketch. Once everything was in place, the artists chose a pleasing vantage point from which to observe the model, and sketch in the basic shapes on a piece of 9" x 12" black sulfite paper. We use Tru-Ray, which is a high grade construction paper that is very black in color and resistant to fading. Use soft pastels (white or black) instead of pencil for sketching on sulfite paper because it can be easily wiped away with a soft dry rag - no eraser needed.

The palette. Our next step was to observe the model, carefully taking note of each color. A green acorn squash might have three or four different greens in it (ours did), so create your palette by pulling each possible green color from your oil pastel set, holding it up and comparing it to what you see in the object. If the color is the same, or very similar, set it aside. You are creating a specific palette for this pastel painting. Continue choosing pastel sticks until you have compiled your still life palette and keep your palette colors separated from your remaining set until the artwork is completed.  

The painting process. Now you can proceed to fill in your still life elements with color, always observing shapes, textures, colors, shadows, and highlights. Some of your colors will need to be layered, and some of your marks will be laid heavily, others with a very light touch. It can also help to have a toothpick available to scrape in lines and texture, such as in these leaves.

The shadows. The final step is laying in black soft pastel beneath the still life to create shadows. Simply fill in the areas and softly blend in and away from the still life using your finger. Then, stand back, observe carefully, and make any needed adjustments to your artwork. 

Notes: You may have noticed that, although using the same model, the above two pieces are painted from two very different vantage points. Also, one artist chose not to include the pine cone, and some of the leaves are rearranged in the artworks. These pieces were painted by adults, but can be painted by younger artists as well.

For more autumn-themed pastel (and mixed media) paintings by younger students, take a look at our previous weblog posts, here and here.

Autumn Woods in Watercolor

Autumn-themed watercolor paintings are so colorful and fun to create! 

For especially spectacular results, we like to include birch or aspen trees and maybe a few late-summer wildflowers using simple masking techniques.  

It's so much fun (especially for beginners) to remove the masking media, finish the painting, stand back, and take a good look. 

   Whoa! Did I just paint that???

We start, as always, by taping the watercolor paper to a smooth board. You can use ordinary masking tape or blue painter's tape. This leaves a nice white border around your painting and keeps the paper in place and from curling up when wet. 

Next, we decide which direction to turn the paper - landscape or portrait - then we begin "painting" with tape. We rip and tear several strips of masking tape lengthwise and tape it to our watercolor paper to resemble the shapes of trees. larger strips for tree trunks and smaller ones are added as branches. 

The larger trees will extend over the bottom and top borders of the paper. Smaller, thinner ones (in the distance) are placed near the center of the paper.

We use liquid masking fluid (or frisket) to dab in spots for flowers and leaves in the upper branches of the trees. We splatter on more over the lower 2/3rds or so with a toothbrush. 

Now you can paint away, filling in the background behind and around the trees, painting right over the masking media as though it is not even there.  We start at the bottom and work our way down. We try to mix our own colors and we don't worry if colors blend or bleed into others. That's what makes watercolors so much fun!

Once the painting is covered from top to bottom, allow it to dry, or use a blow dryer. Make sure the painting is thoroughly dry! 

Next, remove the masking fluid by rubbing it off gently with your fingers, leaving white paper spots showing through the paint. Remove the masking tape trees, slowly and carefully, pulling the tape flat to one side - not straight up - to avoid tearing the paper. 

Complete your white "ghost" trees by adding a shadow along one side with thinned black paint. Be sure to add shadows to all tree trunks and larger branches. Next, add the characteristic black birch tree markings by scraping or painting small amounts of black and brown watercolor paint here and there on the trucks and branches. 

You can also add additional thinner branches and twigs to the trees, as well as a few blades of grass at the bottom using a detail brush. 

To finish, add color to your wildflowers and some fall hues to your leaves (usually bright yellow, yellow-orange, or yellow-green for birch trees and aspens), leaving the splattered areas white. 

Allow the painting to dry thoroughly and remove the border tape by always keeping it flat and pulling away from the painting. 

Now it's time for your "Whoa!" moment!

Board Game Olympics!

Okay, at first this may not seem like an "art" related post. 

But it is about creativity and it can include  ART, if you so choose - we did!

Backstory: 

It was HOT outside. The Summer Olympics were going on in Paris. Our teenage grandson was visiting, but we were pretty much stuck inside.  We could watch the Olympics on TV, of course. But we needed more! What could we do to celebrate the Olympics???  How could we participate in the spirit of the Games? Wait... GAMES???  

I quickly came up with a plan - why not have our own Olympics within the confines of our nice air-conditioned house? The grandson loves board games. In fact, he is always willing to put away his electronic device to play a board game. So, (drumroll, please)... 

Introducing, the 

Summer Board Game Olympics!

Here's how we did it:

We found a white board and markers for our medal count board.

We dug out a bunch of games to choose from for our Olympics competition schedule.

We assembled two card tables in front of the big screen TV, because of course the Olympics would be on in the background and we would want to pause to watch our favorite events!

We had plenty of ice water and delicious snacks available at all times - so we could keep our strength up throughout a strenuous day of going-for-the-gold!

We gave medals to the first, second, and third place winners of each game - as shown on the medal count board. As an option, you can determine the all-around Medal winners of your Olympics by adding up each person's medal counts: Gold Medals get three points, Silver Medals two points, and Bronze Medals one point. In our Olympics: P got the all-around Gold for 17 points, R got the Silver for 11 points, and S got the Bronze for 8 points.

More tips: 

Choose a good variety of games for your Olympics. We chose two very different word games (Boggle
and Take Two), a dice game (Scratch), a chance/math game (Shut the Box), a silly game (Tiddlywinks), and a drawing game (Pictionary). Choose games from your own collection that everyone enjoys! Shown in the above picture are some of the other games we considered but that didn't make the cut. 

Remember to choose games that won't take all day. Quick and fun really worked for us. If you end up not having time for a game, just cross it out (we didn't play Yahtzee).

Don't choose two-player games (Othello, checkers, etc.) unless you are willing to go more than one round, tournament style.

More art and drawing games

Set up the tables for the number of your players. Have an extra table available in case you need more room for some games, less for others. Example: we needed lots of space for our Take Two game (an all time favorite): two card tables for three people. However, we only needed one table for Boggle so everyone could easily see the letters. 

Make sure you have all of your equipment for your chosen games. I found individual white boards for our Pictionary game and needed a small carpet scrap to cushion the table for Tiddlywinks.

In keeping with the ART theme of this weblog, you can certainly include as many art games as you wish. In fact, you could even hold an Art Game Olympics!

Of course, you can hold your own Board Game Olympics anytime you like. No need to wait four more years!

Carpets of Wildflowers

To celebrate spring, we painted these cozy, atmospheric landscapes featuring a gurgling stream surrounded by colorful hillsides carpeted in wildflowers.

These impressionistic gems were created by artists in our Art Class for Grownups, most of whom having little to no past canvas painting experience.

What is Impressionism? Claude Monet, often considered the first impressionist, described the creation process in this way:

"When you go out to paint, try to forget what objects you have before you, a tree, a house, a field... Merely think, here is a little square of blue, here an oblong of pink, here a streak of yellow, and paint it just as it looks to you, the exact color and shape, until it gives your own naïve impression of the scene before you." 

For beginning painters, impressionism can be satisfying and fun because the burden of attempting to paint objects realistically is removed. Instead, we paint our personal impression of what is seen. 

We are simply painting shapes and color and light.

An impressionistic painting can be almost dreamlike or based on a memory of a scene: what do I remember about this special place?  

Perhaps the trees along the horizon, the colors of the flowers, the sky reflected in the water. Simplifying the scene becomes part of the process.

Working on an 11 x 14 black canvas (one layer of black gesso), we started by drawing the basic hill shapes using soft pastel. 

We then painted the sky and the background along the horizon, using small filbert brushes and choppy, bold brush strokes.

We continued downward, starting with the distant flowers and moving forward while depicting more and more detail in the midground and in the foreground. 

We then created the flowing water by randomly painting in our sky colors (again starting at the top and working downward). While still wet, we stroked the paint lightly downward, then across with a dry clean brush for reflections in the water. Then we added some rocks, a few waterlines along the edges, and some white water and splashes. 

Painting these little landscapes helped artists learn to:

Create a scene using one-point perspective.

Depict objects in the distance, midground, and foreground.

Create the impression of a reflective surface and moving water.

Utilize a black canvas and bold brush strokes to make colors stand out.

Select colors that work together effectively.

Utilize resource photography (such as these calendar pictures) to observe shape and form, light and shadows, and color relationships to compose a piece of personal artwork. 

 

For more about Impressionism and painting flowers in this style, please see our previous weblog post: Tuscan Colors Like the Impressionists