Paper Mache: Mrs. Charles 6th Grade Class

The 6th grade class studied the traditional art of the native people in Oxaca, Mexico. They make sculptures by carving sculptures out of wood, then painting them in bright colorful patterns.

For this lesson students drew a sketch of what they wanted their animal to look like, and that helped in making a 3-dimensional sculpture. The form of the animal was made from plastic bags stuffed with newspaper, and wrapped in tape. They put layers of paper mache on top to create a smooth surface.

Self Portraits: Mrs. Ehrgott's 5th Grade Class

My 5th grade class just completed a self-portrait unit. Some of the concepts they studied were reasons why artists create portraits, and how to look for different lines and shapes that make up the face.

I photographed each student. I printed each photograph, then made another copy with a grid on it. Students used that picture to draw an outline of their face and details in their face on a larger grid. Students then traced the outline from the grid onto tagboard and used that as a guideline for their paintings.

Everyone completed 3 different paintings:

1) Abstract Painting - we studied the portraits of Pablo Picasso. Students used plastic knives to paint, which encouraged them to paint in an abstract manner.

2) Fauve Painting - we studied the portraits of Henri Matisse and the Fauve art movement. Students used their grid outline for their painting and focused on using a "painterly" style. They also used a triadic color scheme (red, blue, yellow OR green, orange, purple).

3) Pop Art Portrait - we studied the portraits of Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, as well as the Pop Art movement. Students used their grid outline for the painting and focused on smooth brush strokes and bold outline. They also used a complementary color scheme (blue & orange OR green & red OR purple & yellow).