Van Gogh Flowers...

 

Spring is in the air here at school. Even I have spring fever... (like seriously) I introduced Van Gogh to the Kindergarten and read them the biography Vincent van Gogh Sunflowers and Swirly Stars by Brad Buck and Joan Holub. I specifically focused on his flower paintings. The sunflowers and the iris paintings are just lovely. We talked about what impressionism means... I always tell my young students that impressionists put their IMPRESSION in the painting. Not what something really looks like but, the artists impression of the what something looks like.

This was the kindergartners first time using oil pastels in my class. I showed them how they could blend the colors and smear the pastels.

The students were instructed to create a vase full of flowers...using their impression... 

Artwork at the top of post:
Vincent Van Gogh, Vase with Twelve Sunflowers, 1888

vertebrates....

In 2nd grade science, the kids are learning about vertebrates!! They got to choose any animal
with a backbone... We reviewed the different categories (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.)  I wanted to use oil pastels because we just haven't had the chance yet this year! The kids LOVE them... they get messy and can smear the colors around... it's awesome!

We drew out the vertebrate of their choice on black paper. They colored with oil pastel and WA - LA.

vertebrates...

stories are great...

DUH!!!! I think they are a substantial starting point for an art project. There are thousands of beautiful and meaningful (with awesome illustrations) stories.

I read the 1st graders Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse by Leo Lionni. This is one of my favorites. Both the story and the pictures are super cute. Anyway, this project was inspired by one of the pages from this book.

We talked about how it is better that everyone's artwork is different even though we were inspired by the same story...

This project has a bit of everything... (it is not for the faint of heart) ( or if you do not like a mess)

-Drew the mice
-Colored the mine
-Drew the lizard
-Colored the lizard with markers in small blobs of different colors (make sure they stick to all light colors)
-Painted water over the lizard (to make it look tye-dyed)
-Used oil pastels on black paper to create the background
-Made a small leaf stamp from cardboard and fun foam
-Cut out mice and lizard
-Stamped the leaves
-Glued mice and lizard down

Whoa right? At the beginning of each class I wrote a list on the board and explained the order. Kids were at all different stages, but I think it helped to go over ( and over and over) the steps and having it written on the board. I thought the project was going to crash and burn because of all the steps...

BUT...

I think it went really well and I am extremely happy about how the kids were able to follow the multiple steps. There were only a few minor mess ups, but it is a great way to show how a mistake can be turned into a creative opportunity!