Paint Expansion

In this activity, children learn how to match styles and colors from other artists to expand original paintings.

Materials:
- Post cards
- Paint
- Brushes
- Painting paper
- Glue/tape

Procedure:

1. Give each child a small postcard size original painting from any artist. Have them mount it on a larger piece of white paper so they can expand the scene, and add onto it however they want.

2. Mix colors that look identical to the original painting. Then, slowly expand so it looks like there isn't the original in the middle. You want it to blend as much as possible.

For this particular example, I put small pieces of tape one each of the lines to peel off after the paint is dry. This will create an affect that looks like white lines, like in the original painting.



Pencils

We learned a lot about the different types of pencils that artists use. It would be helpful for children to understand the components that make up different types of pencils to use for different styles, and incorporate them in their own work.

 HB is in the middle of the spectrum, where the higher the B pencils, the harder the lead is and the higher the H is, the softer the lead in the pencil is.

Materials:
- Various H and B pencils
- Paper
- Erasers

Procedure:
1. Give each child a few different pencils (B, HB, and H) to help them see the different effects of each type of pencil. Allow them to take some time to explore the different kinds, and try different styles so they can become comfortable with all different types.

2. With older children, try to teach them how to shade in order to make 2-dimensional objects look like their 3-dimensional. Use principles of shading for a sphere in order to guide your lesson. It works best when you demonstrate on the board up front so each student can see exactly what you mean and exactly what technique you are using.



Paper Dolls

This is a good activity to do for a bunch of different ages. It can be adjusted according to skill level depending on what grade you are teaching. For younger children, cutting and gluing helps with fine motor skills. Older children can measure exact measurements with inches, centimeters, or even millimeters. This would be a good way for older children to learn about proportions and ratios. The end product is something you can keep for a long time, especially if you make it of yourself.

Materials:
- Old manila folders
- Glue
- Pencil
- Scissors

Procedure:

1. Talk about shapes. (Rounded edges are more inviting, sharp edges are more scary, what different shapes are used for, etc.)

2. Punch holes into the ends of each shape (where a hinge will be created).

3. Put glue on a small pin and place a little bit of glue.

4. Overlap two pieces of paper that have been cut out wherever you want a hinge to occur (for example: where you attach the legs to the torso, the arms to the torso, neck to the torso, head to the neck, etc. Pretty much anywhere you want the doll to swivel).

5. You will need to cut out a small circle just big enough to cover each hole for every hole that was punched. Do NOT get any glue on the edges of the circles-- if you do so, the doll won't swivel. It's important to keep the glue in the center of the circle without it touching the edges. Press firmly on top of the circle for 20-30 seconds until the glue has dried with a hard, flat object.

The completed doll might look something like this....

6. Allow students to go back and draw detailed features to make it look more realistic. The doll above has hinges in the head, neck, shoulders, elbows, hands, legs, and shoes.

Tempera Paint

One of the most important parts of teaching is effective evaluation. Using tempera paint as a form of assessment is something I would have never thought of doing before. Tempera paint is a good form of paint to use for any age of children, and can be used in a variety of ways. A simple assessment can be used with just tempera paint, paper, and different sized brushes. This idea is unique because it incorporates art with any subject desired. Instead of having an original quiz with a boring piece of paper and pencil, create one using paint.

Materials:
- Tempera Paint
- Brushes
- Painting paper

Procedure:

1. Split the students into groups of two, and giving each group a piece of large paper or small poster board (whatever materials available in class will be just fine). 

2. Make sure each student has their own large paint brush and small paint brush.

3. If there is time, allow the students to mix paint into their own original color to use to make their mark.

4. Each student will take turns giving questions to their partner. If they get it right, they are allowed to make a mark with the large paint brush. If they get it wrong, they are allowed to make a mark with the small paint brush.

5. Encourage the students to build off of each other's marks to create something as a whole, even if the colors are contrasting. Let the children share their artwork with the class at the end and describe how they felt about the activity.

This is a safe environment for children to be assessed in case they don't know the answer. It also helps peers to teach each other about the content being discussed, supporting the Sociocultural Learning Theory. An example of how we did it in class is posted below.

Introduction

Courtney's Art Textbook

This "textbook" is a compilation of all of the art projects and styles I learned in my VA EDU 326 class at Brigham Young University. It's purpose is to help organize ideas for future teaching, and to share with others effective ways to teach art to children in the K-6 grades. Each post specifies different techniques to use in the elementary setting, and shows my own personal growth as an artist throughout the duration of our class.