Name cut-out

My art tutor at university taught me this simple art lesson. I used it once when I was on prac with a Year 6 class. They really enjoyed it and thought that all of their names looked like little aliens.

Materials

• white paper
• black or coloured paper to mount the finished artwork on
• paint/coloured pencils/crayons etc for decorating
• graphite pencils
• scissors
• glue

Step 1: Fold a piece of paper in half and have students write their names on one side. The bottom of the letters should sit just above the fold line.

Step 2: Draw another line around the edge of the letters so that the letters become joined. Don't forget to draw inside letters such as 'o' etc. I have drawn this line in green.

Step 3: While the paper is still folded cut around the outer line. Students may need help with the internal parts of letters such as 'o' and 'e' etc. Make sure students make small cuts at the base of the letters along the fold line. When finished, open the paper out so students can begin decorating their name cut-outs.

Step 4: Decorate as desired and mount onto a darker sheet of paper or card for display.

This is an example of one of my student's name cut outs.

Autumn Leaves

This lesson involves children painting a background, impressing an image, colouring, cutting, arranging and gluing. Click on the image above to see the imprint more closely.

Materials

• 2 sheets of white art paper per student
• blue acrylic paint
• brushes.
• stylus, biro or knitting needle to impress the image
• newspaper
• scissors
• glue
• coloured pencils
• black texta
• photocopy of Autumn leaf illustration for each student.
  
  

Step 1: Have students paint the background on one of the sheets of art paper. I used blue acrylic paint thinned with a little water. Put the background aside to dry while the students work on their leaves.

Step 2: Students will need to place their art paper on a soft surface. I used layers of newpaper. Lay the leaf drawing over the top of the second piece of art paper. Use an implement such as a biro to trace over the leaves so that an imprint is left on the art paper beneath. They will need to press fairly heavily but must be careful not to tear the paper.

Step 3: Use coloured pencil to rub over the leaf imprints. Use the side of the pencil rather than the tip and autumn colours such as red, orange, brown, yellow, purple and some green. Tell the students to take their colouring past the edge of each leaf.

Step 4: Cut around the edges of the leaves and have students arrange them on the background that was painted earlier. Glue into position.

Step 5: Use a black texta to outline around the edge of each leaf.

Bugs

This is a simple art lesson where students can organise and interpret the subject matter in their own way. Provide diagrams and photos of various beetles and insects for students to observe.

Materials

• white and/or black art paper
• watercolour paints and/or pastels
• graphite pencils and/or white pencils
• thin black texta for outlining watercolor

Demonstrate how to draw a simple beetle.

Step 1: Draw a simple egg shape with a graphite pencil. (I have used a black marker so that it is easier for you to see.)

Step 2: Add a small shape on the top of the egg to form a head and draw a curved line across the egg shape.

Step 3: Add some eyes and divide the egg shape with a 'Y' shaped line.

Step 4: Add six legs and some antennae.

Step 5: I have drawn a few different beetles on some black paper using a white pencil. Encourage students to experiment with different shapes and compositions.

Step 6: When students are happy with their drawings they can add colour either with pastel or with watercolour paints as illustrated below. Coloured pencils, textas and oil pastels could also be used.

Butterfly- Oil pastel reveal

This art lesson was inspired by the illustrations in Eric Carle's book 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar.'

Materials

• oil pastels
• white art paper
• blunt implements to scratch into the surface of the oil pastel. I used a coloured pencil but the back of a paintbrush is also useful.

Step 1: Use pale coloured oil pastels to begin building up an underlayer of pastel.

Step 2: Use darker oil pastels to cover the underlayer.

Step 3: Use an implement such as the back of a paint brush to scratch an illustration into the surface.

Penguins- watercolour and acrylic

I haven't used this lesson yet, so I haven't had the opportunity to iron out any wrinkles. I feel that it would be suitable for upper primary students. The painting is created using a minimal colour palette and both watercolour and acrylic paints. Students will learn how to apply a graded watercolour wash and how to use a dry-brush technique to apply the paint. You will need some images of penguins for the students. Flat brushes are needed for the background and round brushes are used to paint the penguins. Most primary classrooms that I have worked in only seem to have bristle paint brushes for the students to use. A softer round brush is needed to block the penguins in for this project and a liner brush is used for the eye.

Materials

• Heavy duty white art paper
• Watercolour paints (blue & grey)
• Acrylic paint (black, white, yellow, orange)
• Flat brushes
• Round brushes
• Liner brushes
• Graphite pencils
• Penguin images
• Cloths for wiping excess paint from brushes
• Water

Step 1: Draw an horizon line about one third of the way across the paper. The horizon line does not have to be flat. Use the flat brush to dampen the paper with some clean water but only apply the water on the sky. Mix a strong blue watercolor paint and begin applying it horizontally across the top of the dampened page. As you work your way down towards the horizon line decrease the amount of paint on the brush and increase the amount of water so that the colour becomes paler.

Step 2: Allow the sky to dry and then dampen the ground (or snow) with some clean water as before. Mix a soft grey with the watercolor paint and paint this lightly onto the dampened paper with the flat brush. Increase the colour in a few places to create shadows. Set the background aside to dry while the students begin drawing their penguins on another piece of scrap paper. Alternatively, you can download my line drawing of the penguins for your students to trace (scroll to bottom).

Step 3: When the students are satisfied with their penguin drawings they can trace them onto their painted background. The best way to do this is by holding the line drawing against a window and place the background over the top so that it is easier to see.

Step 4: Use the acrylic paint and the round brushes to paint the penguins. Use black paint for the darkest areas and a soft grey for the white parts of the birds. Orange is used on the beak of the upright bird. In my experiences watching children paint, I find that many of them tend to use the paint straight out of the tube/container. They will find it easier if they add a small amount of water to the acrylic paint before they begin applying it. Only use enough water to allow the paint to flow off the brush easily- too much and it will flood everywhere. Allow the paint to dry before beginning Step 5.

Step 5: Use a round bristle brush to begin dry-brushing some highlights on the penguins. The light source is to the right on my example which places my shadows on the left side of each penguin. Mix some white paint into the black paint to make grey. Use a dry brush to lightly brush the highlights onto the black sections of each penguin (including the feet). Use white paint to highlight the white parts of each penguin (the white parts were previously base-coated in a soft grey: see Step 4.) Leave the soft grey basecoat showing on the left side of each penguin. This will act as a shadow that helps to create form. Drybrush some yellow around the necks and use the liner brush to add white to define the eye.

Step 6: Thin some grey paint with some water and paint some shadows on the snow that have been cast by the penguins.

Here is the line drawing of the penguins if you wish to use it. Penguins

If you do use this lesson please let me know how it went and any difficulties that you may have encountered.

A Year 5 class in Sydney, Australia used this art lesson. Instead of painting the penguins with acrylic paint, they used oil pastels. The results are fantastic. Thanks Mrs Miller for sharing: Year 5C

Fruit Still Life- coloured pencil

This art lesson is suitable for students in upper primary. I used watercolour pencils to complete the project but it could also be completed using ordinary pan watercolour paints.

Materials:

• Fruit (to display as a still life)
• Heavy duty white art paper
• Round paint brushes
• Water colour pencils
• Water
• Cloths (to clean brushes)
• Graphite pencils HB

Step 1: Use a graphite pencil to lightly sketch an apple in the centre of the page.

Step 2: Begin filling the right side of the apple with yellow watercolour pencil. Make sure you use ‘shape-following’ strokes. In other words, follow the roundness of the apple with the pencil. Colour the rest of the apple in with red and a little orange as well. The stalk is brown.

Step 4: Begin painting with the paintbrush and some water. Use shape following strokes again and make sure you start in the yellow. Drag the brush into the red as you go. You will find that the brush will pick up the red pencil and drag it into the yellow. This creates a nice streaky effect. Wash the brush out periodically to prevent the colours from getting too muddy.

Step 5: Paint over the stalk with some water and add a shadow with purple water colour pencil. Paint some water over the shadow to soften.

Step 6: Use the graphite pencil to lightly draw some grapes at the front and a pear behind the apple.

Step 7: Use the purple watercolour pencil to colour the grapes but only put the colour on the right-hand side of each grape.

Step 8: Use yellow and green watercolour pencil to colour in the pear.

Step 9: Use the water and the paint brush as before, to paint over the pencil. When you paint the grapes, make sure you start on the right-hand side of each grape pulling the colour towards the left-hand side where there is no pencil. This should leave the right side of the grape darker to help create shadow. The pear is painted the same as the apple by beginning over the top of the yellow pencil and pulling the brush into the green.

Step 10: Deepen the shadow beneath the apple with some brown and blue and extend it underneath the pear as well. Add a few squiggles around the grapes with the brown watercolour pencil.

Welcome to my blog

For the past 12 years, prior to becoming a school teacher, I taught painting lessons to adults (this sunflower is one of my paintings). Art has always been an important part of my life and I love to bring out the creative side of the children that I teach. It is such a joy to watch children create beautiful art works. I usually teach art after lunch when the children are tired from all of their hard work that they completed during the morning sessions. Creating art can be very meditative and I find this is the best time to introduce it. I can also use the promise of art after lunch as an incentive to keep them on task in the morning.

As a relief teacher, I am often only with a class for one day. For that reason, I like to have art lessons that can be completed in about 1 hour. I always carry a craft box with me in my car. This box contains some art supplies that I may not be able to access in the average classroom.

I thought I would share some of my art lessons here on this blog.

Tissue paper clothesline

Materials

• Tissue paper (different colours, cut into squares approx 15cm X 15cm )
• Paint brushes
• White art paper
• Craft glue (watered down)
• Water and glue containers
• Cloths (for wiping brushes)
• Coloured pencils
• scissors

Step 1: Demonstrate how to draw a simple, rustic clothesline on a piece of white art paper. Two sticks on either side of the paper and a line drawn between them.

Step 2: Use the scissors to cut out simple clothing shapes. It may be helpful to have a piece of paper with clothing shapes already drawn. The children can put the paper under their tissue paper and trace over the top.

Step 3: Place the clothing on the clothesline in a pleasing composition.

Step 4: Use the paintbrush to paint a small amount of watered down craft glue onto the area where each piece of clothing will sit (one at a time). Place the clothing down and use the brush and a tiny bit more glue to smooth out the tissue paper.

Note# Sometimes the colour of the tissue paper will come out onto the brush. Show the children how to wash and dry their brushes between each piece of clothing.

Step 5: When dry, add the clothes pegs, grass, flowers and anything else they would like to draw using some coloured pencils. (Optional) I used a thin black marker to draw around the clothing.