Second Graders Art Auction Project

Here is my example for the second graders art auction project. As I have mentioned in the past, I always create the project first to make it easier to teach the process. 

These pieces are done on a 6" x 6" watercolor paper. I used painter tape to mask off the birch trees. I think this will be the hardest part of the process for the second grade students. I'm cutting the tape pieces, but they will still have to peal it off and press it down smoothly so that the paint doesn't flow underneath.

The next part is painting the background colors with watercolor, letting that dry and then pulling off the tape. I used a watery blue paint to create the shadows on the tree and the birch lines. In the night version of the painting I put dots of acrylic white paint to make stars.

I'm planning on mounting the two finished pieces side by side from each student on a black board. I don't plan to frame each piece, I'll leave that up to the winner. 

Art Auction Research

Oil Pastel version of Van Gogh's Starry Night
I did this as an example for my students.

Third grader adaptation of Starry Night

I am planning a fundraising art auction for the elementary school where I teach art. Each grade will contribute their own projects for the auction. I've never planned this kind of event before. I know schools do this on a regular basis but I've been unable to find a blog or books on how to do this successfully. I've found art auction project ideas around Pinterest and art teacher blogs, but I'm bummed that I haven't been able to find any planning information. 

So, the wheels have started turning. I'm going to track my process on my blog and possibly turn it into a book? If I can figure out how to raise money for my school through an art auction, then maybe it's a way to save art in other schools.

Art beautifies our classrooms, our homes, our life and yet it's the first subject to be cut in school. Recently, my third grade class used oil pastels to replicate master artist, Vincent Van Gogh's, Starry Night. These are perfect individual pieces for an art auction. 

Color Mixing Acrylic Paint - Elementary Art

 

It is all about the COLOR! I didn't start painting until I was in college, which left me scrambling to learn the basics. I love the fact that I get to explore color with young children. With this project I did the following:

 

1) On a plate I gave the students (K-5 classes) all three primary acrylic colors, and the three mixtures to make up the secondary colors.

2) Each table had a pile of Q-tips to mix up their secondary colors.

3) They used those  Q-tips to apply their colors in a rainbow-like pattern.

4) I allowed the kids to choose whatever kind of patter they wanted, I just asked that they painted patterns and not a scene or mix all the colors together on the page.

Value ART ELEMENT - Elementary Art Project

Artwork Provided by a Kindergarten Student 

This Project was split between two class periods. The goal was to introduce students to the effect color value has on the mood of a piece of art. 

I was very specific on their colors, separating the light colored pencils from the dark colors so they weren't confused. 

Artwork Provided by a Third Grade Student

I drew the butterfly on a computer with Adobe Illustrator and printed it on card stock two-up so that each butterfly could be completed in a class period.

I encouraged the students to create patterns in the wings of the butterflies. When asked if they felt a certain way while working on each piece, quite a few mentioned they felt happier working with the light colors. I know that the colors effected me when I produced the sample. I was much happier working with the lighter colors.

Elementary Art - CONTOUR LINES

Introducing Shape as an Art Element– Contour/Negative and Positive

Talking about positive and negative shape. The positive shape is the object. The shape of the
space surrounding the object is the negative shape. We will work with contour lines around the object.

Project: Glue a shape onto the middle of the page and draw contour lines around the shape.

                Goal: Fine motor skills

                Materials: Card stock, pencil, glue stick, cut shape.

Kindergarten Students exploring
contour lines around a solid object

Art Palette - 3rd grader - contour lines on the negative shape
Scissors - 1st grader - contour lines around the positive shape

2nd Grade Student - Combo of Insect directed draw
and contour lines

3rd Grade Student - Contour lines around
Positive object