Oil Pastel Perspective

The base of this was sketched with pencil, placing the bushes in the forefront, the tree in the middle ground and another bush in the background. The leaves vary in size to appear to be blowing towards the viewer. A lovely perspective piece.I remind my students how different oil pastels are from crayons and to take advantage of the capability of blending colors and mixing colors when using oil pastels.

Oil Pastel - 5th Grader

Oil Pastel - 4th Grader

Oil Pastel - 1st Grader (I love the freedom in this one)

Oil Pastel - 3rd Grader

Session Three Art Camp

Four of my students and their week of creativity

Each art camp session bodes new and exciting creations. This past week I had a wonderful group of artists not only visually but verbally as well. When a glue stick ran out, one student said we should have a gluneral for it. Of course this idea stuck and so when a marker ran out we gave it a markuneral.

I know I've written before the glory of watching students explore who they are through their art, but every day I work with kids I'm reminded of it. Every child is different. How they see color, shape, design is different. Never is it right or wrong, it just is what it is and no one can help but be successful every day when they have that attitude.

So, enjoy this sampling of children's projects. One week and so much brightness and life!


Watercolor Pencils - 6th Grader

Marker and water - 1st Grader

Marker and water - 4th Grader

Acrylic Paint - 3rd Grader

Acrylic and Crayon - 2nd Grader



Watercolor and Salt Collage - 3rd Grader

Watercolor and Crayon and Glue - 6th Grader

Acrylic Paint - 4th Grader

Watercolor and Crayon - 1st Grader

Last Week's Art Camp

Wow. Kids are so creative. One of my favorite parts of working with students of all ages is when they alter and interpret a piece to make it all their own. You'll see repetitive works and yet how the students choose their colors, patterns, how dark they make something, how light, represents them. I always have an example of the project posted, a jumping point, and the fun is watching them add their personality often very tentatively. I usually get asked if it is okay to use a different color or set of lines from my example and that always brings a smile to my face.

I liked having boundaries to break when I started exploring my artistic talent. I firmly believe all artists need the basics to grow from and I tell my students that. So many think more is more, or I'm an artist I can ignore you and break all the rules. Well, yes, artists should break the rules, but they need to understand them first to break them better. Picasso broke all the rules, but he learned them first.

I become a better artist every day I nurture young artists. I'm lucky that way.

Amelia (4th grader) Watercolor, glue on the black crayon barrier 

Brian (5th grader) Watercolor, glue on the black crayon barrier

Gabriela (1st grader) Watercolor collage rooster

Grace (3rd grader) Acrylic (Mixing colors, learning
about warm vs. cool and compliments.)

Hayden (5th grade) Wave

Katelyn (2nd grade) Watercolor pencils

Katie (fourth grader)

This is my example for a marker project. The kids drew trees on
half a piece of paper then colored them with markers.
I sprayed it with water and folded it in half,
making the reflection. so cool.

Natalie (2nd grade) Crayon, colored pencil and oil pastels
on black construction paper. Inspired by Paul Klee.

Zoe (2nd grade) Rooster in a Boat

Keira (1st grade) Walter color pencils

Art Camp Friday

Silly me to think I'd have time to post projects each night. My late night prepping, mounting and project creating, left took me to the wee hours. 

We had a very busy week, as shows in the display panels for the art show. I totally enjoyed watching the kids glow as they told their parents how they created their projects. 

As promised to my students, I am posting one piece from each of them. Here are my six other masterpiece makers from the week.

Aliah (4th grade) Mixing Acrylics and Painting Flowers

Katie G. (4th Grade) Mixing Colors

Julia (3rd grader) Watercolor Pencils and Patterns

Julia (3rd grader) Kandinsky inspired oil pastel

Naomi (Kindergarten) Watercolor pencils

Nick (4th grade) Tissue paper and glue

Art Camp Tuesday

Well, I have some extremely fun and talented artists in my first session summer art camp. I promised the students that I would post three pieces today. Everyone will get a chance to be on the blog. It's just fun to let the kids wonder who will be up on the site:)

The Proud Rooster by Emmy (11 years old) The students painted two sheets in watercolors and then drew the pieces over the paint, cut it out and pasted into a collage. I LOVE this project!

Perspective (Kat, 11 years old) This was teaching the kids about foreground and background. Getting students  to bleed off the edges of a paper is very challenging. I thought this was a great project to show the illusion of distance.

Reflection (Haley, 9 years old) Colored pencil on top, watercolor paint on the bottom, spectacular effect. Haley's piece is so vibrant in person. I love how she just let go in the reflection.

Hayden's Reflection (11 year old)