First Art Camp Session

Acrylic Painting

Here are some examples of art projects from the first kid's art camp last week. We utilized so many mediums from acrylic to oil pastels. We worked on layering and perspective. Each child had the opportunity explore their creative side and expand on ideas and concepts presented to them.

We also had fun on breaks getting to know my two desert tortoise babies. 

Acrylic Painting

Oil Pastels

Paper Collage

Oil Pastels and Watercolor

Colored Pencils

Acrylic Painting

Crayon and Watercolors

Paper Collage

Oil Pastels and Watercolors

Water colors, acrylic paint and permanent marker

Summer Camp Dates!

Each child had an entire panel for the
 art show at the end of the camp week.

Is it Summer time already? Wow, I can't believe it. That means it is time to fill our children's time with fun and if possible, learning. I love to brag that in my art camps the students produce more in one week than they do an entire year in public school. But the bulletin boards in my photos actually show this to be a plausible brag. We have a lot of fun utilizing so many mediums to create incredible masterpieces: watercolor paint, acrylic paint, collage, colored pencils, oil pastels. 

Students get a chance to follow guided instructions with the opportunity to explore who they are and how they want to translate an idea or concept. Everyone turns out individual pieces which make their process exciting and unique. Email me if you are interested in signing up for one of the sessions listed in the side bar. Each week will introduce different projects so that students can sign up for multiple weeks and continue to be challenged and inspired.

Collaborative oil pastels

My art auction is coming up this week and the pieces the students have done are incredible.

Below are the collaborative oil pastels. Each student did a square and I then put them together like a puzzle to create the piece. 

Students returning from last year seem to  remember working on the collaborative piece sometimes even more so than their individual pieces. 

The barn is done by one kindergarten class. It is an oil pastel rendition of a piece done by Georgia O'Keefe. 

The bird and bamboo is done by a second kindergarten class. It is an oil pastel rendition of a piece done by Japanese artist Utagawa Hiroshige. 

The wave is done by the first grade class. It is an oil pastel rendition of a piece done by Japanese artist Utagawa Hiroshige. 

The still life is done by the second grade class. It is an oil pastel rendition of a piece done by a Paula Modersohn-Becker. 

The cubist fox is done by the 3/4 graders. It is an oil pastel rendition of a piece done by Franz Marc. 

Here is a sampling of pieces created over the last few art workshops I've hosted for kids. I also had a wonderful opportunity to have an art workshop with a bunch of mom's. It was so much fun!

How to Draw a Frog

I found a nice how to draw a frog for kids and modified and reproduced it. I'll be trying it out on pre-k and kindergarten students tomorrow. 

How to Draw a Turtle

I was looking for a quick step by step on a simple turtle drawing for kids. I found several, but not one I loved, so I created this one. 

Inspired Monet Lily Pads - Oil Pastels

I've seen this project done multiple times on the internet, but I've never asked my students to try it until my latest art camp. These pieces are done with oil pastels.

Our first step is to do the background with oil pastels, creating the motion and softness of water. I encouraged them to use a white oil pastel for some of the color blending. Some students decided to use a cotton swab.

They then drew on a separate paper three or four lily pads of different sizes. They colored those in with oil pastels and then cut them out.

Their last step was to use a liquid glue to adhere both the lily pads and the tissue paper flowers as well. One student liked my bag of buttons and decided to make those the center of her flowers.

Oil Pastel/Collage - 2nd Grader 

Oil Pastel/Collage - 1st Grader

Oil Pastel/Collage - 8th Grader

Oil Pastel/Collage - 4th Grader

Oil Pastel/Collage - 1st Grader