Art Rocks! 4th grade Gems & Crystals

Next week, after 4th finishes their Aurora Borealis pictures we've been working on, we'll start this rockin' watercolor project! This artwork is inspired by the art of Rebecca Chaperon  and the fabulous art teacher Miss Lee.

Here's how we'll be creating our own crystals!

Materials:
Sax 90 lb paper
Crayola Artista II watercolors
Big Kid's Choice brushes
Metallic Sharpies
Ticonderoga Pencils

We'll be looking at minerals, crystals, and gems, for our inspiration. We'll be using rulers to draw out our shapes, (which is a challenge in itself), and Crayola watercolors to give our crystals some lively color. We'll be talking about the element of art, VALUE, and how important it is in our pictures. 

I'll show them real life examples in a book from the library and on my computer, and when they get started, I will hand out visuals for them to look at while they are working.
 I don't know about you, but I draw much better when I can look at what I'm doing! 

Here's some "how to draw" examples I created, and placed in a packet I made of clip art of gems and crystals printed from the internet.

(They don't have to follow these exactly how I did them, but like I said earlier, it helps to have visuals!)

Here are some videos I made, that show how to draw and paint these! I'll try and post more soon!
How to draw a simple crystal

How to draw a cluster of crystals

How to draw a diamond

 Day 1: Look at examples of minerals, crystals, gems, and watch Mrs. Stacey demonstrate on how to start the project. (I draw out the crystals, just like I do in the "how to draw" papers above.)

Day 2: Review, and discuss/demonstrate watercolor painting techniques. If they finish one, the can start smaller and different ones. I'd like for them to cut the finished product out and glue it to construction paper, and add little gems around it.

Here's my examples to show the kids. I drew them with pencil, traced them with black, silver, or gold sharpie, and painted them using Crayola watercolors and a Royal Langnickel Big Kid's Choice paintbrush.

 Side note-Originally, I tried outlining with a white pastel (because gold and silver Sharpies are so expensive!) but I did not love that at all. 

I think I had the most fun, making this tourmaline inspired example!

I had fun painting these, and I hope the kids will too!

Check back soon for some awesome art!

Mrs. Fambrough's class is off to a great start! Mrs. Stacey is so proud of y'all!!

Here's some great ones from Dr. Fambrough's class!

Look at these fabulous watercolor painters from Mrs. Schoor's class!

Here's Mrs. Fambrough's class, hard at work, drawing out their crystals!

Here are some finished ones from Mrs. McAllister's class!

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