Elements of the Art Room: 2018

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

1st grade Winter Cardinals

This week, first grade started this cardinal painting inspired by Art Projects for Kids! They've really enjoyed making them, and I have to! It's tricky to find this to keep these kids cool, just a few days before break, but luckily there is a super strong and supportive art teacherin' community, who loves to share their ideas! I am so thankful for that!

Here are our kids, hard at work on theirs!

Here's another great idea from Art Room Britt! Their bears looked so fun and cute, I thought they'd be a great thing to do with just a few days left until break! I did these with 2nd grade (normally our rowdiest grade besides 5th) and they were quiet as church mice!! That's unheard of, this time of year! They loved drawing out the bears and adding the details to their sweater! Each one was cute, and unique!

Here's how we created ours!

We're almost there folks! Just 1.5 days left until Christmas break!! The kids have actually been great, thanks to fun new projects like this one! I was scrolling through Instagram, Ahem... (I mean Collaborating with my fellow Ahht teachers) when I came across an awesome looking lesson inspired by the one and only, Cassie Stephens, and the ever so talented Art Room Britt. They had been doing the fabulous looking Jen Aranyi inspired landscapes with their classes, so naturally I had to try it with mine! Y'all....They have been turning out great, and they were so excited to try it. They loved watching the artist's time lapse videos, and we just amazed with her beautiful work!

Here's how we created them!
(How to draw videos are close to the end of the post, or you can click on this link)

1st grade Snowy Penguins

This week, we're finishing up day 1 of our precious lil penguins! I found this beautiful idea on Mary Making's blog! This project incorporates watercolor painting, drawing, value, and oil pastels.

Here's how we created ours!

Last week, 4th grade started this neat little wintry picture. I saw the original artwork on Step by Step Painting, and wanted to turn it into a 4th or 5th grade lesson!

Here's how we did it!

We're dreaming of a white Christmas around here, and are in snowy project mode! I found this one years ago, on Deep Space Sparkle I think (but I can't find the original link) :)

Kindergarten finished their cool colored, wintry landscapes last week....

This was adapted from Art Projects for Kids

and we're moving on to some snowy cities!

Here's how we created them!

This week 2nd grade started this multimedia deer in the snow! This project was inspired by the Painted Paper Art blog!
We have snow in the forecast, and we're trying not to get our hopes up, but the thought of snow is so exciting!!

Here's how we created our little deer!

Colorful 5th grade Self Portraits

Last week, I was inspired by the great Cassie Stephens yet again! Her 4th graders have been creating some Fauvist style self-portraits, and I thought our 5th graders would be great at it to! Here's the link to her original post on the topic! In the Art Room: 4th Grade Fauves

1st and 2nd Veterans Day Poppies

Here's what 2nd and 1st grade have been working on this week! I wanted to do a Veterans Day project, and found this one on A Spot of Color, so I thought we'd give it a try!

Here's how we created ours!

For the past couple of weeks, kindergarten has been working on this precious little piece of art! I got this adorable idea, yet again, from the fabulous art teacher, Cassie Stephens. Click on her name to get a little sample of her amazing art teacherin' talent!

Earlier in the year, we made a cute little cloud with rainbow paper, so this lesson is a review on rainbow order, and works on all kinds of other skills!!

Here's how we made ours!

3rd grade Oil Pastel faux Batik pumpkins

This week, 3rd grade is trying something new! I found this on A Faithful Attempt blog, and wanted to try it with our students!

Here's how we created ours!

Square 1 ART projects!

This week, we're starting our Square 1 Art fundraiser! I'm so excited because I've never done something like this before. It's so neat! The kids put their art on the paper Square 1 provides, I send it in, and then their family can order products with their precious little pictures on it!

Here's what each grade will be creating!
You'll be able to order from
😄😄😄NOVEMBER 16-28!!😃😃😃

4th grade Dia De Los Muertos Calaveras or Sugar Skulls

Today we started our Dia de los Muertos calaveras or sugar skulls! This project was inspired by the folk art from Mexico, and another fabulous art teacher on Instagram @artfunwithms.c. Mrs. Stacey discussed this holiday, and showed examples of the beautiful art and decor centered around this special time. We also saw examples of this holiday in current cartoons like Disney's Coco, Elena of Avalor, and the movie The Book of Life. We learned that Dia de los Muertos or Day of the dead, is a holiday that celebrates the memory of our loved ones. We talked about how all the use of bright colors, flowers, candles, food, and art make this a festive time, instead of a sad one. Here's how we create our own Dia de los muertos Calaveras!

1st grade Painted Paper Owls

This week, 1st grade will be starting their painted paper owl project, inspired by the Painted Paper blog!

I love this lesson! A. because I love owls! Hootie Hooo! Go Chi O! & B. It incorporates a lot of different skills, and different types of media!

Here's how we made ours!

Kindergarten Line Painting Monsters

This week, kindergarten continued their exploration of line, and started these fun line paintings! We used a new medium, to them, oil pastels and tempera cakes. 😄 Here's how we did it!

3rd Grade Painted Paper Tiger Collage

This week, 3rd grade started their Henri Rousseau & Cassie Stephens inspired tigers!

Here's Mr. Rousseau's painting we're getting inspiration from!

Tiger in a Tropical Storm

Here's how we created ours!

This week, 2nd grade will be using our fabulous new "bingo daubers" to make some big and beautiful, Romero Britto, inspired animals!

Kids and grownups alike love Britto's use of line, color, shapes, and popular objects he places in his art! They're so bright and fun, you can't help but smile!

His beautiful work is also a great review for the Elements of Art!

Collage Animal Faces

Last week, 5th grade embarked on an EPIC project, that I've never tried before, but ever since I saw it on the SmART Class blog, I'v wanted to try it!

Here's an example from their website!

Btw, there's also a great tutorial on Art Room Britt's blog too!

Here's how we started ours!

1st grade Laurel Burch Line Cats

Last week, 1st grade started on some super cute kitty cats! These little kitties are inspired by the art of Laurel Burch and the fabulous art teacher at Marshall Elementary!

Here's Laurel Burch in front of her fabulous cat paintings. She painted all kinds of animals, and her art has been featured on items all over the world!

Can you tell now, where we're getting our inspiration from?

Here's how we created our own!

Kindergarten ROY G BIV clouds

This week and the next, kindergarten will be working on their ROY G BIV rainbow clouds! Even though this may look pretty simple, it's tricky for some of my friends who have hardly held a pencil, marker, or scissors before!

I found this fun idea on Lauralee Chambers' Instagram account, and decided to try it with our little ones!

here's how we created ours!

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4th grade Dean Russo inspired Bengal Tiger

So, if you haven't figured it out by now...I just really look up to and admire Cassie Stephens! You'll see her name A LOT on this blog. She's a fellow Tennessee art teacher, and knocks folks socks off with her AWESOME lessons, FUN teaching style, and FANTASTIC wardrobe! I wanna be just like her, when I grow up! haha

She really has helped revamp my "art teacherin'" (as she says) style, even after 13 years of teaching, and inspired me to create my own blog. With that said, here's another one of her super fun lessons we're going to try! We are the bengals, so this is a perfect lesson for my students to attempt! This project teaches them about elements of art, analogous colors, blending, and uses a new and different medium she's introduced us all to....Bingo Daubers!!

Here's her original post-

Cassie Stephens

Dean Russo inspired school mascot

Here's how we created ours!

Only One You Rock Garden

This year, we are creating a rock garden in memory of a wonderful teacher, Susan Griffith. Each person in the school will eventually contribute. Right now, 3rd, 4th, and 5th, are working on their rocks. We primed them with white acrylic paint first, gave them a coat or two of colored acrylic paint, and now the students are decorating them with paint pens. (We tried to paint designs in one class, and that didn't go so well!) I highly recommend paint pens for the small details. I also highly recommend Mexican Beach pebbles to paint. Most other kinds are WAY too rough and bumpy to have a good painting surface.

Before we started, we were given the book, Only One You, to read to the class. I liked showing the Youtube video below, and used the book for examples as to how to decorate their fish.
Here's the link to the youtube video below!
Only One You YouTube

It has really good advice for being yourself and making the world a better place.

Here's how we created ours!

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2nd Grade Charley Harper Raccoons

Today, 2nd grade will be starting their Charley Harper inspired Raccoons! This project came from the fabulous teacher, Cassie Stephens, and you can find her original post here!

Here's how we will make our own!

Kindergarten Line Sculptures take II!

This week, kindergarten is learning about lines, and creating a line sculpture! I like to do this lesson each year with these little ones, because it's so fun and they learn a lot! We not only learn about lines and sculptures, but other important things to like how to use a glue stick, fold paper, and follow directions! I originally saw this lesson on the awesome Cassie Stephen's website! Her video tutorial shows you exactly how to do it!
Cassie Stephens Line Sculpture video

Here's the link to my first post about this project!

Kindergarten Line Sculpture

Here's some examples from this year's Kindergartners!

Welcome to the Art Room! Bienvenidos a la clase de arte!

This year, I wanted to incorporate a little more color and pizzazz into the art room!I also wanted to celebrate 2 Spanish Immersion Kindergarten classes being added to our school!

So, I upcycled some party decorations my sister and I made (me-the cacti, Rebecca-flowers) to jazz up the place!

After I added the cacti, I thought they needed something so I printed out little cactus inspired sayings to liven them up as well. You'll also notice the "papel picado" or cut paper, above the doorways, bulletin boards, and back wall, really add a pop of color too!

Frida Kahlo is our art spotlight, and the kids have really been recognizing her, thanks to the Disney movie Coco, and the Netflix series, "Who was Frida Kahlo".

It's definitely a work in progress, but I'm pretty happy with it so far!

Hope you enjoy this view into our little world of art!

Y'all come back now, ya hear?! ;)
Pics below
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1st & 2nd Grade Self Portraits

At the beginning of each year, I like to do self portraits with the kids to see how much they remember from last year, how much they know if they're new, and see how much they've improved since the last time we created them. They're just so cute too!

We start out by doing a "before" that they do without any instruction or reminders. Then, we do an "after" with me! We do kind of a directed drawing, where I go over what shapes to use, and where to put the features and hair.

After that, we trace them with Sharpie markers, and color them in.

Here are some 1st and 2nd graders hard at work!

Back to School! Collaborative Mural

WE'RE BACK! Seems like just a few days ago, I was posting about the end of the school year! I don't know about y'all, but Summer just flew by! It was so wonderful to spend all Summer with my sweet babies, and I'm missing them something fierce, but my "babies" at school are making the transition a little easier!

We have been priming rocks for our rock garden, but while we're waiting for more supplies to come in, we got started on a new project! (That's the life of an art teacher, y'all!) You've got to be flexible, and just roll with it!

I found this project last year, while scoping the web for some new fun things for our kids to do. His site is called Shine Brite Zamorano, and he's an art teacher based in California (Their art teacher of the year to boot!) I also saw posts about this from the Tennessee Arts Academy, and thought, "It's time to try it out!". Thanks for the inspiration and sharing your awesome program!

Here's how we created our own version! I'm going to do this with 3rd-5th. This should take about a day to do! Great project to kick off the start of the school year, and have a beautiful mural to display when they're done!

Art Teacher Finds on Amazon!

Woohooo!! "School's out for the summa!! School's out foreva" Well, not really, but at least we get a couple of months to do what we want! After working hard all year, you deserve to treat yourself! I found some really cool art teacherin' finds on Amazon, and I thought you all would enjoy them too! I'll be on the lookout for some more, so check back and the list could be longer!
I hope you all have a fabulous summer vacay, and I look forward to hearing from and seeing you all in the fall!
Stay safe, and God bless!!
Love, Mrs. Stacey!

Lauren Stacey is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Here are some more I just found today!