Clay Loom

This lesson has two parts and can take some time.

I like to start by having the students create the clay loom so it can dry and I have time to fire it.

I roll slabs out thick about half an inch.

Then I give them tons of random things I have collected to create textures with. Once they create textures on their clay slab they cut the shape they want. If they are creating a circle loom they need an odd number of holes, if they are creating a rectangle shape it is an even number of holes. I like to have them use straws to create the holes. The clay will fill up the straw so if you do this keep in mind it will be about one straw per kid.

 

 

I actually show the students that they can either create the textures first then cut or they could cut the shape and add texture second.

Here are a few examples:

I have the students work on Masonite sheets. This isn’t always great because it can warp. Once the clay is dry enough to handle I carve their name and class into the backs.

This year, so to not waste clay and to experiment, I had them create smaller looms with the left over clay. We will see if it works!

Next is practicing weaving. Here is a great tutorial that helped me out a ton!

 

Once the students finished building their looms we wove! Along with the link to the wonderful tutorial on weaving here is a great book that I would take a look at if you can, Kids Weaving.

 

Once everyone has practiced weaving and the clay looms have been fired to bisque, they use watercolor to paint it.

 

Then they start the weaving process using the clay frame as the loom.

 

Here are a few examples of finished pieces!

I forgot to pierce holes in the tops of the clay frame to string ribbon and hang them. Next time I will remember! Even without hanging these look cute!

 

 

Abstract Expressionist Self-portrait

In this lesson the students learned about Abstract Expressionist painters and how to draw a self-portrait and color it using both oil and chalk pastel.

I started off the lesson showing them images of Abstract Expressionist work.

Here is a great link to MOMA:
http://www.moma.org/explore/multimedia/audios/230/2335

And another great link to the Met:

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/abex/hd_abex.htm#slideshow1
The third time I taught this lesson I learned not to use enormous size paper and to let them create two versions. The size of paper I ended up liking was 15”x30” 140lb Blick watercolor paper.

http://www.dickblick.com/products/strathmore-400-series-watercolor-paper/

Once the paintings were complete I had them use mirror to draw a self-portrait. I did a demonstration for the class and did a lot of one-one to help support them. Some students are more relaxed about drawing a self-portrait than others. You just have to encourage them and they will all get it in the end in varying degrees of success.

After both pieces are complete I have them glue small pieces of cardboard on the back of their self-portrait, so they won’t over glue and wrinkle the work, in order to adhere it to their painting.

In the end they all look great!

Digital Drawing and Animation: Part 1

I like to teach third and fourth graders animation projects and this year I think I figured out a good way to do that with fourth grade.

They start this project in the fall and finish is the spring- I just divide it into two lessons.

The first lesson is creating a still, digital drawing (that will be animated later). I based this lesson off of a personal project of mine. I show them my project then I also show them Coldplays Strawberry Swing video. After seeing both of these their creative  juices should be flowing!

The first step is for them to create a background or a drawing of an environment that they will want themselves in. They will import a picture of themselves in a pose that will be placed onto the drawing using Photoshop.

I have them use smaller paper (9″x12″) and color it with the media of their choice (color pencil, gouache, watercolor, anything).

 

Then we take photos of each drawing.

 

 

Then they take photos of themselves preforming an action in the drawing.

 

Finally, in Photoshop we combined it all!

In Photoshop they learned how to use the eraser, scale, transform and eraser tool. They also learned how to copy and paste two images in the same file, how to work with layers and how to manipulate the colors digitally.

They learned a lot in Photoshop with this lesson! The next step will be to add text and music to create their animation.