Pastel Scratchboards

Here is a project grade 2 did last week.

It comes from this book.

Take a piece of heavy paper like manila tag or cardstock.......... Using pastels color little bits at a time in bright colors.       

Color in the entire page.

Take some black acrylic paint and paint over entire page.

Using a wooden skewer or toothpick scratch in your design.

Here are the finished results from Grade 2.  We were following the book and scratching in a grid design but you can easily do a full picture like the one posted at the beginning.  Thicker lines tend to look better.

Great work Grade 2.  Why don't you give it a try?

Home Depot

Every year I am fortunate to be able to take the kids from one grade to Home Depot for a field trip and workshop.

This year it was Grade One. 


The staff are always terrific especially Rose!

The kids had a fork lift demonstration.

and a cutting demonstartion using the large saws.

They then had a workshop where they were thrilled to "hammer" and create a " bean bag game".

Today we painted our creations at school with acrylic paint.

Gotta love Home Depot!  Thank you so much for giving 44 Grade Ones the "bestest" field trip ever! (and still a freebie)

Sunglasses Art Project

I was asked by the teachers at school to come up with an art project to correspond with the CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) "Shades of Fun" campagin.

On Thursday all the kids at school will be wearing sunglasses during classes to participate

I made a pattern for a pair of sunglasses.  You can use mine, (Sunglasses Pattern), if you want. I can only fit 1/2 on the page so either cut it on the fold for a full pattern or cut out one side, flip, and then trace the other side.  I then traced this pattern onto posterboard.

Cut out the sunglasses.

I then traced around each lens to make a pattern. 

I cut the lens out slightly smaller than I traced so it would fit on the frame.

They fit in like this.

You then pencil in a drawing showing activities where you would wear your sunglasses.

Add some color with pencil crayons, markers, paint.......

Taking some cellophane wrap...... cut out 2 lens pieces silimar in size to the white ones you cut.

Turn glasses over to the back side and glue the cellophane into place.  UPDATE:  While doing 44 pairs of these I found that tape was more effective...the glue does not stick so well to the cellophane.

Glue the pictures on top of the cellophane.

and that's all there is to it.  Give it a try and be sure to wear your sunglasses on Thursday!

On Saturday I was honored to be featured on "Today's Creative Blog" if you get a chance check it out.

How to Make a Clay Polar Bear

This is a clay Polar Bear project I just completed with Grade 3.





Take a slice of clay and roll to about 1/2 inch thick.

Cut a nice oval base with a wooden skewer.

Using your finger dipped in water smooth the jagged edge left from cutting.

I explain to the students that if we leave this edge that once this piece is fired this could be very sharp and might cut someone.

Take some clay and form 2 back legs and 2 smaller front legs.

Using the "scratch, scratch, water, water" chant we attach these legs to the base.

We want to be sure the 2 surfaces that are touching have been sufficiently scored and moistened so that our clay will "glue" together.

Taking a fair lump of clay (palm sized) form a pear or gourd shape for the body.

Place it on the 4 legs and continue refining until you are happy with the shape.  Attach to the 4 legs with the "scratch, scratch, water,water".

Continue to define the shape and pinch out some ears.  You want a pointy nose.

I had reference photos for the kids to look at while sculpting.

Using a toothpick we added our names and the year to the base.

Leave bears to dry out for about 2 weeks.

After completing a bisque fire in the kiln, glaze using white and blue underglaze with a clear topcoat.

and that's it!  The grade 3's did an awesome job.

See you next time.