Fall Leaf Prints

Is it fall? All these beautiful leaves are falling but the weather is so warm! Well, in honor of the (eventual) arrival of cool fall weather, we did a leaf print today.



The kids began by picking out 4 of their favorite leaves from a collection on the table. Then we felt the leaves for texture. The backs of the leaves had more texture so we painted and printed using the back side.

Then in pairs the kids painted the backs of their leaves with warm fall colors (red, orange, yellow and a sparkly bronze). After painting the leaves, the kids pressed them onto their black paper. They were free to arrange them in any way they chose. And finally we opened up the project a little and everyone was given the option of painting a final leaf with any combination of colors they liked and printing that.

And finally we mixed up some blue paint and added a sky (if the artist thought the leaves were falling) or pool of water (if artist thought the leaves had already landed). The thoughtful and careful approach that all the kids displayed today really shows in these pieces. Enjoy! And happy fall!

Watercolor Owls

Another day of color exploration! 

Today we began our class by talking about color in terms of temperature. The kids had fun exploring and sorting the colors into cool/cold and warm/hot. Christopher's page is a nice example of the work.

After that we did a follow along lesson drawing an owl. Shape after shape we built our owl. Then the kids added their own special details: feathers, clouds, fuzzy ears, branches, the moon, clouds, one little owl is even wearing a necklace!

Then, out came the paints! After a reminder to keep color temperature in mind (leaning towards a "cool" background and a "warm" owl) the kids set to work. They were paired up and shared big beautiful watercolor sets. We reviewed how to properly use the paints (with lots of water and a gentle touch), making sure to rinse in between colors and using the lids of the paints for any color mixing. They were amazing and shared beautifully, always making room for one another, taking turns and complimenting each others work. What a pleasure to watch! And look at the beautiful work they created.

These sweet little owls, so wise and joyful, will be hanging in the mail hall of MMS by the end of the week!

Color Wheels and Abstract Art (what do you see?)

Last week the kids had a chance to explore the relationships between primary and secondary colors by mixing their own and painting with them.

This week, with everything dry, they had a chance to arrange their painted shapes onto color wheels. It was neat to watch as they realized that the relationship between the colors produced a rainbow circle. Colors all around, no beginning or ending!

Then we moved on to an abstract coloring project. The kids were asked to draw a "squiggly blob", crossing and recrossing the line they were drawing. Eventually we connected the beginning of the line to the end to make fully contained shape. Then the kids colored in all the little internal shapes with markers. While coloring, we kept a look out for anything that began to "appear" in the abstract shapes that they drew. The kids spotted a fish, a whale, faces, a sad hunchback monster with a boot (!), a fossil, a whale, a giant eye, a cat and of course a dinosaur! Not only that, but at the end of class we spent some time rotating the drawings to see what else we could find. The kids picked their favorite "right side up". Now all of today's art work is hanging in the classroom halls in MMS!