Artful Thinking

This summer at our Art Department meeting we learned about Artful Thinking Routines.  These are different routines you can use to discuss artwork.

This program was originally designed to be used by homeroom teachers.  The purpose of the Artful Thinking Program is to help teachers regularly use works of visual art and music in their curriculum in ways that strengthen student thinking and learning.  It has two broad goals: (1) To help teachers create rich connections between works of art and curricular topics; and (2) to help teachers use art as a force for developing students’ thinking dispositions (Artful Thinking).

I am using Artful Thinking routines at the beginning of my units this year as a way to introduce my students to the artist(s), culture, and/or artwork.  I have found that my students really enjoy using these routines and I get quality discussions about art.  Below I provided an example of how I used Artful thinking with my kindergarten classes.

We just finished studying lines and I was introducing Primary colors.  I chose to use Piet Mondrian's Composition (Blue, Red, and Yellow) to introduce the next project. 

The Artful Thinking routine I used was: What do you see?

 

 What do you see?  Describe.

How does it make you feel?

We discussed the artwork in more detail and discussed the art concepts that I wanted them to learn for the lesson.  Then I asked:

What do you see now that you didn't see before?

Here is the website that I use as a reference.

Artful Thinking.  Retrieved on November 10, 2011.  http://www.pz.harvard.edu/tc/overview.cfm

Fish Bowl Collages Inspired by: Henri Matisse and Eric Carle

My first grade students studied Henri Matisse, specifically looking at his Fish Bowl painting.  They learned how he created collages out of painted paper like Eric Carle.  He called it "drawing with scissors."  The students painted large sheets of paper.  We talked about color mixing and color schemes.  They used the painted paper to cut out the shapes for their Fish Bowl collages. 

Post by: Jane Delmastro from Ms. McDaniel's 1st Grade Class

I had to cut out some shapes to make a beautiful collage.

 Display at Manning Oaks Elementary

5th Grade Contour/Pop Art Drawings Inspired by: Escher and Warhol

My fifth grade students studied M.C. Escher's Hand Drawing Hand artwork.  They had to do a contour drawing of their hand holding a magnifying glass.  Then, they studied Andy Warhol.  We looked at his Campbell Soup Cans, Brillo Boxes, and Portraits of famous people.  We talked about Popular Culture and how you can use everyday objects or things from popular culture as the subject of your artwork.  The students chose their subject and created a contour drawing of it.  Finally, they combined the two drawings together to create their Pop Art.  They look amazing!

Picasso to Warhol Exhibit

Fourteen Modern Masters

Where:  The High Museum (downtown)
When: October 15, 2011-April 29, 2011

It's free the first Saturday of every month for Fulton County residence.  They always have awesome things going on.  You should go check it out! 

Garden Collages Inspired by: Lois Ehlert

We read the book "Planting a Rainbow" by Lois Ehlert. We started out by learning different kinds of lines. I created an action for each kind of line, and we played Simon Says to help rememebr the different kinds of lines. Then, the students use the different kinds of lines to draw stems using oil pastels. Next, we studied different shapes that can be used to make flowers. They cut shapes out of different colored construction paper to make their flowers and glued them onto the background. Finally, they cut out leaves and added them to the collage. What colorful sight!

Collages inspired by: Pablo Picasso

My third grade students studied Pablo Picasso.  We looked at Picasso's collages and cubist paintings.  We combined collage and cubsim.  We also studied his "Night Fishing in at Antibes" painting.  You can find this painting at the High Museum downtown as we speak.  I saw it and it is amazing!  They had to create an abstract background with neutral colors and a cubist self-portait.  They also had to show themselves participating in an activity they enjoy doing outside of school.  Move over Picasso!

Tree of Life Painting Inpsired by: Gustav Klimt

My first grade students studied the artist Gustav Klimt.  Gustav Klimt is known as the Master of Shapes and Patterns.  You might know his most famous artwork "The Hug."  They learned about outline, positive and negative space, shapes and patterns.  They painted their own "Tree of Life" with gold paint using a paintbrush and Q-tip.  Then, they went back and added circular patterns on the tree with oil pastels.  Wow!  They look great! 

Post by: Estelle Murphy in Ms. Martin's 1st grade Class (Findley Oaks ES)

I like my artwork and it is pretty. I made a tree and my art teacher helped me.

 

It's a New Year

It has been a great start to a new year!  We are getting ready for Original Works at Findley Oaks and our art show at Manning Oaks.  The students have been working very hard.  Photos of student artwork coming soon!  Also, my students are going to be helping me update progress on our projects this year.  I will have one or two students from each class go on my blog at the end of class at make a note about what we are doing.  Please come back regurarly to see what your child is doing in art.  Thanks!  I am looking forward to another wonderful year!

5th Grade Freedom Quilt Reduction Prints

My 5th grade students studied the history of Freedom Quilts.  They created their own radial quilt pattern.  Then, they carved their pattern into styrofoam.  They printed white first, and they carved into the pattern again.  Next, they printed with black.  Finally, they attached them to a backgorund color to create a frame.  These turned out fantastic!

3rd Grade Pop Art Prints

My 3rd grade students studied Andy Warhol.  They chose something from everyday life or popular culture to be the emphasis of their artwork.  They made a collograph printing plate from cardboard and cardstock.  They printed on colored paper and added more color with colored pencils.  They really enjoyed this lesson and they turned out wonderful!

4th Grade Monochromatic Gestures

My 4th grade students learned about value.  They painted a value scale after studying Vincent Van Gogh's blue period, then they chose a color to paint a monochromatic background for their gesture prints.  The students learned about gesture drawings.  They sketched gestures from wooden models.  They chose one gesture as the emphasis for their artwork.  They carved their gesture in styrofoam and printed it on colored paper.  They have to choose complimentary colors for their artwork.  They turned out great!

2nd Grade Aboriginal Art

My 2nd graders created an Aboriginal drawing based on something they like.  They learned about patterns and color schemes.

1st Grade Owl Collages

My first grade students studied an Inuit artist that creates artwork of animals from her environment.  The first graders had to do an observational drawing of an owl.  They mixed and used neutral colors to paint the feathers on the owl.  They used sharpie marker to add details in the feathers and face.  Finally, they painted a night background to glue their owl on.  They did a fantastic job.