January 4, 2012  by

Exploring Circles- Welcoming the Cycle of a New Year

For our last class of the session, we explored a circular theme to represent the end of one year and the beginning of a new year. The 1s and 2s classes began with different types of ball painting. We used golf balls for children who aren’t accustomed to marbles yet, and introduced marble painting to kids whose parents felt comfortable with such small objects.

The kids used spoons to roll the balls in paint and scoop them into their trays. Next, they began to shake and tip the trays to make tracks on their paper.

Stirring the balls around and shaking glitter onto them was also a major part of the experience.

As the children began to collect new tools off of the shelf, the teachers brought out large paper to continue their exploration.

We even tried the ball painting on a large scale, where the kids collaborated to get the balls rolling.

As the kids began to move around the studio, we had some more exciting circular activities to investigate.

We tried out our new “spinner art” machine that spins the paper around really fast while the children added drops of paint to the moving paper. The machine came with squeeze bottles, but we first tried using our eye droppers with watered down tempera paint to help develop fine motor skills.

Here is an example of a finished spin art design!

While some of the children focused on the spin art, others were drawn to the pendulum painting, set up over the floor. We hung a string and plastic cup (with a small hole at the bottom) from the ceiling to act as a pendulum. The kids squirted watered down tempera paint into the cup and swung the cup around in circles to create circular and oval drip designs. The floor was covered with a painting that had been previously sprayed with watercolors, so the design overlapped the blotchy watercolor effect. One group of kids began to pass the cup back and forth, creating a cooperative painting game!

Before getting messy with the ball painting, the 3s/4s classes worked on a more crafty project for the new year… a “wish catcher.” They began by drawing a design onto a pre-cut poster board with holes punched into it. While they were drawing, the teachers asked them about what types of wishes they had for the new year and helped them write down their wishes. Some kids wished for snow, or to play with friends, and one even wished for a chainsaw (which it turns out he actually got for Christmas!)

After drawing on the poster board, the kids practiced their fine motor skills by “sewing” yarn in and out of the holes.

After sewing, the teachers helped the kids apply clear contact paper to the middle of the hoops so they could create a “stained glass” collage (they also made sure to stick their wishes into their collages).

Here is one of the finished “wish catchers” hanging in the window. Maybe they will help to manifest all of the children’s hopes and dreams for the new year. Happy New Year!!!

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December 7, 2011  by

Gluing Collage and Sculptures

Last week in our art classes, we focused on gluing collages and sculptures. The 1s and 2s classes experimented with collages using an assortment of items and colored glue.

The 1s class was working their fine motor skills just trying to squeeze the glue bottles! I love how this age group is fascinated with what the other kids are doing. They learn so much by watching their peers.

We also experimented with a sticky collage, using clear contact paper and lightweight items. At the end of the week, the collage was full and we hung it in the window!

The 3s/4s classes worked on 3-D collages and sculptures. They were each given a sturdy base, glue, and a variety of natural or recycled objects (sticks, cardboard, wood scraps, old toy parts, etc.).

Some kids enjoyed stacking flat objects or filling their entire base, while others opted to build tall sculptures.

The tricky part was how to make something stand up if it wasn’t very sturdy. The kids began to figure out how to stand a piece up by placing other, sturdier items next to it.

 Towards the end of class, some of the kids worked on print-making at the acrylic wall panel. They rolled out paint…

 Drew a picture into the paint with a Q-tip…

 Pressed paper onto their design…

 …and peeled up their print! This was the perfect introduction to our next project, printed holiday cards!

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November 30, 2011  by

Clay Exploration, Leaf Prints, and Sculpture

For our week of clay exploration, some children worked with clay for the first time, while others re-visited this fun medium, experimenting with new techniques. The 1s and 2s classes began testing out a few tools to manipulate the clay.

After a bit of exploration with only the tools, the children were offered decorative objects to use with their clay (popsicle sticks, buttons, glitter, and paint).

The older twos classes tried out our new plaster molds. They pushed clay into the mold, rolled over it with their rolling pin, and then peeled it up to see detailed designs appear- So exciting!

The younger classes were eventually given water to add to their clay for a super sensory (and messy!) experience.

Window painting was also a hit this week!

The 3s/4s classes first were introduced to resist leaf printing. They chose leaves to press into their clay, painted over the entire thing with tempera, then peeled up the leaf to reveal their print.

After peeling up the leaves, you can see the veins printed into the clay. The leaves also acted as a resist to the paint, allowing the outline of the leaf to show when peeled up.

After leaf printing, the kids began to add to their work with more clay and decorations.

Some kids also decided to pick out items from the recycled materials bin to use with their clay.

 A couple of the finished sculptures…

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November 17, 2011  by

Watercolor Exploration

For the second week of art class, we focused on liquid watercolors. We began with an oil pastel/watercolor resist technique where the combination of an oil pastel drawing and watercolor painting creates a resist effect. The oil pastel resists the watercolor and shows through the painting!

The 2s classes practiced making marks and drawing shapes. Then painted over their drawing with liquid watercolors.

Of course glitter was involved and some children chose items from the shelf to incorporate into their paintings.

We also practiced more fine motor skills by using droppers to suck up the paint and drop it onto coffee filters. This type of paper soaks up the watercolor to make an interesting tie-die effect.

Finally, the 2s classes, had a super sensory exploration with white foam paint (which feels like shaving cream, but is non-toxic), watercolors, and fun tools!

For the drawing portion of the 3s/4s classes, we focused on self-portraits. Each child was given a hand mirror to study their faces before using oil pastels to try to draw themselves.

After a fun attempt at self-portraits, the kids began to explore the watercolors with droppers, toy cars, and glitter.

After class, the kids continued the fun outside- playing at the water table and spraying liquid watercolors onto a large drop cloth.

The evolving garden at GROW also proved to be a source of non-stop entertainment. The chickens and bunny were enticing the younger ones, while the older boys were engaged in some hard work… filling up a wheelbarrow with logs and straw! 
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November 7, 2011  by

Fall Classes Have Begun!

The new Make+Believe art studio has opened! After a long month of moving the studio, getting the classes filled, and finding the right teachers we have finally begun our fall session. Here is a look into the new space- it’s small, but feels just right for our little tots.

For our first week of the session, we began with finger/wacky object painting for the 1’s and 2s classes. The returning students never get tired of messy painting, while the new children get to explore the tempera paints and wacky tools that will soon become very familiar. This activity is also a great way to show the children (and parents!) that this studio is place for messy exploration and open-ended creativity.

The easels are a always a big hit with the younger classes.

The 3s/4s classes began by mixing their own colors to use in their paintings. Quite a bit of time was spent squeezing and stirring the primary colors to see what new and interesting colors they could create.

When they were ready to paint, the children used their new colors as a base for a mixed-media art piece. Some of the kids added circle tissues and glitter, while others decided to cut their own tissue shapes and add other bits of collage materials to their work.

The kids had fun getting to know their teachers as well!

At the end of each class, everyone washed up in the water table outside and got to explore the new garden area of the GROW Art & Garden Education Center. The chickens, the fort, and the hay bales were especially enticing!

 

 

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