4th grade Surreal Settings

This was a fun way to teach Surrealism!  After looking at examples of Dali and Magritte, students chose a setting and hand colored a copy.  We then looked for realistic photos of a variety of objects in magazines.  We emphasized the importance of good craftsmanship (cutting and gluing skills) and pointed out the preciseness of the master works.  Our final pieces show realistic objects in an unreal setting, not to mention a good sense of humor!

 

 

kindergarten clay fossils

Kindergarteners learned how to roll a slab of clay and create surface textures, all while learning how fossils are formed in nature.  We pressed a variety of objects into our clay "rock" - dinosaur tracks, shells, plants - then after they are fired in the kiln, we brush over the entire surface with "mud" (paint) and wash away the excess, the way a scientist would clean a fossil.  This technique leaves the dark paint only in the textured spaces, making them look more authentically aged.

dino tracks

bones and scales

pressing with sticks

cookie cutters make dino shapes

beautiful texture

always a favorite project that makes us proud...

Reductive printmaking: self-portraits

Fifth graders have finished their printed self-portraits.  We learned a lot about facial proportions,altering and  registering a printing plate for two separate printings, and creating visual texture.  The results are very nice, as you can see: