Birds... Hand Print Art

You know, it's funny, I was talking to someone the other day (could've been myself, I don't remember), and I don't know when I started doing all of this kid art that's coming out. I guess, I just decided there will be a time when I can do my own "adult" art- but now, I'm plunging in, the time is right for my kids' involvement (I would be concentrating on my own projects and wouldn't pay attention to "anything" in the room) ... and with a few other kids added to the equation...

BIRDIES FOR MOM'S DAY!

Here is another beautiful handprint project(spotted over at the Craft Nest) for Mother's Day that my kids gave to their grandmas!

I'm loving the birds outside chirping this time of year... even my little noisy birdies in my house... that's all year!

Poppy Flowers - Hand Print Art

Mom and Grandma's Day art projects was such a busy paint day for my kid art class! 

Here are the bright and colorful poppies that the kids painted by using their handprints, fingerprints, and a paint brush. 

Doesn't get any easier!

 Beautiful Poppies (6 - 9 years old)

 Pretty Purple Flower (3 years old)

Flowers without the dirty mess, watering, upkeep and dying... 

Hope you all celebrated a wonderful MOTHER'S DAY!

... more hand art to come this week!

*Reduce *Reuse *Recycle - NEWSPAPER Abe {tutorial}

 During the month of April, EARTH MONTH (yay), I will "attempt" to post all of my current repurposed and recycled art projects. I'm a big fan of using repurposed items in my art projects and in daily life as well. What a great month of learning and getting into good habits!

Newspaper Abe 

This has been one of my most simple, collaborative, kid art murals made with elementary kids, but for all ages! I love the fact that we used the portrait of Honest Abraham Lincoln (one of my favorite presidents), repurposed newspapers, crayons, a permanent marker, and of course...  

almost 80 1st graders!

And... you can make your own newspaper art in a smaller form with your preferred portrait/s! Be creative.

(We actually completed this near Presidents' Day, but this is my life. Art projects are one story, posting them is another!)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Here's my quick tutorial:

(measure, cut, screw, spackle, sand, clean, gesso)

Materials for Wood Canvas:

• 1" x 2"s
• masonite board, 1/4" thickness
• flat head screws, size 6x3/4
• spackle
• gesso

(Depending on your desired size will also determine how much of each material you will need.)
*Instead of making your own wood canvas you can use a pre-stretched canvas board, any size.

Materials for Newspaper Abe:

• transparency sheet (and a projector)
• newspapers
• permanent marker
• crayons
• Mod Podge
• plastic wrap

• Use transparency and overhead projector - free images from openclipart.  

• Tape newspaper seams together on the back side, trace, and fill in image with permanent marker on the front side.

 

• On the back side, graph and number the amount of squares or "shapes" you want. I made a small model on another paper, labeling all of the outside squares just in case I was confused later-it helped! 

• Cut the newspaper and then color each square with crayons. Be creative! (pattern art, theme art, color schemes, shapes...)
• Reassemble your shapes back together. 
• Apply a little more than a thin layer of Mod Podge to your canvas.
• Carefully lay your colored squares on the Mod Podged area.

• Lay plastic wrap over the Mod Podge newspaper squares to help smooth out. 
• Stack books on top so the squares dry flat and do not curl. This helps protect the artwork and books. Dry time as directed on bottle. 
• Repeat until complete.

Helpful Tips: 

• Instead of adhering square by square, tape 2 rows together at a time, only using a small amount of tape on the reverse side. Then adhere on the canvas two rows at a time. This helps make sure everything will line up and it's fast! 
• During each drying wait, wrap & seal your brush up in plastic wrap (so it won't dry out or have to clean it several times).

Make a funny face!

I see mine!

Honest Abe. Good person. Good president.

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. 

Kite Flying Colors

Sometimes I love the wind on a sunny day.

Painted EGG ROCKS- big & small!

Another rock painting project!

Um... I told you I liked to paint rocks ... with kids! With my mom, when we were younger (much younger), we used to paint rocks with fingernail polish. My husband commented when he spotted the painted rocks, "So we don't have to dye eggs then?" We'll see...

For our little kid art class we brightly painted EASTER EGGS...ROCKS! 

Some are small and some are huge.

I'm not a huge fan of "pastel" Easter.

(age 22 months old - 9 years old)

 (3 years old)            (6 years old)

 (6 years old )

(22 months old ----->)

Super easy art project for toddlers to paint (in their highchair)!

(6 years old)

A few simple techniques we used:

•   First paint a clean white "rock" canvas, let dry, and use your desired paint & design express the true paint color (*to eliminate the dark rock underneath).

• Make stripes or designs by using blue "painter's tape" (doesn't rip off the paint).
• Paint your desired stripe color. Take off tape after paint has dried.
• Use your finger tips dipped in paint to create polka dots!
• To protect and shine, paint exterior with Mod Podge (for indoor display) and a polycrylic (for exterior display-brush cleans easy with soap and water).

We are going to display them outside on our porch and around our house! 

Create and Give...

The "other" Illusional/Delusional Hand Art Project- 3rd grade

My daughter's 3rd grade class had the option between the previous post, illusional hand & line art project or this one shown below (one of my favorites, Art Project for Kids.) 

So here's my optical illusion hand art model... and you should see what they came up with! I love how they are all so remarkably different, even if they tried to copy each other.

The instructions are simple:

• trace your hand or hands with pencil however you like on paper
• draw a bull's eye that covers the entire page
• color each "ring"/circle with only 2 "contrasting" colors (using a color for the hand and the other color for outside of the hand) 

(8 -9 years old)

I absolutely loved how some of the kids got a little distracted and morphed their hands into some of the circles...

Not one is the same, they all came up with a different style and perspective on the hand project... Love it.

One last item: with this hand project, you can document their hand size and age and throw it in your memory book!

Illusional-Delusional Hand Art - 3rd Grade

I found this easy little hand art project on theforestroom last week and thought it would be a clean and a simple project to do in my daughter's 3rd grade class... Well, it's not as easy as it looks- they had to really concentrate to complete. 

This is a really clever way to also document your child's hand size/age.

My lines were not the straightest!

Simple Instructions:

• With a pencil, trace your hand & fingers perpendicular (or exactly vertical) to the paper.
• Start at the top of the paper drawing straight lines horizontally, and repeat (any colors or all one color).
• When your lines touch your fingers or hand, make an arch and come down at the other side of finger or hand (refer to below).

(8 -9 years old)

 

     

The results were so varied from kid to kid, it's amazing! I think all of them did awesome! I wasn't able to post all of their hand projects.