4th Grade Fall Still-Life

With the Auction upon us, I've been cranking out auction projects like crazy with all my classes and I've been incorporating them into the curriculum, as best I can!  So, the 4th graders are learning about observational drawing from a still-life. It might be a few 9 weeks early, but they're getting smarter, so does it really matter? Anyway, we did "reverse batik" on a fabric square. I wanted them to create a design based on objects found in nature...hence the still-life drawings.

I had to take advantage of the amazing gourds that I bought and let the 4th graders create a fall still-life painting. And they needed the watercolor experience.

 We looked at a Henri Matisse painting for a bold background pattern....and I really like how these are turning out! They outlined with oil pastels first, then painted with watercolors.

REVERSE BATIK

Here's the reverse batik process....

Buy Clorox Bleach Pens...not the Dollar Tree version of a bleach pen...fyi

Here they are 'bleaching'....I'd say no more then 30 minutes!



Just rinse well and you have amzing reverse batik! Aren't these GORGEOUS?
I'm sewing all these into a pillow...I'll post pictures later of all the auction projects. 



When buying fabric for this, make sure it says "Do not bleach" on the bundle thingy...can't think of the word to save my life right...not a spool....not even sure how to google this one...

It's Pumpkin Time!

1st Grade Pumpkin Heads

Okay, so I usually stay away from holiday-themed art projects, BUT Halloween is my favorite holiday so what's the harm in painting some pumpkins?

Our wonderful librarian let me borrow her book "It's Pumpkin Time!" by Zoe Hall...great book! Short and sweet...and the illustrations are great.

We've been squeezing some color theory in with this project: warm colors, blending, tints, color mixing....





Option 1: Painting with warm colors

Option 2: Add color with oil pastels

Cut out pumpkin

Collage face: white and black construction paper

I've been doing two versions of this lesson....one with paint: yellow, red and orange tempera / the other with oil pastels: yellow, orange and white---> This version works best if you only have one class period.

Oh and I am borrowing this lesson from DeepSpaceSparkle.com....because it's such an amazing resource!

After 3rd grade saw 1st grade leaving with their awesome pumpkins, they wanted to make one too....of course I caved because it's almost Halloween!