First Grade Human Form Drawing

Students used simple geometric shapes to illustrate the human form in a realistic way.  Students were asked to draw four human forms showing motion.  Students focused on using a sketching line and completing their drawings with detail and quality.  The Medium used for this project was pencil, colored pencil, and crayons. Great job first grade artists.

Great Video on Creativity

Things that make you go WHOOT!

With my younger students I always like to do a couple of projects that involve guided drawing and allow students to be able to create a realistic looking picture with a good sense confidence.  Prior to this lesson I decided to read Peter Reynold's book "ish" as it really helps to support the idea that it is okay for something to resemble what it is you are trying to create.  I love how Reynolds uses his stories as a way to connect kids with the creative process and helping to solidify the idea that art is not like math or reading that there often is not one specific answer or way to do things.  After reading "ish" students were guided in drawing an owl we talked about some important facts about the animal including its eye sight, hearing, and nocturnal habits.  Students used crayons for an outline and then added color using tempera water cake paints.  Although all students did not finish the final products will be really cool when they are all done later this school year.

Process VS. Product

As an art teacher I often struggle with the way to help students understand the value and purpose of the artistic process.  I feel that our world and fast paced society tend to force us into believing that our final product is what holds value and the process it takes to get there is unimportant.  In an effort to address this I decided to have all my 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classes do what I am calling The Process Project. To set the stage I shared a video of a little girl named Aelita Andre who many consider to be one of the greatest child prodigy artist in the world.  I asked the students to focus their attention on Aletia's process and the joy she exhibits as she creates her art.  The students clearly were able to make a connection with this and were able to have a free paint session with no real preconcieved ideas as to what they were suppose to make or what their final product should or should not look like.  I will admit that the results were mixed but there was a lot of joy in the PROCESS.

Aelita Andre Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccPoUrLv4wo


                                          Students working on their process paintings.