WELCOME TO HCA ART!: PATTERNS & PRINTMAKING WITH K4-2ND GRADE

"Ink blot" printing with K4 and K5

JANUARY SCRIPTURES:

I Peter 4:10

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.

John 15:11-13

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.

During the month of January, our young artists practiced a variety of printmaking techniques, made patterns, learned about a famous artist, and talked about how we can use our gifts to serve others.

The first few weeks we reviewed warm and cool colors as well as creating a pattern. Students created a patterned design using squares of colored tissue and water (grade 2 used diluted glue). We used a simple printmaking technique with black paint and cardboard pieces to print a pattern of lines onto our designs. We also discussed Piet Mondrian, a 20th century artist who was famous for using simple shape/line patterns and primary colors in his paintings.

In addition, we watched the story of Elmer the Patchwork Elephant, by David McKee. It is about a colorful elephant who learns to use his gifts to serve others.

Sesame Street; the Detective Finds a Pattern, animated, YouTube

Sesame Street: Guess What's Next (Patterns), YouTube

K4 and K5 students apply tissue with water.

First graders apply their tissue designs after reviewing warm and cool colors.

1st and 2nd graders stamp a pattern of lines with cardboard and black paint.

K5 and K4 tissue printed designs

First and second grade tissue and cardboard printed designs

The last few weeks of January, K4-2nd grade artists reviewed I Peter 4:10, about using our gifts to serve others. We reviewed the story of Elmer and watched several more children's stories on YouTube about characters learning to share, to be unselfish, and to work together as a team: Rainbow Fish, by Marcus Pfister, Fish Is Fish, and Swimmy, by Leo Lionni. Then, we created a paint blot with primary colors, watching how they mixed to form new colors. (This lesson is based on one from art teacher Grant Thomas.) K4 and K5 traced a fish template onto these paint blots and cut them out, while 1st and 2nd grade artists drew their own fish after a lesson on drawing basic fish bodies, fins, etc. and looking at a variety of pictures of real tropical fish. They also gadget printed circle patterns onto a larger sheet of construction paper to make the "ocean" for their fish.

Rainbow Fish, by Marcus Pfister, read by Ernest Borgnine, YouTube

The Rainbow Fish, narration and music by Vanceno (slower pace for K4/K5)

First graders experiment with gadget printing to make the background "bubbles" for their fish.

Second graders apply a variety of circle prints to their background papers.

Finally, students assembled their "Rainbow Fish" mixed media designs, complete with a variety of underwater plants and/or drawings of other sea creatures. We had a great conversation about what we could share with others! Mrs. Nichols passed out aluminum foil "scales" to each child as they talked about giving. Students talked about donating old clothes, toys, blankets, or simply just sharing their toys, food or candy with friends!