Pointillism Sunflowers

Pointillism Sunflowers

What began as an afternoon lesson for three children on the style and technique of pointillism turned into an enjoyable family art affair of pointillism and more!

We began by watching an art student’s tutorial on pointillism – learning briefly about Georges Seurat, seeing how to make a color wheel, learning how to create a graphite transfer, and being inspired by an elaborate pointillism Taj Mahal.

Next, we practiced the technique of pointillism by using markers and following along with another tutorial.

1 -Pointillism Practice

We also experimented with various sizes of tips – ends of paintbrushes, Q-tips, erasers, and small stamp sponges.

Next, we got out our primary colored acrylic paints and set to work creating a pointillism color wheel.

2 - Pointillism Color Wheel5 - Pointillism Practice

 

After all of that practice, we were ready to jump into our main project (and grandma joined us, too).

Step 1- Choose a sunflower!

5.2 Sunflower Project

Step 2 – Create a Graphite Transfer

5.5 - Graphite Transfer6 - Graphite Transfer7 - Graphite Transfer

 

Step 3 – Ready to Paint!

8 - Ready to Paint

Step 4 – Add dots

9.5 - Pointillism9 - Pointillism10 - Pointillism

and dots…

11 - Pointillism

and more dots!

12 - Pointillism

We discovered that this type of painting requires a great deal of patience and perseverance! 

 

Up until this stage of our project, the kids were very focused and only wanted a few pauses for stretching and a snack.  They were highly engaged and motivated!

After an overnight break, we started up again the next morning

to add more dots!

 

13 - Pointillism

14 - Pointillism

 

At various points, the older kids in our family decided to join in on the fun, too!  One chose to utilize the graphite transfer technique with a different image, one chose to use the graphite technique followed by regular painting, and one used a combination of brush stroke painting and pointillism.

 15 - Pointillism16 - Just Paint17 - Just Paint

 

Our completed pointillism sunflowers!

18- Pointillism19- Pointillism

And more!

20 - Pointillism
We had a wide age range of artists – elementary, middle school, high school, mom, and grandma.  Above, are some of our artists’ completed works!  Each of us experienced such a satisfying and relaxing time with family and friends as we let our creative expression flow!

Fall Leaf Art

Fall Leaf Art

As part of our small homeschool co-op, we have been trying to incorporate art projects that coordinate with our science studies.  We’ve been attempting to also make sure that the projects chosen are not just ‘craftsy’, but have a purpose and include an art concept.  One site that I have recently discovered that assists with the teaching of the elements of art is the Kitchen Table Classroom.  I have fallen in love with her site and the variety of ways she incorporates the concepts of art in a hands on, easy to understand way. 

So, when desiring to spend an afternoon of fall art time with one of my daughters, I remembered seeing her vibrant chalk and glue leaf drawings.  It was an enjoyable time of creativity and bonding, along with an easy review of contour lines, warm vs. cool colors, and blending!  Below is what we did…

 

Steps to Creating Your Own ‘Fall Leaf Art’

1) Gather supplies.

IMG_7479

  • 9 by 12 inch black construction paper
  • 3-6 leaves  (Collect a few different sizes and shapes.  Choose ones that appeal to you.  Please note, though, that some of the larger sized leaves may be easier for younger children to work with.)
  • pencil
  • bottled white liquid school glue
  • soft pastel chalks

 

2) Position and trace your leaves.

Arrange your leaves on a piece of black paper.  Make sure to leave at least a finger space between the leaves.  Using a pencil, outline the shape of each leaf.  It doesn’t have to be exact – just get the basic outline.  Also, study the veins of your leaves.  Then, add lines to the inside of your penciled leaf to resemble a few of those veins.
IMG_7480

 

3) Outline with glue.

Use bottled liquid school glue to carefully trace over your penciled lines. It shouldn’t  be thick and gloppy.  Just gently squeeze and move slightly above your penciled line so that the tip of your bottle doesn’t rub against the paper. This will allow you to form smoother lines without breaks.

IMG_7445IMG_7454IMG_7455

 

4) Air dry.

Allow your glued leaves to air dry.  Ours took about 2 hours to dry completely.  You will know that they are dry once all of the white glue lines are no longer visible.  Instead, you should see a black outline of the leaves that are non-sticky to the touch.

IMG_7458 IMG_7463

 

5) Chalk the inside of your leaves.

Use soft pastel chalk to add color to the inside of each leaf.  Choose warm colors such as shades of red, yellow, orange, and brown.  Start in one section of your leaf adding 2 colors.  With your finger, gently rub and blend them together.  Work your way across each leave, adding color and blending to form the warm colors of fall! 

IMG_7466IMG_7467IMG_7468

 

6) Chalk the background.

To fill in your background, choose a few soft pastel chalks in cool colors such as shades of blue, green, and purple.  You may wish to use the darker color on the outer edge of your paper and gradually switch to lighter shades as you move to the center of your paper or use various colors throughout.  Gently blend the colors with your fingers.

IMG_7471IMG_7469IMG_7473

 

6) Voila!

And there you have simple, fun, enjoyable works of art that reflect the twirling, swirling, colorful leaves of fall!

IMG_7474

 

May you enjoy the time of relaxed creativeness with your children! And, go check out all of the great projects, tips, and free printables offered by Jodi over at The Kitchen Table Classroom!

Nativity Handprint Crafts

 

Nativity Handprint Crafts

 

I’ve always enjoyed making handprint crafts with young children.  There’s just something about painting their sweet little hands, the giggles that ensue, and the smiles that always result.  And, of course, a memory is made and a print is captured– one that can never be duplicated seeing as our children are constantly growing and changing! 

For the month of December, some common handprints that can be created are snowmen, reindeer, Santa, Christmas trees, hearts, and angels.  Considering our family’s desire to focus more on the true meaning of Christmas and the birth of Jesus, I’ve often desired to make a nativity handprint. After some eager experimentation by my 9 year old, I think we’ve found one that we like!  The painting involved is a bit more detailed than your typical handprint craft, but I think it is well worth the time as it produces a beautiful, meaningful keepsake.

 

Steps to Creating Your ‘Nativity Handprint Craft’

 

1) Choose what item you want to make your nativity handprint on.

You may wish to have your child’s handprint on paper, cardstock, a potholder, an ornament, a December calendar page, etc.

2) Paint your child’s hand.

IMG_3688

You can use washable tempera paint for printing onto paper, but I’d recommend using acrylics for printing onto other items.

IMG_3648

Thumb – angel  (You can paint the entire thumb one color.)

Index and pinky fingers – shepherds 
Ring finger – Mary
Tall finger – Joseph

(Paint the tip of each finger a skin color to form the face and then choose another color for the rest of the finger to be the clothes .  Try to paint each ‘person’s outfit’ a different color.)

Palm – baby Jesus in a blanket, on yellow hay, in a brown manger

IMG_3523

Since there is a lot of paint to be applied (and the paint can dry rapidly), you will want to try to paint quickly and/or may need to retouch a few areas of the hand before going on to the next step.

 

3) Press the painted hand onto your choice of material.

For flat items, simply have your child place their hand straight onto the paper and then gently press their hand down.  For round items, like an ornament, have your child grasp the item.  (You may wish to have them practice them before their hand is painted.) Whatever the item to be printed, encourage your child to not move their fingers or palm in order to avoid smudges and smears.

Once you believe the print is transferred, the child can lift their hand away – straight up from a horizontal surface.   For a round object, you may wish to gently pull the round object away as he/she pulls their hand straight back in the opposite direction.

 

Some examples….

cardstock

IMG_3527

Styrofoam ornamentIMG_3514

plastic fillable ornamentIMG_3532

 

4) Use a small paintbrush to touch up any areas that may not have been filled to your liking.

You could also repaint your pinky to add wings to your angel.

IMG_3535

 

5) Let air dry. 

The time allowed for drying will vary based upon the material that you chose to paint. (Paper will be quicker than other items.  Our plastic fillable ornaments took at least an hour to dry completely.)

IMG_3515
IMG_3656

 

6) Use colored permanent markers to add details.

IMG_3528
IMG_3536
IMG_3516
IMG_3521

**If your handprint is painted on a clear fillable ornament, you will have a couple of additional steps.

a) stuff with shredded paper

IMG_3583

b) add a Scripture reference

Free printable tags for Luke 2:10-11 at Hubbard’s Cupboard

IMG_3584

c) Attach twine as a hanger and then wrap it with a thin ribbon to form a bow.

IMG_3585

 

And, there you have it –  
an enjoyable craft that can foster a moment to pause, during this busy season,
and to communicate the meaning of Christmas! 

 

Photos Nativity Handprint Crafts

 

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”

Luke 2:10-11

Little Bands of Creativity

have been spilling forth into every room of our house since Christmas…

photo 10

You too?

From our newly turned 6 year old up to our 11 year old,
the kids are hooked into creating bracelets, necklaces, charms, and footwear… even our son

photo 2…and they are having a blast!

photo 5 Bracelets galore!

photo 1Necklaces with cross charms

photo 11 
Fancy Footwear

photo 8 Olympic Themed Bracelets

 

They have been enjoying going step by step, with tutorials, from the following websites…
Rainbow Loom
LoomLove

and are now attempting to create some of their own designs…
photo 6The Trinity (Three in One) Bracelet
Three in One Bracelet Tutorial

photo 9The Buddy Bracelet
(A bracelet created by big sister, inspired by her littlest brother: AKA ‘little buddy’)
Buddy Bracelet Tutorial

 

Enjoy!

A Little Easter Crafting

completed easter bags lamb finger puppet

Our two oldest girls and I have just started to do some hand sewing using felt.  It is a great material for beginners to use!  We have been using My First Sewing Book: Hand Sewing by Winky Cherry, which I highly recommend, to learn basic hand sewing techniques and to learn to make some felt stuffed animals.

So, when I came across a post at Sewing School about these cute felt Easter bags, I immediately knew that it would have to be our next project.  The original idea for the bags comes from a book by Kata Golda called Hand Stitched Felt.  I am thinking if the projects in the book are similar to this one, we will have to go invest in it!

The girls absolutely loved the process and the end product turned out great as well!  Take a peek!  In the pictures, you will see four bags.  Our kindergartner sewed one for herself.  I made a bag for our toddler.  Our oldest daughter (a second grader) made a bag for herself AND one for her preschool aged brother.  These were fun and easy for beginners to complete and take pride in!

sewing the easter bags1sewing the easter bags2

We did decide to make a lamb finger puppet instead of the bunny puppet. (That is just our family’s preference, as we tend to focus on Christ, His sacrifice, and the Resurrection around Easter time instead of the ‘Easter bunny’.) We encouraged the girls to recite memory verses with their ‘lamb of God’ finger puppets.  Also, one chose to use her bag at Good Friday services to hold a small Bible.  The other decided to use her bag to hold some crayons and paper.

sewing the lamb puppets

We just had the picture from Sewing School to go by, so I had to come up with measurements, etc. on my own.  It wasn’t too difficult to do.

For the Easter bag:
Fold a 9 by 12 inch piece of felt in half, placing the folded edge at the bottom.  Cut a two inch strip from one side.  (This strip can be used as one the handles.)  From a coordinating color, cut a pocket shape and another 2 by 12 inch strip (for the second handle).  Pin the pocket onto the piece to be used for the bag.  Sew.  Pin the side edges of your bag, with the pocket now on the inside.  Sew.  Flip the bag inside out so that your pocket is now on the outside.  Fold your two 2 by 12 inch strips lengthwise and pin.  Sew.  Pin the newly formed handles to the outside of your bag.  Make several X stitches to firmly secure the handles to the bag.

easter bag pieceseaster sewing project

For the lamb finger puppet:
Cut two 3 inch by 3 5/8 inch pieces of white felt.  Also cut a small tail and a shape as seen below for the ears.  Cut a small oval face shape from light pink, tan, peach, or gray felt.  Sew the tail to one of the white rectangles.  Sew the face to the other white rectangle.  Sew the mouth, nose, and eyes onto the face (or draw with permanent marker).  Insert the ear piece at the top, between the two pieces of rectangular felt.  Pin to secure.  Sew around the edges of the rectangle pieces, leaving an opening at  the very bottom.  Voila!  A lamb finger puppet to make a home inside the pocket of your Easter bag!

lamb pieces

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...