Art Room on Instagram

I haven't posted much on here this month and mostly it is due to the fact that I have just started an Art  room page on Instagram and have been having fun getting used to sharing projects on there.

I promise I will get more updated posts on here soon!   Lots of projects are being completed this week and I can't wait to share the processes with all of you.

In the meantime, you can also follow the Art room on Instagram at:  bigheartbigart

It's just another fun way to see snapshots of daily interactions in the Art room.

First Grade Tree Houses

We are about half-way through our tree house project.  Today we worked on the actual tree house.  Our focus was making a house structure (a simple one since it is a tree house) and how to make it look like it was made from old wood (nails and crooked wood boards). 

I especially love the signs that were put onto the tree houses.  These were drawn on paper that they had water-colored the week before.  Next week we will finish up our backgrounds and trees and add a few embellishments to complete these. 

When Your Sixth Grader Comes Home Asking For a Laminator For Their Birthday.....This is Why...

Who knew a laminator could be the coolest thing in the world?  Well, this week it is.  And I'm very sorry when your 6th grade child starts asking for one for Christmas (because many already asked me how much they are and where they could get one).  LOL!

This, my friends, is the coolest process we have done in a long time. 

Students are working on their graffiti unit in art class.  It has led to some great discussions on the legal issues involved with street artists.  We talked about why the art world doesn't always accept street art as a legitimate art style but how street artists are gaining popularity and can make millions for their work even though it is not always accepted as a legitimate form of art.  

6th graders are looking at different graffiti fonts and styles using a few different graffiti writer websites.  They can use these fonts or come up with their own to create different words or pictures in a graffiti style.  One of their words has to be completed entirely using colored sharpies.  And one of their words has to be done in foil, hence the laminator.

How the process works: 

-Students create their sketch in pencil
-The sketch is outlined/filled in with black sharpie.
-A photo copy is made of their sharpied work
-Heat sensitive foil (is placed on top of the photo copy) and rolled through the laminator (minus the plastic wrap).  The heat from the laminator melts the ink from the photo copier and heats the heat-transfer foil up.  The ink and the transfer foil stick together). 
-The foil is peeled away and leaves you with these awesome foiled graffiti letters

 Here is a video of the process (courtesy of me):

Students at work: