Abstract with silhouettes

By Maithe 7th grade

The children had to choose 2 different shapes/silhouettes that are somehow related to each other.  Like for example a heart and lips or clouds and raindrops.
They cut out the shapes out of thin cardboard, so they could trace them easily.
One shape had to be traced several times and it had to overlap the other shapes.  It is important that the shapes that appear aren't too small, because they have to be painted with gouache.
In the middle the other shape is traced one time.  Because of the other shapes on the background this shape is automatically divided in different shapes too.

The kids had to choose what colors they wanted to use on the background and what colors they would like to use on the one shape in the middle.
Cool colors outside and warm in the middle or the other way around.
Most chose cool on the outside.

When the paint is dry they could trace the shapes with a thick black marker. 

By Hanne, grade 7

A new book to add to the collection.

I found a new book the the bookshop with loads of inspiration.

I guess many of my English/American followers already know it, but here in Belgium the translation has just been printed.

I'm really excited about this book.  Many activities can be done by young children, but when adapted a bit, my 7th and 8th graders will love this!  I'm sure!

You can find various things in here.  Dotpaintings, painting monkey's with your fingers, a cool city in ink, robots in collage, bugs, spooky towns, cupcakes with 'real' toppings, flower girls in ink and collage...

Lots of things to try. 

If anyone of you has this book and has tried an activity I would like to know! 

I-pod silhouettes

 

Again a project from the artsonia gallery.
A few years ago apple launched an advertising campaign for their I-pod with silhouettes on a colored background.  They were obviously dancing and they wore an I-Pod.

I let the children bring pictures of their favorite artist, comic book figure or cartoon figure.
They had to make a silhouette on black paper and cut it out.  Some needed a cutter and scissors, others just scissors.
They had to make sure the figure seemed to be dancing/moving and they had to wear an I-Pod (With a white permanent marker drawn on the silhouette.)
Stick it on a bright colored background and add the 'I-Title'.

This is a short project, but the kids loved it!

Zendala's without help.

Oh dear, it has been a while since I posted anything.  Not that me or the children have been on non-active, we have been extremely busy!
But since this year I have another task besides art-teacher, I'm also the new 'confidence teacher'.  I don't really know the right English word.
I have been doing training sessions to be able to do that task well too and somehow my blog slipped into the background a bit.

While I was on one of these training sessions the children of the 8th grade had to work independently on a few projects.
I made a worksheet which they could follow step by step.  No art teacher was available to explain, they just had their worksheet, a black micron marker and colored pencils.

On the sheet was explained what a 'zendala' is.  In Belgium 'zentangles' or 'zendala's' are new.  Nobody really knows the technique over here.
They got some repetitive patterns as examples and they got little squares to fill with their own patterns to practice.
Than they got a zentangle template.  You can use a circle too, but I chose one of the templates from the 'tangle with me' blog.
A circle is just an empty space and this template has some more little shapes, I think this makes it easier for the children to chose patterns to fill the template with. 

Doing this all by them selves, no more explanation than on the sheet I'm extremely proud at the results!  And the kids were even proud themselves too! 
Mission accomplished I would say ...