Symmetrical Butterflies

This is a lesson I usually do with my third graders, but it could suit almost any grade level.
It's great to have a variety of butterfly pictures posted on the white board for visual interest.
This lesson begins with a sheet of 12" x 18" white construction paper.
Instructions:

Step One:
Instruct the students to fold their paper in half (width wise).
Now, on one side of the paper (using the fold as a guide) flatten out the paper and draw one half of a butterfly.

Step Two:
After drawing half the butterfly, fold the paper over and rub the paper. The oil pastel will transfer onto the other half of the paper. It's important to use a dark color oil pastel that is creamy not brittle, otherwise, the pastel will not transfer properly. Also, make sure the kids generate a little heat! This aids in the transferring of the oil pastel.

Step Three:
Open up the paper and you will see the lines appear of the other side of the paper. They will be faint. Now, trace over the lines to create a perfect symmetrical butterfly!

Step Four:
Paint the butterfly with watercolor paints. Cake form is best. Stress how important it is to keep the colors the same on both sides of the butterfly.

Step Five:
If desired, cut out butterfly and glue onto a colored piece of construction paper.

Creating a scrapbook Journal

Over at Capturing Joy, my writing and lifestyle blog, I posted some photographs on my scrapbook journal. Hop on over and take a peek!

Visit Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook.
It's just a baby yet, but I hope to create an opportunity to share links, photos and art lesson tips with my fellow art teachers. You'll find photos of upcoming lessons and hopefully get a chance to share your own tips and such.

I'm working on tutorials for Painted Penguins, A Winter Landscape Collage and Victorian Home Line Drawings....stayed tuned!

Glue and Chalk Tropical Bird Lesson

Drawing with glue has always been a favorite art project with my students. It really doesn't matter what the subject is: the technique is the same and the results are always spectacular.
I've always used black construction paper for the background, feeling that the chalk contrasts better than with any other color.
Of course, glue is messy and hard to control, so here are my tips you can share with your child or students:

Drawing with Glue

1. Pretend the tip of the glue bottle is a pencil lead. Instead of holding the glue bottle in the air and allowing the drip, drip, drip of the glue to splatter your paper, touch the tip directly onto the paper. Give a little squeeze and let the glue flow in an even line.
2. Pulling the glue bottle towards you is always better than pushing the bottle away from you.
3. If the drawing is complicated (i.e. fish, bird, etc.) use a soft lead pencil to lightly draw the subject onto the black paper first. If drawing something simple, let's say a flower, then let the glue bottle lead the way.
4. Draw BIG. This step is important, so I'll repeat it. Draw BIG.
5. Don't worry about big puddles of glue or in one particular case, footprints from an absent minded parent walking across the art that is innocently lying on the floor waiting to dry...it'll add texture and by gone it, tons of interest.

For a full set of instructions, please check out the project: Under-the-Sea Chalk and Glue drawing.

Rocket and Space Art Collage for Kids

The ultimate Deep Space Sparkle lesson! This is super fun and is sure to ignite the imaginations of the little ones. I have done this lesson with my first graders in two 40-minute sessions. In order to complete in within this time frame, be sure to allow enough time to organize your supplies.

Supplies Per student:
One 12" x 18" white construction paper
Rectangular shaped piece of tag board (for main rocket)
Variety of pre-cut tag board shapes
Popsicle sticks (optional)
White glue
plastic buttons for decoration
white tempera paint or Gesso
Oil Pastels
Glitter paint
Black paint
Gold and silver metallic tempera paint

Step One: Becoming a Rocket Scientist!

Begin by giving each child a piece of white paper. This will serve as a table protector, rocket stabilizer and eventually, the background! Directly onto this paper (but not glued to), allow each child to build their rockets with pieces of tag board. Show the children pictures of rocket ships but encourage them to design their own idea of a what they think a rocket should look like. Make sure all the parts are glued to the rectangular base and not to the paper.
Once the ship is built, paint all surfaces with gesso or white paint.

Step Two: Coloring the Planets

Using oil pastel, draw large circles for the planets and color them in with oil pastels. Show the children how to put some planets in the background and some up front. Swirl glitter paint over the oil pastel planets to create a sparkling universe!

Step Three: Painting Deep Space

Using the black paint, have the children paint around the planets, making sure not to paint over or through the planets. Using the back of the brush, the kids can add stars using gold or white paint.

Step Four: Painting the Rocket

Once the rocket has dried (usually the next class), the kids can now paint their rocket however they wish. Then glue the rocket to their background page.

Matisse Inspired "Dancers" Paper Collage Art Lesson

This is one of my most favorite art lessons. Not only is it colorful, expressive and fun to make, but it teaches a variety of art skills: combining colors, composition, human form and the importance of working neatly. Inspired by the paintings by Henri Matisse, this has been a perennial favorite with my fifth and sixth grade students. Step One: Making the Background
Get out your box of scrap paper, because this is what you've been saving it for! I give 1 sheet of 12" x 18" white construction paper to each student. They are required to fill up the background with large blocks of color.
I encourage curvy lines, angles, etc. Whatever shapes and patterns the students like. It's important to keep the blocks of color large so when the dancer is added, it won't be "lost" in the confusion.

Step Two: Making the Dancer
Put the background aside and show the students how to cut out a human figure. If you have "forms" in your classroom, this is a great time to use them. I make a paper figure using black construction paper. I show the kids how to cut folded paper to create two arms, two legs, etc. with just one cut. I stress oval shapes over rectangular shapes, but you'll get those too!

Step Three: Gluing the Dancer to the Background
Sounds easy, but believe me, this step can get messy. Biggest tip here is to tell the kids to lay out their dancer first. Arrange the pieces so that they can get a feeling for how a static figure looks compared to a figure in motion. Once the student is satisfied, then she can glue down the pieces.
I use a glue stick for this. White school glue is a bad idea for this project. Trust me.
Step Four: Dressing Your Dancer
Can't leave the dancer naked, although I have had a few kids try. This part of the lesson is especially fun for the girls. It's like playing with cut-outs. I show the kids how to make swingy skirts, crazy hair, bandeau tops, etc. Remind the kids not to use red hair if the background is red. It always surprises me how most kids don't notice details like that.

Step Five: Adding Details
If there is time, I show the kids how details can really finish the picture off. Like the tiny confetti squares shown above. It gives the dancer a real "kick". This is where kids can either get really creative or start gluing large sheets of paper over their figure. Don't be shy in whisking the artwork off their desk and congratulating them on creating such an enthusiastic, expressive piece.

Valentine's Day Heart Collage

Inspired by Valentine's Day, I pulled out my file on Jim Dine and created this multi-step collage project for my second graders.
I use a station-method of attack with this lesson. By this I mean that I set up a different art lesson/technique at each table.


Day One...
To begin, a child chooses a table and writes his name on the white piece of paper at that table. This paper then becomes his "tray". He uses his tray to carry around the different hearts he will make. It will then become the background paper in the next step. Confused? Read on...

I'm going to bullet the instructions, so this post won't be unbearably long.

You'll need:
3 hearts cut out of regular construction paper
1 heart cut out form watercolor paper
note: I use heart templates and have the kids trace and cut their own hearts, but precut hearts saves time.
1 sheet white construction paper (12' x 15")

Station #1: Watercolor Resist Table
1 tray of liquid water colors (red, purple, yellow, etc)
2 water containers and brushes for 5
Tray of oil pastels
At this table, the children use their watercolor paper heart and color it with oil pastels. I encourage them to make patterns, flowers, hearts, circles, etc. Then they use the paint to "wash" their heart.
Have the kids place their finished watercolor heart on their "tray" and move to the next station.

Station #2: Tissue Paper Collage
Using scraps of tissue paper, the kids brush on either liquid starch or Mod Podge (watered down) on their paper heart to moisten. Then they begin adding layers of tissue paper, brushing each one flat.
Tip: It's fun for the teacher or an adult to carry around a jar of glitter. As the kids finish, a sprinkling of glitter can be added to the wet heart. So pretty!

Station #3: Metallic Mess
Set out a tray of regular tempera paint in white, red, lime green and yellow. In another tray, set out metallic tempera paint in gold, silver or bronze.
Show the kids how they can mix the metallic paint with the regular paint, swirling and blending, splattering or dabbing.

Station #4: Paint and Sequins
Set out a tray of tempera paint and trays of buttons, sequins, etc. Anything you have laying around the art room would work for this random collage. Let the kid's personal expression come through, with no specific direction. Let them create.

End of Day one...I know, what a mess!

Day Two...

Using the "tray" from the last class, have the kids stack their now dry hearts into a pile. This part is fun and can be done in many ways. I set out rollers with funky patterns on them and trays of lime green and pink paint. I tell the kids to roll on their favorite color, making sure to roll all the way to the edges.
Next, I set out small tubs of yellow and red paint. Using small brushes, I have the kids make small jelly bean shaped dots, hearts, swirls or anything they want on the background.

Final step: Glue the hearts to the background.
Ahhh! It's done and by now, the kids are covered in paint but mighty proud.

Abstract Paper Portraits

Here is a great twist on the Paper Self-Portraits I do with my third graders (full instructions here). Instead of using realistic colors, I encourage the kids to mix it up. It's hard for some kids to chose pink or green for a face color but once they get going, there is no stopping the creativity that follows!
I put out a container of buttons, but don't give any specific instructions for their use. I love seeing what they come up with.



For more detailed photo tutorials, templates and student handouts, check out Deep Space Sparkle's "Fun with Portraits" PDF booklet. Click HERE for more details.

Adorable Close-up Snowman Painting

It's hard to resist adding snowmen into any art curriculum. They're easy to draw, familiar, and oh so cute.
I did this lesson with my first graders but it would also be a perfect lesson for second or third.
The whole point of this lesson is to have the children think about what the snowman would look like close-up. Most want to draw the three circles and get on with it. But I try to keep their interest by showing them what part of the paper to focus on.
First step: After drawing the snowman in black oil pastel (I don't use pencils for this project...only makes the kids fret about being perfect) they start painting the white snow first. Then, the dip their brushes in colorful paint and begin adding the details. Second step is to dip a Q-tip in paint and add the snowflakes.
Last step: outlining the black oil pastel lines again. Of course, wait until the paint is dry.

This painting turned out very well. The children were quite impressed with their new found knowledge on perspective.