Repeat Fish Collage using Painted Paper

Kids love painting paper. Place a piece of white paper and a few tubs of paint on a table and watch 'em go at it. Pure joy. If you think Kinders love this technique, watch your fifth graders. They go all out.

This project is simple. Set out 2 pieces of white paper per student and approx 3-5 tubs of paint (reds, blues, greens, yellows...mix it up) per table. Place large brushes in the paint tubs. I suggested creating two coordinating sheets of paper, explaining that one paper will be used for the bodies and the other paper will be used for details. Well, the kids barley listened and came up with their own agenda. Honestly? It worked out much better.

When the painted paper dries, draw one or two fish (silhouettes only) on the back of the paper or on a separate sheet. Trace onto painted paper and cut out.

Use the cut-out fish as a template to trace onto more painted paper.

Cut out as many fish as you would like (alternating painted paper choices...the kids made two) and adding fins, tails, decorations, etc. Arrange fish on a sheet of black construction paper.

Use metallic paint to add bubbles, scales and other embellishments. if you don't have metallic paint, use oil pastels, gel pens, crayons, even glitter.
Anything to add another dimension to the project.

Fifth Grade Results!

Autumn Collage for First Grade

My wee first graders splattered their way to a beautiful autumn collage. The process was fun (painting paper) and skill building (drawing, cutting and pasting). If you have pumpkins and squash available (fake or real), bring 'em out! The visuals really help the kids.

Supplies:
Lots of white drawing paper
Lots of autumn colored paints
Texture making tools (brushes, plastic forks, plastic cups, etc.)
12" x 18" black paper
Scissors and glue sticks
Pencils

The first step involves painting a lot of paper. I pre-selected the paint colors, setting out 3-4 fall colors per table. When mixing the paints, keep in mind what colors you will need for the final product. Think pumpkin, squash, stems and fall leaves.Using a variety of texturing techniques, the kids created their paper. Here's a tip: Ask the kids to completely paint their paper in one color first, then they can add the coordinating colors for textures, etc.
After the paper dries, demonstrate how to draw a pumpkin, stem and other types of squash. I don't use templates for this project because it just doesn't matter. Anything round, orange and has a stem will look like a pumpkin.

After the kids glue one or two pumpkins to a piece of black paper, they cut our leaves. I set out maple, oak and other leaf templates, but many kids drew their own. Whatever is easier. The kids really practiced alot of cutting with this project!
For a final flourish, I set out small containers of gold tempera paint and the kids added swirly vines and grooves on their pumpkins.

First Grade Results!

Old Bear: Leaf Print and Bear Painting

While looking through the library one afternoon, I stumbled across Kevin Henkes's picture book, "Old Bear". The adorable illustrations inspired me to create a combination bear painting and leaf print art lesson for my fourth graders.
We used one 50-minute period to draw and paint the bear and another period to print the leaves.
This lesson was a huge hit with the kids.


Supplies Part I
12" x 18" white paper
Brown and black tempera paint
Black oil pastel
Scissors/glue

Step One: Drawing the bear

I don't have any easy way to tell you how to draw a bear. I demonstrated two ways: the contour method (drawing the outside line first and then filling in the details) and the shape method (using shapes to identify different parts of the bear). Ultimately, I let the kids chose which method they preferred and gave them some photocopies of the book pages for inspirations.
Using a black oil pastel, the kids went at it, crossing out the lines they didn't like and moving on with the ones they did. Most kids found it helpful to start with the nose, then put in the eyes and then draw the head around that.

Step Two: Painting the bear

This part is super easy. Just paint the bear brown.

Then, with a small brush, make small strokes around the bear, filling in the face, the nose, the underbelly, etc. It's really helpful to look at the illustrations from the book.

After the paint dries, cut around the bear, leaving a small amount of white paper showing.

Supplies Part II
12" x 18" Black paper
Fresh leaves snipped from trees
White, orange, gold and bronze tempera paint
Smooth, flat brushes
Scratch paper

Step Three: Leaf Printing

Using leaves found around the school yard, I place a variety on each table. Start by painting the underbelly (the vein side) of the leaf with white paint. Then, place the leaf, paint side down onto the sheet of black paper. Place a piece of scratch paper over the leaf and rub gently. Sometimes it's helpful to press down as well. Carefully peel away the scratch paper and leaf to reveal the white painted leaf print.

It's okay to use the same leaf more than once. Now that the leaf has a white base coat, paint some color on top of the white paint and press onto the black paper. The creaminess of the white combined with an orange works really well on the black paper. Just using orange for instance, doesn't produce as pleasing of a result.Continue to make leaf prints on the entire paper especially around the edges.

Step Four: Adding Details

It's fun to use the back end of a brush dipped in white paint to create snowflakes. Some children painted snow and others, stems for their leaves.

Step Five: Putting it all together

Glue the bear onto the leaf printed paper and enjoy! I love this art...so beautiful. My fourth graders were very impressed with themselves!

Fantastic Fourth Grade Bears...