Perspective Art Galleries

Reece - Year 6

This project follows the same initial structure as the Underwater Aquarium project, but instead of adding ocean creatures, the students created a different artwork for each wall. One day, I would like to have a go at getting them to make a 3D version with miniature framed artworks attached to the walls!

Abby - Year 6

Step 1.

Step 2.

Step 3.

Step 4. Add frames to both walls and then create a different artwork for each frame. The image can then be coloured or painted (we tried to used a variety of different mediums in the framed artworks).

Jodie O'Shea Orphanage (Bali)

Last week I had the honour of visiting the Jodie O'Shea Orphanage in Denpasar, Bali. The never ending work done by Alison, Ari and Aries and their many volunteers was just amazing to witness. With the help of my fellow teachers and some friends, I was able to take over 30 kilos of art supplies, for the over 60 resident children, to use. The kids help me set it all up, including mixing up the edicol dyes.....and we created a glorious mess and some beautiful art!

I would encourage anyone travelling to Bali, to visit the centre or to look them up online. They receive no government funding and are solely dependant on donations.
To find out more, visit the Jodie O'Shea Website: Care For Kids Bali

or, to find out more about why Alison founded the Orphanage, watch the video as shown on Australia's Sunday Night Program in 2012: A Bright Future

These are a few of the photos that I took during my visits.

Bali Inspiration

I'm back from a lovely holiday in Bali.....and now determined to somehow use some of the amazing craftsmanship that I saw as inspiration in my art room!

Van Gogh - Starry Nights

I did a lot of discussion before starting this project. We talked about how you could see the different swirls and lines of paint and how the painting created a sense of movement.
The students (year 1 and 2), then used blue, yellow, white and black acrylic paint on a sheet of A4 black paper. I asked them to cover the whole piece of paper and to not worry about the 'tree' or houses in the foreground.

The next week, we went back into the painting with black oil pastel to add to the extra details. 

I am still stunned by their amazing results!

Skye - Year 2

Humphrey - Year 2

Picasso Faces

Done a thousand times, I know.....but still fun and definitely an old favourite! 

 Lyla - Year 2

Cooper - Year 2

Egyptian Sarcophagus

I love this project (and it is VERY popular with my students)....but it is messy and it is made much easier if you are as lucky as I was and have some parent volunteers!!! The original idea came through a teacher friend of mine, who got it from another teacher! I have seen a few variations on the same idea on Pinterest as well.

This is what we did....

1. Cut off the top of a one litre milk carton. Use some card to make a curved top (tape it inside to secure it)

2. Use a half/half mixture of white glue and water to paper mache  paper towel over the entire carton (except the bottom or it will stick to the table as it dries!)

3. Scrunch up paper towel to fashion a head, crossed arms and feet and then cover with more paper towel (make sure that you wet the paper towel enough so that it sticks to the outline of the body underneath)

4. When it is covered completely, leave it to dry for a few days (we left them for a week). Sometimes, you will need to do a second session of paper mache (it needed at least 6 or 7 layers)

5. Once the paper mache is finished and completely dry, we were ready to paint. We used good quality acrylic paint and the students had the option of adding extra decoration or hieroglyphics with metallic paint.

These are some of the results....

Angel - Year4

Aisha - Year 4

Bianca - Year 4

Jordanne - Year 4

Maneeza - Year 4

Keith Haring Inspired

This was an end of term project with my Year 3's, 4's, and 5's. We used oil pastels on black paper and I loved their final creations!

Sarcha - Year 3

Subeedha - Year 3

Memory Paintings

I do this project with my Year 1's and 2's almost every year. We start by talking about what their earliest memory is and which are their favourite memories. We also discuss the ways in which we can illustrate these memories.

To get started I ask the students to draw a big 'cloud' on their page that goes right up close to the edges of their paper. Kids will often point out that this looks like a cartoon 'thought bubble'. Inside the cloud, students illustrate their memory - first with a pencil outline and then painting (we usually use inks). To finish off, we paint the out edge of our cloud and sometimes use a permanent marker to add a pattern.

What I love most abut this project is how personal each painting is and how it is unique to that particular child. For classroom teachers it can work as a great starter for multiple literacy projects.

These are just a few of my student's fabulous creations!

Gayle - Year 2

Jazuli - Year 2

Eric - Year 2

Lizzie - Year 2

Netta - Year 2

Stephin - Year 2