"Every Child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." Pablo Picasso



Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Cool Pointalism Video

Hero from Miguel Endara on Vimeo.

Smyrna Boys and Girls











































Play that funky Music



The Appo Youth spent their first hour with me painting to music.
I like to start my students (of any age) off with this exercise because I believe it allows room to be experimental, expressive, and there are no ways to make mistakes. The students begin by listening to music (I love to play P-funk or James Brown to start,) analyzing what they hear, and translating sounds into colors, lines, and shapes onto their paper. Shy students are usually taken in by the music and awaken, other more outgoing students are encouraged to move their whole bodies and let their crayons or paintbrushes dance.







Blackbooks, Slaps, and Tags

My Appo Pre-Teens practice writing letters to develop their own personal "tag" name or signature in this street art curriculum. They were given their very own blackbooks at the beginning of the second class and eyes lit up, mouths were silent, and they were fully engaged! They are also very excited to create their own mural which we will paint on an interior wall of their club. The final idea is still marinating but is fully inspired by the lack of "Free Walls," or designated legal graffiti walls. It will be painted with chalkboard paint and become a place to practice graffiti in chalks.





Makin' A Splash!

My Makin' A Splash class of 4-6yr olds experiment with mixing color. The children used primary colored food coloring droplets in a bowl of water to create secondary colors and then photograph these beautiful abstract images.





Building up Texture in Paint

The Basic Acrylics Class experimented with texture in their paintings. In a tip of the hat to VINCENT VAN GOGH we thickened our paints and let the brushstrokes show.





















Salt Dough Ornaments

For a fun and simple lesson with my special needs students, I mixed salt, flour, and water together to make and easy to work with salt dough that can be baked and painted.












The kids helped me to measure the 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of salt, and the cup of water. The concoction was blended with a mixer and the kids each rolled out their own ball of dough into a slab. Christmas cookie-cutters were used to cut from their slab and create angels, stars, and trees. Cookie-cutters of any sort work great for different seasons- just like making cookies. Next week, after the few days it takes for the ornaments to dry, the cookies will be baked and ready to be painted. The kids will paint their ornaments with some glitter glue and string them with yarn to be hung on their trees at home.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Self Portraits

The Pre teens at Smyrna B & G Clubs practiced measuring and drawing from a photograph as they completed their self portraits





Basic Acrylics

Today at Cecil College we did exercises in value, volume, and monochromatic painting






Thursday, October 27, 2011

EDIBLE PLAYDOUGH

EDIBLE PLAYDOUGH FOR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS

Kool-Aid Play Dough

1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
3 teaspoons Cream of Tartar
1 package Kool-Aid Mix (any flavor of unsweetened)
1 tablespoon cooking oil

Mix dry ingredients together in a large saucepan. Slowly add water mixed with oil and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens to dough. Turn out onto a heatproof bread board or counter top and knead until cool enough for children to handle. Dough will be the color of the Kool-Aid mix and will smell like the Kool-Aid mix. (Can be stored in a tightly covered container for up to six months)