Lacy Clay

For this project, we were introduced to different types of lace. The instructors passed around different examples of lace. Then, we were told to sketch out our own design of a lacy ornament. Then, we were to trace it with a permanent marker. After we traced our design, then we covered our white paper with wax paper and taped it securely down. The next thing that we did was to get our clay ready. We kneaded it so that it was all mixed together. Then we got it all to the same corner of the bag. Once it was all in the same corner, we cut a very small cut in the corner of the bag. This acted as a marker that we could use to trace our lines for our ornament. I had to trace my lines a couple of times because I wanted to make sure they were thick. Then, we had to paint our projects. Once they dried, we were to pull them off of the wax paper and then tie a ribbon to the top of our projects.

As an extension activity, I would have the student's research different types of lace. After they have done some research, then they could do a group share in a round robin style so that every group has shared with every group about their research on the different styles of lace. This way, the students will know what type of lace they want to do their design off of.

Stepping Stones

This is a picture of my cement project. It was a very creative way to make a stepping stone. We used a picture that the instructors had previously laminated. I chose to bring a picture of a sea turtle that my family had taken when we went scuba diving. This way, I could do an underwater theme. We could do different kinds of ideas in our stepping stones. I decided to do repetition in my design. I used green and blue colors. Also, I used sea shells in my design. When creating this project, it was a little difficult. We had to shake the cement to help it set and let the air bubbles rise. Also, a lot of water rose to the surface. We used paper towels to dry the excess water. It was a little challenging to push down the photo and the rocks. I think that many students would really enjoy doing this project and would be very pleased with their end result.

As an extension activity. I would have the students bring in a photo of someone or something. This photo would be for someone that they would like to gift the project to. Then, I would have the students make a card for the person.

Print It!

This project was called Print It! It was really fun because we got to use ink. It was really good timing to do this project with Easter eggs because it was right around the time of Easter break. For this project, we had to use meat trays and carving tools to design our egg. Once we have carved our design deep enough into our meat try, then we rolled the ink onto the tray and pressed the paper onto our tray. After we did that, we had a nice result of our design. We had to do it in at least four different colors. Then, we had to paste our finished products onto a piece of construction paper for display.

As an extension activity, I would do this project as an ice breaker activity. You could have people work in partners and design each other's egg. They would be required to ask at least three questions about the other person so that they could have enough ideas to create the other persons egg. Then, they would make at least one print for them, and then the other person would have a chance to do the one that the partner designed.

Scratch Art

This picture is an example of my scratch art project. I really enjoyed doing this project. It is neat because you don't know what color you are going to get as your background. We had a good demonstration of the different techniques that we could use on our projects. We were given abstract objects, and we told to make a creation out of our object. I really loved that idea. There were so many things that I wanted to do with mine! I also really loved how our instructors went around the classroom and gave their own ideas to help you out if you needed it too. Finally, I found which one I wanted to go with, and that was the planters' peanuts man. I enjoyed doing the little dots as his body and making his hat. I think many students would enjoy this project a lot!

As an extension project for the scratch art, I would have the students design and make a scratch art project with their name. They could use many different techniques in thier letters.

Pop Art

These are pictures of my pop art project. For this project, we saw some examples of how pop art is used. We were in groups of 4's. Then, between our group members, we were allowed to choose an object. My group chose to draw a watering pot. We drew the picture and then traced the drawing onto our paper with permanent marker. Then, after we were showed a demonstration on how to use oil pastels, we were told to add color to our projects. We all had to use a different color scheme between the different members in our group. I used all different kinds of green colors and then went from lighter to darker in my picture. It is really neat to see the whole group's images together.

As an extension project, I would have the students take digital photographs of the same object. Then, I would have the students work with different coloring on the computer. After that, then I would have the students frame their digital photos and put them next to their drawings.

Rainbow Fish

This is a picture of my rainbow fish project. For this project the instructors us a book about rainbow fish. It was a really good example of different colors used in fish and I think it is a great tool to use as a motivator. We were given templates to use, but were not supposed to trace them. Then, we were supposed to use construction paper to tear up into pieces and make a collage. I wanted to make stripes in my fish. I didn't want only stripes, but just some throughout. Then, in the book that was read, there were examples about scales and how he shared them with the other fish. So, we were told that we could use sequins to spice up our fish. I used the silver ones on my fish.

As an extension activity, I would have the students do a "give a friend a scale" activity. After reading the same book that our instructors read to us, then I would have the students create their fish, and then draw a name. Then they would have a scale that they design. On this scale they would write to this person that they drew, and tell them why they want to give them their scale. This would be a nice complement.

Pebble Painting

This is a picture of my pebble painting project. We needed to bring a shoe box in order to do this project. We focused on making primary colors, and then we later explored making some secondary colors. We placed a piece of paper in the bottom of our shoe box, and then we used various sizes and types of pebbles to create designs on our papers. I thought this was a creative idea, and I think that many students would enjoy this project.

As an extension activity, I would have the students go on a nature walk and actually collect some of the pebbles that they will collect to use on this project. Then, they could write a short story explaining where they think the rock has been and what the designs mean in relation to where they think the rock has been.

Paper Weaving

This project was presented by Ms. Jundt and me. We had the topic of 3 deminsional art. We chose to do paper weaving because we thought it looked really interesting, and it would be something that everyone would enjoy doing. We introduced some ideas such as weaving, twisting, shade, and tint. We informed the students that they needed to do at least one tint or one shade within their project and that they needed to use either all cool colors or all warm colors. They also had the option to use several different types of media in their projects as well. Many students chose to incorporate glitter to their projects.

Ms. Jundt's and my bulletin board turned out really well. We really liked the fact that our project recycles news papers and uses it in a creative way. We found this quote, "We all have our own life to pursue, our own kind of dream to be weaving and we all have power to make wishes come true, as long as we keep believing." We both thought that this quote was very suiting and were very excited as we were putting this bulletin board together.

As an extension activity, I would have the students find a news article that relates to them in one way or another. After finding this article, then I would have them paint their story onto the weaves in either patterns or using line techniques to represent how the story made them feel and use appropriate colors. Then, whenever the students look at their weaving, it will always remind them of their story. We could have them frame it for display as well.

The Hidden Safari

This project was really cool to me because I had never done anything like this before! First, we experimented with drawing some images upside down. We learned that doing this tricks your eye into focusing more on space and lines. After doing this exercise, we chose an animal that we could see in the jungle. There we lots of pictures of examples given. I chose an elephant. We were told to have it upside down, and then to try drawing the animal. We were given a light blue colored pencil. Then, we were to use the elements and principles of design to hide our animals using warm colors. Also, we used the concept of patterns. We also made some really neat sneaky glasses that we could use to discover the hidden image. Lastly, we were told to describe three things about our animal.

As an extension activity, I think it would be really neat to do a social day. You could show the movie, "The Lion King." Then, you could have the students act out their favorite animal or scene in the movie. After acting out the different parts, then you could have the students make a giant hidden safari image. They could draw out a part of the movie or their favorite scene that they watched, and as a group they could make a giant hidden and secret image.

Eric Carle Collage

For this project, we were introduced to the very talented Eric Carle. He is the author of many children's books. For his books, the illustrations are all done with collages. We watched a video in class explaining how these are done. Eric Carle was very inspired to follow his dreams at a young age, and he wants to help children to reach their dreams and to follow them. I loved to create my own inspired creation of an Eric Carle collage. My collage went off of an idea from a quote that I saw once and since I have always thought it was a really neat saying. The quote says, "Aim for the moon, and even if you miss you land among the stars." This project was fun to do!

As an extension project, I would have the students create a short story book that they could accomplish over a couple of weeks. They could write their own story about their life or their interests. This could be two to three pages long. Then, when the students and teachers discuss their work with the student's parents, they would have some great art work to show case!

Finger Painting

This project was a finger painting project inspired by the "Starry Night" painting by Vincent Van Gogh. I really enjoyed doing this paiting. I didn't think that it would turn out the way that it did using only my hands. As we were painting, we listened to music. Listening to music was very inspirational for me. I enjoyed looking at everyone else's work afterwards and seeing the diversity in the paintings.

As an extension project, I would have that students do a "share your own talent" day. This would be an opportunity for them to either bring in or share an item about something that they excel in or love. Then, once everyone has shared their own talent almost like their own Van Gogh original, then that would be their inspiration for their next drawing project.

Elements and Principles of Design

The top picture is an example of an organic shape. An organic shape is based on natural objects such as trees, mountains, leaves, ect. I took this photograph at Northern State University. I really like this picture because it is in the winter time, and I think it is really beautiful outside. A great extension project for students would be to do a Nature Walk, and write Haiku poetry. It would be fun to see the creative ideas that the students come up with.

The bottom picture is an example of value. Value shows a range of tones from dark to light. This photograph was taken in Switzerland. The lightest tone of value in this photograph begins right at the top of the water, and gets darker as the water gets deeper. You can see a couple swans floating in the deeper water where the value is darker. I think a really fun extension project for value would be a combined one with texture. You could have the students play around with different textures as well as trying out different values. It would be challenging to have them try to get in the correct shadows and see exactly where the light is coming from, ect.

My Foot Story

This week, we created a foot describing our life. I really enjoyed this project. It was also really neat to see everybodys outcome! I liked brainstorming how I wanted to design my foot, and what aspects of my life I wanted to incorporate into it. I felt there wasn't enough room on there for everything I wanted to add! I wish I would have added more additional things to it, however. For example, maybe some stickers or some other pictures or creative things, now that I have seen more examples of the idea.

Each person's foot was unique to their own life. Depending on what you wanted to add to it, there could be several elements and principles of design used. From using basic lines and shapes to using value. It is all about creativity, and how you want things to fit together and within each other. You can make things within your life be a symbol for something else. This is why it is so neat.

Some awesome extension projects could be to use this as an ice breaker or get to know you activity or project. You could have to students interview one another, and make the partners foot. It could be really neat to see how someone else puts together important things in your life.