Mixed Media Portraits

Thanks for stopping by my blog. I've been out of commission for a while (stress will do that to a person!) but credit my Partner in Crime (aka. the Artologist) for giving me the push I needed to get back here to post.

Today I stopped by our District office to see the current art displays, get ideas for new projects & take photos so I could share with you. I plan on posting student artwork pix by our amazing teachers the 4th Tuesday of every month - the displays are changed monthly - so be sure & stop back to see the latest! This month, I'll concentrate on the 2D display exhibited in our Personnel office but if you'd like to see the current featured 3D exhibit, check out my P.I.C.'s (Partner in Crime) blog post here - she will be covering the current 3D display & posting pix soon!

The two-dimensional work is highlighted on 2 bulletin boards directly facing all visitors to come through the main door of our district office. This way, the student artwork is seen by a large audience which includes both district staff as well as community members. It's great PR for what we do!

Currently on display are mixed-media portraits created by second graders taught by Ms. F at one of our K-5 schools. She was kind enough to explain the process for this post.

Day One: Students create a textured background in a 4-step process. On a sheet of 12"x18" white drawing paper the artists apply a thick layer of white tempera. Next, they press white tissue paper into the paint followed by another layer of paint. Paper is set aside to dry for the next class. The result is a sturdy, interesting surface for the next stage.

Day Two: Pencil is used to draw an abstract portrait outline consisting of hair, head/face and shoulders. Papers from torn pages of text (discontinued library books, old magazines or newspapers) are glued to face area.

Day Three: Colored papers (wrapping paper, magazine pages) are cut and applied with glue to shoulders/chest and hair.

Day Four: Facial features and outline of portrait are drawn in with oil pastel .

Vocab stressed in this lesson: Portrait, Abstract, Texture
Techniques used: Collage, Drawing, Mixed Media
Media used: Pencil, Tempera Paint, Oil Pastel, Glue, Paper

Glad to be back in the saddle again!

Collagraphs

Fourth graders are slowly but surely finishing up their collagraphs. It's been a long road but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now...

Here are a few of the final printing plates along side my favorite print of their series:







These are examples of 'ghost' prints - last in the series & using white ink on printing plates & printed on black paper.







Great examples of the differences between tactile & visual textures, don't you think?!

Collagraphs

Fifth graders are finishing up their printing plates for their collagraphs. Students glued a variety of visual and tactile textures to a backing of tagboard.

I browsed through my storeroom to find stuff: a variety of beans/seeds gleaned from science kits destined for the dumpster, an assortments of lace trims (some purchased from my favorite place: Treasures 4 Teachers), toothpicks, Qtips, dried moss, a collection of cardboard & chipboard pieces, pieces of cord, string & yarn.





Students were given the option of making a 'picture' or a planned design with their materials.















I'm hopeful that the resulting prints will turn out well...