1st Grade Sunflowers

These are so simple, yet so beautiful.  I LOVE color and I love mixing colors.  1st graders drew their own sunflower by studying images and each had a large sunflower to look from on each table.  We used a q-tip to make the "seeds" in the center using gold, white, yellow, and orange tempera paint.  I then gave students a paint brush to start painting the petals.  They were to use yellow first, then go over with white, and finally orange.  I then gave them green for the stem and leaves and light blue paint mixed with white for the background. 

 I did not allow them to rinse out paintbrushes, and OH MY GOODNESS why does this always get students so worked up?  I'll have kids nearly in tears if the colors start to mix together and they can't wash the paintbrush.  I find it really interesting that students (of all ages) have this reaction.   Do you experience this with your students as well, or is it just me?

2nd Grade Van Gogh Sunflowers

Have I mentioned that Spring is blooming in the hallways? It's pretty awesome between the classroom teachers and the artwork I've done with the students the HALLWAYS are filled.  It's so fun to walk down the hallway (in this particular school there are two forever long WHITE hallways) and see them filled with lots of color.  I also love overhearing students talking about other students artwork, it's fun to hear the Art Criticism they do on their own without even realizing it. 

Here's a lesson I did with 2nd graders.  I found the inspiration for this lesson here.  We started off the lesson by drawing the vase all together and dividing the table from the background.  I gave them different sizes of circles to trace 6 to be used as the center of the flower.  That was all the drawing we did.  I then handed out to each table a copy of Van Gogh's Sunflowers.  Students were to look at the painting to determine what colors to use with oil pastels. The focus here was seeing color. As you can see some students stayed true to the painting and others decided to do their own thing.  It is fun to see how everyone interprets the same image differently and you can clearly see that here.

4th Grade Van Gogh Sunflowers

Spring has sprung (in the art room). Flowers and colors are filling the drying racks and shelves.  Well, I mean there are always plenty of colors in here as you can usually see the color of my pants illuminating through the hallway. BUT I think we are all ready for a little green to start showing through.  

This is a lesson I did with 4th graders last year.  I LOVED it so I tried it again this year.  We talked about Vincent Van Gogh and looked at his "Sunflowers" painting.  The first day of the lesson was dedicated to drawing.  Students went ahead and drew a vase and 5-6 flowers using a white oil pastel.  I then gave students yellow paint to fill in the flowers.  I came around with some white to put on top of the yellow.  WITHOUT rinsing out paintbrushes I gave them some green paint for the stems and leaves and finally some brown paint for the centers.

On the second day we reviewed Warm and Cool colors. Using oil pastels (in the short brushstroke way like Van Gogh used) students filled in the vase, table, and background with oil pastels.  Most of the students finish in two days some needed a little more time at the beginning of the next class. 

They all turned out beautifully.