Modeling Emotions

Modeling Emotions

This project looks at how our facial features change with varying emotions, and how they can be easily and creatively illustrated. This project could follow a book pertaining to emotions and/or a game of charades. 

Materials:

• Thin cardboard or thick paper (such as watercolor)
• Circular object to trace
• Pencil
• Scissors
• A few different scrapbook papers (construction paper or other colored/patterned paper can also be used)
• Glue

Step 1: Trace 2 circles on your sheet of cardboard. 

Step 2: Cut out the circles.

Step 3: Draw basic facial features on the construction paper. Remember to draw on the side opposite of that which you want to show on your project. Once you cut them, trace and cut a second set. 

Step 4: Experiment with showing different expressions on your faces. When you find your favorite two, attach the features using glue or another adhesive. 

Tessellations

Tessellations

This project is a lesson in making your own tessellations using very few supplies. I suggest doing this project after defining and viewing examples of tessellations. You can discuss parallels between art and other disciplines by pointing out the significance of tessellations in both art and math. 

Materials

• 1 index card
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Tape
• 1 piece of construction paper

Step 1: Draw a line from the upper right side of the card to the bottom. It does not need to be any certain shape or any specific distance from the edge of the card. 

Step 2: Cut along the line.

Step 3: Attach the cut off piece to the left side of the card using a piece of tape.

Step 4: Draw a line along the bottom of the card. It will overlap your newly attached piece, so be sure that the bottom left corner is attached to the card. If your tape is only in the middle, as mine was, be sure to add a second piece in the corner.

Step 5: Cut along the line.

Step 6: Attach this piece to the top of the card using tape. 

Step 7: Trace your new shape anywhere on the construction paper. 

Step 8: Continue holding the shape with the same orientation as you line it up beside the previously traced shapes and trace it again. 

Step 9: Once you have filled your plane and there are no holes or overlapping areas, you have a tessellation! Use markers, colored pencils, or crayons to add color! If you still have a hard time believing this will work every time, you can try it again cutting your lines differently! 

Summer & Florals

I've spent a lot of time recently making examples of the projects I will be doing with the kids at art camp this summer, but that's not all I've been doing when it comes to art. I decided to share a couple other things I've been working on. Lynchburg, where Liberty is located, is called "Drench-burg" by some because of the excessive rain. Perhaps all those April showers had me even more ready for May flowers than in the past, because all of my work since getting back home has seemed to revolve around flowers.

My mom hangs up my art work all around the house. In fact, there are actually a couple store bought pictures on the floor of my art studio right now that have been replaced with my paintings. She's been wanting something new and big to put over our couch in the living room, so I decided to paint a couple coordinating pictures to hang side-by-side rather than one larger picture. Her favorite colors are red and yellow, so I wanted to incorporate those, and when I picked up a paintbrush, a flower just naturally started to appear on the canvas.

I know, I know, I'm supposed to start with the background. I totally didn't think about that until there was a huge flower on my canvas. The background is some watered-down light blue wall paint. I like getting little sample jars of wall paint and using them for large areas on the canvas. When you don't water it down like I did here, one coat actually covers the canvas really well. I typically prime my canvas with white wall paint because it's thicker than acrylic and much less costly than fancy primer. In general, it's just more cost effective than other paints. I discovered these when my friend and I were brainstorming ideas for our visual arts ministry at church a couple years ago. We needed something that would show up after only one coat and was inexpensive, and happened upon these samples! Sometimes I go look in the clearance section by the paint mixing area in Lowes or Home Depot and find some of these for as little as $0.50! 

I've also been using watercolors quite a bit lately. Admittedly, I used them for this picture a few days ago because I wanted to paint, but wanted to do so in my room and without the potential mess of acrylics. It doesn't show up as clearly in the photo as in person, but I was especially enjoying the milky, white color. Something about layering with that white is so different than with colors. It's creamier and bolder than I expected. I'm not really sure why I hadn't taken notice of it before. I'm feeling a lot more water color usage coming up in the near future.

I hope everyone's long weekend is off to a good start! Be sure to enjoy the sunshine, cookouts, and extra time off work that come with holiday weekends!

How-to-Draw: Circle Roses

This project idea was found on artprojectsforkids.com

I am posting this for use in the art camps that I am teaching this summer. 

Parents, please take a look at some of the projects your kids will be or have been doing in camp! They may even want to use these templates to teach you or their siblings what they have learned.

How-to-Draw: Circle Roses

Materials

• Drawing paper
• Pencil
• Black marker
• Colored pencils or markers 

Step 1: For this project, I have included several photos. There are a lot of separate, but fairly simple lines to draw, For that reason, I won't include a description for all of the steps. But if you look at the picture it should be clear what comes next! As you will notice, I traced over each of my lines in black marker before moving on to the next step. I do suggest doing this, but be sure to draw in pencil first incase you make a mistake that you want to change! 

The first step is drawing the circles that will become roses. I suggest 3-4 larger circles, and 3-4 smaller circles. They do not have to be in the same arrangement as mine. 

Step 2: Pick one of your circles to turn into a rose first.

Step 3: 

Step 4:

Step 5:

Step 6:

Step 7:

Step 8: Once you have one rose drawn, follow the same basic pattern to complete the other flowers! The line placement doesn't have to be identical by any means. If you look at my picture, each rose is a little bit different.

Step 9: Add some leaves and swirly lines wherever you think they will look best! 

Step 10: Add veins to the leaves. You may want them on only one side like I did, or on both! 

Step 11: Add color! I chose several shades of pink and red for my flowers. I scattered my different shades so that one shade was not in two touching sections.

How-to-Draw: Contour Tree

This project idea was found on artprojectsforkids.com

I am posting this for use in the art camps that I am teaching this summer. 

Parents, please take a look at some of the projects your kids will be or have been doing in camp! They may even want to use these templates to teach you or their siblings what they have learned.

How-to-Draw: Contour Tree 

Materials

• Bristol or Drawing paper
• Pencil
• Marker/Sharpie/Pen
• Colored pencils/Markers

Step 1: Begin by drawing an outline of a tree. It should stretch at least half of the height of the paper and be wide enough that it looks very prominent. Include roots on the bottom. Draw two more vertical lines that visually divide the tree into three vertical sections. Next draw horizontal lines in each section. They are going to curve up in the middle of each section and connect, making it look like one curvy line stretches across the whole tree, which adds dimension. 

Step 2: Next draw a horizontal wavy line that crosses behind the tree. This is the horizon. Continue drawing horizontal wavy lines throughout the rest of the sky. 

Step 3: Do the same thing on the ground, but this time draw your lines closer together. 

Step 4: Using a black marker, outline the main lines to highlight each separate element of your drawing.

Step 5: Add color! Use different shades to make it interesting. For example, instead of just drawing green grass, fill in the area between each line with a different shade of green. Do use only shades of one color however. If you put blue, orange, and pink in the sky for example, and brown, yellow, and purple on the tree, the different sections of your picture will begin to blend. 

How-to-Draw: Lighthouse

This project idea was found on artprojectsforkids.com

I am posting this for use in the art camps that I am teaching this summer. 

Parents, please take a look at some of the projects your kids will be or have been doing in camp! They may even want to use these templates to teach you or their siblings what they have learned.

How-to-Draw: Lighthouse 

Materials: 

• Bristol or Drawing paper
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Markers/Colored pencils 

Step 1: Using a ruler, divide your paper into four equal sections. This will make it easier to tell where to draw each element of the picture. Then, draw the top of the light house in the center of the top of your paper. It is essentially a small oval on top of a triangle with a curved bottom.  

Step 2: Draw two straight lines extending from the bottom corners of the triangle and connect them at the bottom with a curved line. Draw a grid inside this new shape. 

Step 3: For this new shape, think about drawing the top of a can. Like before, draw two lines extending below the top and connect with a curved line. In this shape, the base is narrower than the top. Then draw vertical lines on the side. 

Step 4: Starting at the bottom corners of the can shape, draw two lines extending diagonally toward the bottom corners of the paper. Connect them with a curved line at the bottom. 

Step 5: Add a background! What is near your lighthouse? There is probably some water! Are there boats in the water? People on the land? A plane in the air? Flowers growing? Is there a pattern on your lighthouse? Is the sun shining or is it raining? Is it day or night? Add as much detail as you can! The more detail you add, the better you communicate your message and ideas to the viewer. Once you've finished drawing, you may decide to add color. 

How-to-Draw: Three Circle Lion

This project idea was found on artprojectsforkids.com

I am posting this for use in the art camps that I am teaching this summer. 

Parents, please take a look at some of the projects your kids will be or have been doing in camp! They may even want to use these templates to teach you or their siblings what they have learned. 

How-to-Draw: Three Circle Lion

Materials:

• Bristol paper (I use this because I like the heavier weight, you may substitute any other paper you like)
• Pencil
• Eraser
• Pen/Marker
• Circular object to trace
• Markers/crayons/colored pencils 

Step 1: Using a circular item (can, cup, etc.) draw two overlapping circles in roughly the center of your paper. Remember to use a pencil for everything at first incase you need to erase and fix any of your lines. Also, it is smart to press lightly at first because light lines are easier to erase. 

Step 2: Draw a third circle of the same size below the others that overlaps with them. 

Step 3: Add eyes in the two original circles, as shown below. You can vary their position if you want. Once you like your placement and shape, you can press harder with the pencil so they stand out. You could also trace over them with a pen or marker. Find the spot that includes a portion of all three circles and color it in with a marker or pen. This is the lion's nose. Finally, add two teeth in the third circle, attached to the upper two circles. The teeth can be big or small, depending on whether you want your lion to look friendly or scary! 

Step 4: Using your pencil first, and then tracing over with marker, add three whiskers on either side of the nose. If three looks like too many or too few to you, the number can be adjusted. Draw two round ears on the top "corners" of the lion's head. 

Step 5: Next, add the lion's mane. I suggest starting at the top and then going down either side. Try to make it stretch close to either edge of the paper. 

Step 6: The final step is to add color! There is no right or wrong way to do this! Is your lion realistic, with yellow and orange coloring? Or is he polka dotted? Striped? Pink? Green? Use your creativity to make him look any way you want! 

What other animals could you draw using the three circle approach?