Painting like Michelangelo

5th graders have been learning about the Renaissance artist Michelangelo, ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH1QL8F_zMk ). He was a sculptor, painter and architect, and we've been focusing on his most famous painting, the Sistine Chapel Ceiling. 

In order to paint like Michelangelo, 5th graders had to both draw and paint with their papers taped to the bottom of the table and work laying facing up, since Michelangelo spent 4 years painting the Sistine ceiling in the lay-down position.

They focused on Michelangelo's depiction of God's finger giving life to Adam (all while laying upside down). They spent time noticing the details and location of each finger, as well as the intense use of light and shadows. First they drew (upside down) in pencil and then painted it with a neutral palette.  This assignment was more about the process than the final result; painting upside down is hard, but they learned a lot about artist methods while creating these hands.

Michelangelo's original:

Michelangelo's in the making:

Final result:

Sorry for the overload of pictures, but it was fun to document this project, I doubt I will get these students to paint upside down again any time soon!

Pre-K Easter Egg Design

Tomorrow, Pre-K will be decorating real Easter eggs, so in art we practiced Easter egg design on paper. They observed different types of patterns using lines and shapes that other Easter eggs have, and created their own, using color to decorate their names in the middle.

Video game avatars

In Computer class, 6th graders have been creating their own video games, so in art we made avatars for their games. Their games had different themes: candy, raccoon hunt, haunted house, warrior, etc. Using the app Aurasma on their phones, they can scan any of the logos they made, and it will immediately play a video they created explaining their video games. This was just a quick project in art that they made with marker, but the incorporation with new technology was really amazing. I was shocked to see their electronic devices scanning, recognizing and playing a video they created.

Pre-K roller skates

I wasn't able to get any work in progress pics with this one, but pre-k has also been working on cutting and gluing, this time with their new roller-skating unit. We make roller skates out of pink, blue and yellow paper, adding special details like stars, a brake and shoelaces.

Kinder Lions

Kindergartners are currently learning about mammals in class, so we made the fiercest mammal of all in art - a lion. They have really become experts with the scissors, they cut out the lion's head, ears and mane. Then they glues it altogether using an A-B pattern to alternate brown and yellow. They used marker to add some finishing touches.