Tag Archives: art project for homeschooled kids

Oct14

CELEBRATE THE SEASONS: FALLING LEAVES BANNER

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CELEBRATE THE SEASONS: FALLING LEAVES BANNER

WHAT IS A BANNER?

A banner is a piece of cloth suspended between two poles and often bearing a design, symbol or slogan. Banners can celebrate the seasons, holidays or bear slogans. The designs in this series of Art Tutorials celebrate summer, spring, winter and fall.

FALL BANNER

FALL BANNER

FALL BANNER

Ages: 5 – 12 years

Time: ½ hour

MATERIALS:

Yellow felt 36” x

Beige or Brown felt square

Green felt square

36” Burgundy felt square

Orange felt square

 

Measure and trim yellow felt to 14” x 20”.  Holding the felt vertically, fold a 1” seam and iron along the fold.  Fold a second 1” seam. Iron.  Glue down with tacky glue and let dry.

Enlarge the photo of the completed banner above. Then cut large leaves: one dark red, one green, and one orange each from the felt materials. Do the same for the two small leaf patterns.  Arrange on the yellow felt background in a random pattern as if the leaves are falling from a tree.

Trace and cut two acorns from the beige Fun Foam.  Arrange on the banner.  Using a black marker or pain, draw a cross hatch pattern at the top of the acorns.  Draw vines down the centers of the leaves, too.

Glue the pieces with tacky glue.

Cut the dowel rod to about 16” x 18”. Insert through the top loop.  Cut the string to a length suitable for hanging. Tie a knot at each end of the dowel rod.

Your fall banner is ready to hang in your room!

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Sep16

ART PROJECT FOR KIDS: Nature Prints

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ART PROJECT FOR KIDS: Nature Prints

The craft NATURE PRINTS was adapted from the project “From the Yard/Nature Prints” found in All-Around-the-House Art and Craft Book by Patricia Z. Wirtenberg and published by Houghton Mifflin Company in1968

MATERIALS:

Leaves, bark, twigs

Printer’s inks or poster or acrylic paints in various colors (cheaper to use)

Drawing pencils (optional)

Rice or bond paper in white or various light colors (works best with poster/acrylic paints)

Brown wrapping paper or construction paper for use with printer’s inks

Brayer (or roller)

Piece of glass

Newspaper

Solvent for cleaning brayer and glass if using printer’s inks unless using water-soluble printer’s inks

  1. Collect fresh leaves from the trees or bushes in your neighborhood or yard. You will need some to experiment with and some for the last print. Other objects such as tree bark (if it’s easy to peel off) and even some twigs will work along with the leaves, too.
  2. Cover your work surface with newspaper. Lay down the glass and brayer on the work surface. Select the paints or inks that you will use. Acrylic or poster paints are less expensive than oil-based printer’s inks and easier to clean up after use.
  3. You can squeeze one color for each leaf or squeeze two or three colors side-by-side on the glass. The leaves in the samples shown used one or two or three colors at one time.
  4. Roll the paint or inks on the glass until the pigment covers the brayer. If you are using more than one color, let the colors run into each other. Roll the brayer over the leaf several times and turning the leaf over, lay it on a piece of paper like rice paper or bond paper. Use your hand to press the leaf so that it prints on the paper. Paper that is not too thick or too thin is the best to use if using acrylic or poster paints. Printer’s inks can use a slightly heavier paper like construction or brown wrapping paper.
  5. Remove the leaf and see how it printed on the paper. Experiment until you have a print that you like. Experiment with other materials from nature combined with the leaves.
  6. To create a mixed media design, color the whites of the leaves or the background paper or outline the printed leaves with colored pencils. See the two samples below.
  7. Frame the print or using old note card stationery, make note cards or poster cards of the printed leaves. They make a thoughtful gift for people who still write notes!
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Aug26

Art Project for Kids: Abstract Design

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Art Project for Kids: Abstract Design

Abstract Design

ABSTRACT DESIGN

 

MATERIALS:

Markers

Pencils

Crayons

Construction or bond paper

PROJECT:

  1. Find interesting objects in your home and trace them.
  2. Arrange them on construction or bond paper creating an abstract design.
  3. Trace the objects with markers or pencils or crayons. Trace one object at a time, adding objects as you go or lay them all down and trace them.
  4. Remove the objects from the paper. Choose three colors or two colors plus black. Now add patterns to the traced objects: dots, stripes, zigzags, checks or color some of the areas in the design.
  5. Mat the abstract design and display it or use it as a cover for a favorite book.

 

VARIATION:

Trace one object, turning the paper as you trace. Or overlap the object by placing it vertically, horizontally, upside down, etc.

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Aug7

BUGS AND THINGS: Bees

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BUGS AND THINGS: Bees

 

BEES

BEES

BEES

Bees are flying vegetarian insects that collect pollen and nectar. While many bees are black and yellow, some are all black and generally measure one half to three fourth of an inch in length. There are many different kinds of bees: honey bees, carpenter bees and bumble bees among others. Wasps and hornets resemble and can be mistaken for bees, too.

Materials:

Styrofoam egg

6 chenille stems

White glue

Black paint

Paint brush

Yellow felt or yellow paper

Small wiggle eyes

Small Styrofoam ball (must be smaller than the egg)

Scissors

Project:

  1. Cut ¼” from one side of a Styrofoam egg so the Styrofoam can stand on its side.
  2. Paint the egg and a 1 12” Styrofoam ball black.
  3. Cut ¼” from one end of the ball. Glue the head on the wider end of the egg.
  4. Cut strips of yellow felt and glue them on the back of the egg at intervals so you have alternate stripes of black and yellow. Optional: paint the stripes with yellow paint.
  5. Cut two 3” chenille stems for the antenna; cut two 11” chenille stems for the wings and one 1 1/2” chenille stem for the tail.
  6. Shape the 11” stems into hearts and twist the ends together. Cut small slits or poke holes into the sides of the egg. You may need a utility knife and the help of an adult in order to do this. Push the ends into the sides of the body of the bee. Apply glue into those holes to secure if needed.
  7. Push the tail into the narrow end of the body; add a little glue into that hole, too. Push the antennae into the top of the head; secure with glue. Bend and curl the tops.
  8. Glue eyes on to the face. Optional: paint two eyes with yellow paint.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Delano, Marte Ferguson. National Geographic Kids/Butterflies. Washington DC: National Geographic for Kids.

Greensburg, David T. Bugs! NY: Little, Brown and Company. 1997.

Jackson, Demi.  Guess That Animal! Name That Bug! NY: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2017.

McKissack, Patricia and Frederick. Bugs! Chicago: Children’s Press, 1988.

Parker, Nancy Winslow and Wright, Joan Richards. Bugs. NY: Greenwillow, 1987.

Simon, Seymour. Butterflies. NY: Collins, 2011.

Singer, Marilyn. Caterpillars. Waynesville, MC: Early Light Books, Inc., 2011.

Taylor, Barbara, ed. 1000 Facts on Bugs. NY: Miles Kelly Publishing, 2005.

 

For more information about honey bees and bumble bees: https://www.mnn.com

 

 

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Dec28

How to Make Paper Molas

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How to Make Paper Molas

 

Materials:

Pencil with eraser

Scissors (embroidery scissors work best for cutting out small pieces of paper)

Three pieces of different colored construction paper, memory album paper or craft foam

Glue stick

White glue

Project:

  1. Draw a design on one of the pieces of paper with a pencil. Cut the design out.
  2. Place a second piece of paper under the first. Line up the edges.
  3. Draw smaller design shapes on the second piece of paper.
  4. Pull out the second piece of paper and cut out these smaller shapes.
  5. Place the first piece of paper over the second one and glue them together.
  6. Place these two pieces on top of the third piece of paper and line up the edges.
  7. Glue the third piece into place.
  8. Frame and hang the molas.
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Apr5

Art That Flies: Winter Mobile

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Art That Flies: Winter Mobile

HOW TO MAKE MOBILES:

What is a mobile? A mobile is a construction made up of lightweight parts suspended by threads to fine wires.

Now take the banner designs and use them to make mobiles. See how they change when you go from a flat design to a three-dimensional design.

Scroll down to the Winter Banner tutorial below this info.

MATERIALS

Here are some basic supplies that you will need on hand for all the mobile designs:

Scissors

Wire, sticks, pencils, etc for arms

Compass

Thread, light and heavy weight

Poster board

Colored pencils and pens

Glue

Felt

Pencil and ruler

Recyclable materials

Tracing paper

Whole puncher (optional)

ADDITIONAL STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW

Making a circle and a cone:

Technique #1: use a round object and trace.

Technique #2: Use a pencil compass to allow you to make a large or small circle. To find the diameter, measure circle from one edge through the center to the opposite side.

Technique #3: Cut out a circle. Cut out a section like a slice of a pie, from the edge to the center. Remove the section. Bring one edge over to the other side. Glue the overlapped edge. The larger the section you cut out, the taller and thinner to cone.

Technique #4: How to attach a thread: Thread objects by using a large needle. Push the needle through the shape at the balancing point and pull the thread until a small length is left. Then make a knot at the top of the shape. Cut off excess thread. When attaching the thread to the wire, tie it tightly.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Holz, Loretta. Mobiles You Can Make. New York: Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Company, 1965.

Zubrowski, Bernie. Mobiles: Building and Experimenting with Balancing Toys. New York: Morrow Junior Books, 1993

Winter Mobile

Winter Mobile

 

Ages: 5 – 12 years

Time: ½ hour – 1 hour

MATERIALS:

Construction paper or Fun Foam in 6 colors

Silver glitter pen

Ball of jute or string or wire

2 dowel rods cut to 12” each Scissors

Tacky glue or glue sticks

Pencil/eraser

Whole puncher

1. Ask an adult to cut the dowel rods so that you have two. Cross them in the middle and tie them tightly with a piece of string or jute or wire. Lay aside.

2. Select the paper or Fun Foam. You can use craft papers or Fun Foam or both. Trace and cut shapes from the patterns used for the winter banner: Mr. Snow Man and Mrs. Snow Woman. Adorn them with scarves, hats/berets, noses that look like carrots, buttons, and a pipe for Mr. Snow Man. On a separate sheet of fun foam or construction paper, draw snowflakes with the glitter pen. Cut them along with the Snow Man and Woman. Draw eyes and mouth with a black marker.

3. Poke a hole towards the top of the paper or Fun Foam shapes with a pencil or use a hole puncher.

4. Then, lace a piece of string, thread, jute, or wire 6” to 8” in length through the hole at the top of each shape. Tie the shapes to the dowel rods. To balance the mobile, place two or more shapes to each dowel rod and be sure that some of the shapes hang lower (or higher) than some of the others.  Ask an adult for help.

5. Tie a piece of string on the ends of the dowel rods and hang it up. Does your sculpture move? What makes it move? How is this design different from the banner design? What are the differences? What are the similarities?

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR MAKING ADVANCED MOBILES

How to make wire arms: Make loops on the ends. This will make it easier to tie on shapes. Use needle-nose pliers and wire with a gauge of 14, 1, 18 or 20.  Cut the wire to the desired length and bent until it is slightly curved. This will make the objects look more graceful as they balance from the wire. The curve also makes them look more graceful as they move in the air.

How to make a smooth curve: Grip one end of the wire with one hand and gently pull its length between the thumb and forefinger of the other hand, bending as you pull.

How to make a loop: Grasp the end or the wire with the needle-nose pliers. Hold the wire as you twist to form a circle. If you are tying on the objects, close the circle completely. If you are slipping on a loop into the circle, leave it barely open. Close the loops when the mobile is complete. Hold the wire so that the eyelets or circles are on the under side of the arm when attaching the shapes to the mobile.

 

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Mar16

Art That Flies: Spring is Here! Mobile

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Art That Flies: Spring is Here! Mobile

HOW TO MAKE MOBILES

What is a mobile? A mobile is a construction made up of lightweight parts suspended by threads that attached to fine wires.

Now take the banner designs and use them to make mobiles. See how they change when you go from a flat design to a three-dimensional design. (See the tutorial below the following information.)

MATERIALS

Here are some basic supplies that you will need on hand for all the mobile designs:

Scissors

Wire, sticks, pencils, etc for arms

Compass

Thread, light and heavy weight

Poster board

Colored pencils and pens

Glue

Felt

Pencil and ruler

Recyclable materials

Tracing paper

Whole puncher (optional)

ADDITIONAL STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW

Making a circle and a cone:

Technique #1: use a round object and trace.

Technique #2: Use a pencil compass to allow you to make a large or small circle. To find the diameter, measure circle from one edge through the center to the opposite side.

Technique #3: Cut out a circle. Cut out a section like a slice of a pie, from the edge to the center. Remove the section. Bring one edge over to the other side. Glue the overlapped edge. The larger the section you cut out, the taller and thinner to cone.

Technique #4: How to attach a thread: Thread objects by using a large needle. Push the needle through the shape at the balancing point and pull the thread until a small length is left. Then make a knot at the top of the shape. Cut off excess thread. When attaching the thread to the wire, tie it tightly.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Holz, Loretta. Mobiles You Can Make. New York: Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Company, 1965.

Zubrowski, Bernie. Mobiles: Building and Experimenting with Balancing Toys. New York: Morrow Junior Books, 1993.

Spring Mobile

Spring Mobil

Ages: 5 – 12 years

Time: ½ hour – 1 hour

MATERIALS:

Construction paper or Fun Foam in 4 pastel colors

Eraser/ Pencil

One dowel rods cut to 12”

Tacky glue or glue stick

Patterns from the Banners project

Hole puncher

Ball of jute or string or wire

Scissors

1. Ask an adult to cut the dowel rods so that you have two. Cross them in the middle and tie them tightly with a piece of string or jute or wire. Lay aside.

2. Select the paper or Fun Foam or use the two materials together. Trace and cut shapes from the patterns used for the Spring Is Here! Banner. Vary the sizes of the flowers. Add a yellow circle for the center of the daisy.

3. Poke a hole near the top of the paper or Fun Foam shapes with a pencil or use a hole puncher. Then, lace a piece of string or jute or wire 6” to 8” in length through the hole at the top of each shape. Poke a hole at the bottom of the flowers and have some of them cascade. Tie the shapes to the dowel rods. To balance the mobile (sometimes called making the mobile level), place two or more shapes on each dowel rod and be sure that some of the shapes hang lower (or higher) than some of the others. Ask an adult for help if you need it.

4. Tie a piece of string in the middle of the two dowel rods for hanging. Does your sculpture move? What makes it move? How is this design different from the banner design? What are the differences? What are the similarities?

VARIATION: Instead of using dowel rods, dangle the strings from a clothes hanger. Vary the lengths and hang from an area where vibrations and the wind can make the dangling objects move.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR MAKING ADVANCED MOBILES

How to make wire arms: Make loops on the ends. This will make it easier to tie on shapes.  It is best to use needle-nose pliers and wire with a gauge of 14, 1, 18 or 20. Cut the wire to the desired length and bend until it is slightly curved. This will make the objects look more graceful as they balance from the wire. The curve also makes them look more graceful as they move in the air.

How to make a smooth curve: Grip one end of the wire with one hand and gently pull its length between the thumb and forefinger of the other hand, bending as you pull.

How to make a loop: Grasp the end or the wire with the needle-nose pliers. Hold the wire as you twist to form a circle. If you are tying on the objects, close the circle completely. If you are slipping on a loop into the circle, leave it slightly open. Close the loops when the mobile is complete. Hold the wire so that the eyelets or circles are on the under side of the arm when attaching the shapes to the mobile.

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