AnonyMouse_26037 Posted May 31, 2011 Posted May 31, 2011 I don't know whether I'm posting this in the right place so apologies if not. I have been working really hard this year on encouraging my children to express themselves in their own way when it comes to making pictures. It worked really well for Mothers' Day and Easter cards. For the former I put a jug of daffodils on the table, provided loads of different materials and let them make their own pictures which we then mounted on to card. For Easter, we talked about what symbols, signs and pictures reminded us of Easter, put out lots of resources and left them to it - the results were great. I was really proud of them (and of myself for being able to let go !) Now, however our PTA wants every child in the school to produce a picture which they will frame, display and then sell to the parents as a fundraiser. We've all been asked to do something with our classes with the emphasis that we must produce something that people will be willing to pay for. As you might imagine, proud as I am of my children's work you wouldn't necessarily pay for it! Obviously I can go down the fluffy duck road but am reluctant to give the progress with independent creativity we've made and I wondered if any of you clever people had any bright ideas about a technique that might be simple but very effective. I'd pondered doing the butterfly symmetry paintings - I could cut out the butterfly shapes then the children could do the symmetrical painting bit and also create their own background - maybe printing then collaging flowers. What do you think? I still think they will all look a bit uniform.
AnonyMouse_30128 Posted May 31, 2011 Posted May 31, 2011 (edited) what about some salad spinner art...a bit of a favourite around here! Edited May 31, 2011 by finleysmaid
AnonyMouse_13453 Posted June 1, 2011 Posted June 1, 2011 (edited) We love that too, and teabag splatting and pendulum painting! Both give fantastic results Edited June 1, 2011 by Cait
Guest Posted June 1, 2011 Posted June 1, 2011 We love that too, and teabag splatting and pendulum painting! Both give fantastic results I have always had pleasing results with mono prints. The children squirt some paint directly on to the table top and mark make using just fingers. They place a piece of paper directly on top of their marks and then take a print. This looks very effective, children can choose the size of paper and can add embellishments later. I think white paper works well, but why not give the children a choice.
AnonyMouse_26037 Posted June 1, 2011 Author Posted June 1, 2011 Thank you so much - really appreciate your ideas and time in replying.
Guest ChunkyMan Posted June 1, 2011 Posted June 1, 2011 I love collage especially if you provide them with different kinds of paper/colour/textures etc that are complimentary, tonally similar and encourage them to cover the page or provide simple templates? I love using lots of natural colours and provide brown paper to stick them on (the paper that Amazon uses as packaging in parcels is good) If the materials are complimentary then it's hard to get it wrong. I also encourage them to tear and not cut as it produces a softer line. Maybe produce their own paper by printing texture then using that to collage with? I tape pieces of bubble wrap (different sizes) and crinkled clingfilm onto a table and provide paint (again tonally complimentary) and they paint the clingy or bubble wrap with the correct colour (I usually dictate which colour for which) they then go round the table and layer up the colours and textures...they look really effective. I hope all this makes sense?
AnonyMouse_79 Posted June 1, 2011 Posted June 1, 2011 You could look at the work of an artist and make pictures in the style of. You will be given a card to produce the art work on that will be framed. They do look effective when all framed up but as the frames are black, choose something quite strong and bold to produce. Have fun.
AnonyMouse_32166 Posted June 1, 2011 Posted June 1, 2011 last year when i worked in a nursery we had to produce something to sell. So we bought cheap canvas and used aqulic paint and the children painted their portrait. We got children to look at themselfs in the mirror and talk about the features they see. we then got them to use a pencil to draw a shape for their face then we pritty much left them to do it themselfs just helping those who needed it. they looked really good and the parents loved them as the children had done them themselves.
AnonyMouse_3735 Posted June 1, 2011 Posted June 1, 2011 string painting also gives very good results... piece of sisal string is ideal as it holds paint but any strong string will do we also used wool tie end of string to peg or stick so it is easier to pull... soak in paint.. lay on paper in curls or waves, with peg over edge of paper... use 2 or 3 different colours, place piece of paper on top and then we put a heavy catalogue or two on top to hold it all down.. pull the stick or peg to remove the string.. leaves some lovely patterns and fascinates the children - we often had parents comment they had framed them at home... perhaps have the children choose a different painting technique so they are different..
AnonyMouse_26037 Posted June 1, 2011 Author Posted June 1, 2011 Thank you again. I was a little worried about posting this question in case people had a go at me saying I should stand up for myself and just let the children go with it. However, you've all appreciated what I need to do and why and just given me great ideas - whichever ones I don't use for this project I will be using for other things so your ideas won't go to waste! I especially like the idea of abstract things that aren't meant to be an anything. I have at least half a dozen children who would struggle with this. The only way you can tell some of our recent elephant drawings are elephants is because they're grey! Cait - I wanted to ask about your teabag splatting. Last time I did some (to create a background for some firework poems) I watered down the paint, put the paper on the washing line then children threw the teabags at it. Great fun, very dribbly and messy but your paintings look much more vivid than ours did. I wondered how you did it - undiluted paint dropped onto the paper?
AnonyMouse_13453 Posted June 1, 2011 Posted June 1, 2011 The teabags were very well rinsed - and you need loads to cover for bursts! We had pots of readymix paint with the teabags in - yes, it was undiluted. We had a good high sided cardboard box (essential) and put the paper in the bottom of that and children stood on a chair to drop the teabag onto their paper. We tried lots of different ways, but as you say, this was the most vivid. I thought I had a close-up picture of one of the paintings but can't immediately see it. We did it so often that we ran out of teabags and had to resort to burst ones, wrapped in paper nappy liners with string - which was actually great for those children who have an aversion to getting paint on their hands as they could just hold the string.
Recommended Posts