Rockin' out

Source material for this lesson and several lessons coming up: Lin Wellford's book and video. 

We are going to paint a few rocks over the next 2 or 3 weeks - maybe forever - we love this!

Not having a rocky riverbed nearby, I grabbed a bag of Mexican Beach stones from Lowe's.  They are smooth and dark and it feels good just to hold them.

One of the Sm'Arties, who is not pictured in this post, learned that though tossing and catching the stones is fun, it is not advisable to toss them over your head - unless you catch them EVERY TIME.  Sad lesson. 

We used acrylic craft paint.  Some stones were prepainted white, some black, and some left natural.  I like the natural dark gray.

When they were finished (and they dry quickly - I used a blowdryer on the wettest ones), I sprayed them with a clear sealer.  These have 1 coat.  2 coats is better - more shine.

We think the one with green eyes looks like an alien. 

After Spring Break - lizards!

Painted Ladies

Last year I saw this lesson at Deep Space Sparkle, and I knew that one day the Sm'Arties would draw some lovely houses.

And so we did!

I love the way the Sm'Arties concentrate when they draw.

I love the details.

I love the way they add their own special touches.

I love the way they are eager to show me the results of their homework the next week!

(I love the way I sometimes have to pixilate when they put labels on with their actual name or address)

Great job, Sm'Arties!



Science on my Art Blog

 A few weeks ago we dissected sheep's brain in science.   Science Geek did not have her camera along, so she is letting me go for the Science posting.
 

That is actually me in the teacher mode - Earthgirl and I had just dissected the sheep brain during Science Club, another activity offered through our large homeschool group, so I was pretty well up on finding the hippocampus - it's tiny!

This was an extra brain left over from Science Club - offered to SG gratis as a Thank You for judging the high school portion of Science Fair.  I brought it home from Science Club in my lunchbag, and delivered it SG after Sunday School in a little gift bag.  SG and I - we are not the squeamish types.

 

 I love Science.

Speaking of hippocampus, I found this article interesting - I think I need to go take a walk!

Painting with acrylics

We have painted with acrylics for 2 classes now - what fun!  We used real from-tube acrylics, and some pretty nice brushes. I showed the Sm'Arties how to be respectful and kind to brushes, keeping them wet (after the first week I modified that directive - keep them damp, not dripping wet - this isn't watercolor), putting plenty of paint on the brush, and how to load more than one color on the brush. 


Week 1:  Just to get used to the paint, I asked the Sm'arties to paint the whole background, let it dry, then do some simple shapes and swoops on top.  We used Acrylic Paper and student-grade acrylic paint and brushes. 

Week 2:  We painted on canvases!  These were to be our Georgia O'Keefe-inspired paintings, though it is hard for the Sm'Arties to remember to zoom in CLOSE on whatever subject they portray.  Nevertheless, we are pretty impressed with ourselves.

See the little speckled egg in the pinecone?  It's a lizard egg - at least, that is what Science Geek told me.

A few painting with acrylics links:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5811214_teach-acrylic-painting-children.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_7676982_paint-using-acrylic-paint-children.html

http://acrylic-painting.blogspot.com/2004/06/buying-acrylic-paints.html

This artist mom paints with her young daughters: http://debrha.wordpress.com/

Take a close look

The Sm'Arties are preparing to paint with acrylics this month.  I am looking forward to having fun and making a big mess, but first we are preparing our eyes to draw and paint small things big on our papers.  We looked for inspration to some Georgia O'Keefe paintings.

The boys liked that she painted things like cow skulls.

We tried to make the images run off the page.

I really find pencil-and-paper classes to be my favorites.  When the Sm'Arties get an assignment, they settle right down and draw.

This was just a pencil class, but sure, they could color their pictures if they wanted.

A few links regarding Georgia O'Keefe and some of her art:
Georgia O'Keefe bio

PBS intro 

Calla lily on gray

Jack in the Pulpit

Light Iris

Purple Petunias

Summer Days

Deer's skull with pedernal

Cow's Skull with calico roses

Black Cross

Frogs Playing Pianos...

...origami!

Puppy!

Blue frogs!

A froggie on my shoulder, and one in hand.

Sm'Arties!

Origami links:

Almost all of these have more links.  Grab some scrap paper, because you will probably want to start folding.
Frogs
Pianos
Our original source for origami pianos
Fun folds for children
I wish I had seen this "storygami" of Penguin Pete before class.

This means...

The Sm'Arties must be back!