Mixed Media Insect Drawings

This is a really cool lesson using transparency sheets, sharpies and paint pens layered over a tissue paper collage background.

I saw the lesson on the fabulous Talley Street Artists Instagram account.

I taught this project to a mixed class of Grade 4-6. They were all successful with it.

First class: create a tissue paper collage using watered down glue and tissue paper onto cardstock (it should match the size of the transparency film). Let dry. These curled up ALOT during the drying process and was a huge pain both flattening them and trimming them!! Allocate time for that.

I had pre printed out a few sheets of a variety of insect clip art. Students chose one and traced a variety of sizes on insects onto the transparencies using sharpie. They were so excited to be able to trace, lol.

Then they chose three paint pens and added lines and patterns, dots and outlines.

Then we taped them onto their tissue paper background using double sided clear tape.

They look so cool!! This project's a keeper :) It took two 80 minute classes in total.

 

Tissue Paper Faux Stained Glass Art Project

                                          

This is a faux stained glass lesson I have taught a few times over the past 15 years. Sadly, I am now seeing a decline in the ability of my junior high students to use X-acto blades. This was the first time I was super nervous using them with the class and might have to re-think this lesson in the future. The overall fine motor skills seems to appear generally weaker. I last taught this 3 years ago and had no issues.

Nonetheless, if you're interested in trying this out, check out my previous post HERE which has all the steps. Make sure you use really sturdy, good quality black construction paper for this project to be successful.

I store my tissue paper chaotically in drawers, lol.

Students sketch out a stained glass design of their choice on sturdy black construction paper. 

Then they cut it out using X-acto knifes on cutting boards.

Trace and cut out tissue paper shapes to glue on the back. This project took about 3 weeks to complete, depending on the complexity of each students' design. I laminate these once finished to help make them sturdier and protected.

Some finished artworks: Grade 7-9

Positive & Negative Space Hearts Art Project

Another great lesson I saw on the Instagram account of Lauralee Chambers @2art.chambers.

I taught this lesson to a class of Grade 4-6 students. It took 2 classes to complete.

The first class, students created a bleeding tissue background on small squares of white paper. 

I use Spectra brand.

I lay out the colours like this so students can easily choose which ones they want.

This takes one class. The next class, students draw onto their colourful background, a variety of sizes of hearts. They need to fill all the available spaces. Then they colour in the background in Sharpie.

Open a window- it gets stinky!

These look so cool and dramatic when they're finished!!