|
|
Archive for September, 2011
Wednesday, September 28th, 2011
 Near the end of our painting project in the studio I realized that we didn’t have a color wheel up so I had some of our studio staff help me make this color wheel out of water, plastic bags, fishing line and a tension rod.
We have one of the standard art room posters with circles of color and lines connecting the primaries and secondaries. Effective as it is at helping explain how color works, I’m bored of that poster and wanted something new.
One of our volunteers used food coloring to mix the color wheel in cups of water then transfer the water to small zip-top bags we picked up from either Michael’s craft store or from an online shop like Bags & Bows.
Our work study student Lydia reinforced the top of the bags with heavy duty clear packing tape and then poked a hole in the space above the bag’s seal to tie fishing line through. Then she taped a paper circle to the window to use as a guide for tying each bag to the tension curtain rod fitted in the window. She left plenty of extra line on each bag so that she could make adjustments and trim the excess when she was happy with their placement.
Have you or your students ever made a creative color wheel? I’d love to see pictures and maybe share them here! Send your pics to me at artstudio@carlemuseum.org
Tags: color wheel, curtain rods, fishing line, food coloring, plastic bags, window, window shade
Posted in Elementary School, In the Studio, Materials, Nurturing Creativity at Home, Painting, Preschool, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, September 21st, 2011
Have you ever wanted to try Eric Carle’s paper painting process with your students or kids? Or, maybe you’ve tried it and it turned out… um… not as you expected? Then register to reserve your space in my Eric Carle Tissue Paper Workshop on October 15 (9 am-1 pm) and earn 4 PDPs for coming. In the workshop I discuss Eric’s processes and how we can adapt them for the classroom or home. Of course, we also make our own painted papers and collages. Even if you’re not an educator, you’re invited too!
If you can’t make this date, look for the next one in the summer, orclick here to learn about booking a professional development program your own group.
 Here’s another link to the registration info.
Tags: collage, Eric Carle, Massachusetts, painted papers, process, Tissue Paper Collage
Posted in At The Carle, Elementary School, Mixed Media, Nurturing Creativity at Home, Preschool, Professional Development, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Monday, September 19th, 2011
We just started a new Public Art Project in The Studio last week and visitors are having a great time!
Punctuation Play September 14 – October 26
Ever notice how a question mark wiggles or a comma curves? Take a closer look at commonly used punctuation marks and have fun incorporating them into a picture of your own. Free with Museum admission.
How does punctuation inspire you?
Tags: Punctuation Play
Posted in Activities, At The Carle, Collage, Drawing, In the Studio, Public Art Program | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 14th, 2011
Occasionally, Meghan and I get emails asking us about specific materials we use or to further explain how we made something in The Studio. Below is one of our most recent letters with a question about our watercolor paper.
We visited the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art on Saturday and had a wonderful time! What a treasure.
While we were there we painted several watercolors and oil pastels in the studio. (Sadly, we forgot them, too!) The paper we were given was great to use, especially for the watercolors. . .
If someone could email me back with the name of the company that produces the paper, I’d very much appreciate it. I’d like to stock it in our home art studio as well.
Many thanks, Christina Z.
Hi Christina,
The watercolor paper we use for painting and tissue paper collage projects in The Studio is Nasco brand 65 lb felt finish Student Watercolor paper. We go through so much paper here that we buy it in 100 sheet packs 20”x26” and cut it down into rectangular or square pieces. We’re also a fan of Canson’s line of high-quality papers and often use them in our workshops. Any art supply store will carry a variety of student-grade and professional-grade papers in sheets or pads in the size that works best for your home studio or classroom.
Occasionally we run out of watercolor paper before the next order arrives so we’ll switch to a heavy-weight drawing paper. You’ll notice the difference between “watercolor” paper and “regular” paper if you rub the surface too hard with a brush or overload it with water. Extra sizing is added to watercolor papers to keep the wet media on the surface rather than absorbing into the fibers causing crumbling or tearing. I’ve witnessed children make hard brush marks or layer the paint on the surface get frustrated painting on lower-quality paper. If you’ve seen a similar response consider upgrading to a higher quality paper.
One rule of thumb for finding the right paper for your needs is to look at the weight listed in pounds on the pack or pad. The weight of the paper refers to the weight of a ream (500 sheets) and not each individual sheet; copy paper is about 20 lb. 40 lb paper is thinner and not as sturdy as 140 lb. paper.
You can read a lot more about how paper is made here or here.
 
In case you’re looking for a gift for that young artist in your life, The Carle Bookshop sells a line of very reasonably priced drawing sketchpads featuring some of Eric’s well-known characters. Click on the images above to shop for the Lil’ Eco Sketchpad or Sketch & Tell books. You may need to scroll to the bottom of the page to view all items.
Keep the questions coming!
Email Meghan and Diana here: ArtStudio [at] carlemuseum [dot] org
Tags: Here's Looking at You, watercolor paper
Posted in Collage, Materials, Nurturing Creativity at Home, Painting | No Comments »
Monday, September 12th, 2011
Whether you’re the parent of a budding artist or teach a classroom full of curious mark-makers, watercolor painting is a great medium to introduce to children at a young age. The Studio has a favorite way to teach watercolors to those young visitors using them for the first time or just in need of a refresher. We’ve used our catchy little poem thousands of times over the years and feel it remains the best teaching tool for those eager young artists still learning how to use paint and a brush. The poem goes, Swish,Swish…Dab,Dab…Wiggle,Wiggle.
Step 1. Swish, Swish your brush in the water.
Step 2. Dab, Dab your brush on the sponge.
Step 3. Wiggle, Wiggle your brush in the paint.
Now your brush is ready to paint on the paper. Remember the poem every time you want to switch to a different color. Colors can be mixed by overlapping them on the paper instead of mixing up the paints on the palette.
For Swish, Swish we use recycled deli containers to hold the water and large student-grade watercolor brushes.
For Dab, Dab we cut round pieces of thick kitchen sponges and keep them in single-serving apple sauce cups instead of paper towels. To disinfect the sponges occasionally run them through the top rack of the dishwasher in a mesh zip bag.
For Wiggle, Wiggle any student-grade watercolor paper or heavy-weight drawing paper will work. The watercolor paints in the photos are Richeson Color Blocks in Red, Yellow, Blue (or Turquoise) and Black. These hockey puck-sized blocks last forever and don’t stain clothing so smocks aren’t necessary. Just pre-treat stain with detergent or stain remover before putting in the wash. We use the Economy Deep 6-Well Painting Tray cut it in half to hold the three primary colors. Storing the color blocks in the palettes makes it easy to stack them in the cabinet or on a shelf when not in use.
Speaking of watercolors, tomorrow is the last day for Here’s Looking at You watercolor portrait project in The Studio. On Wednesday we’ll begin the project Punctuation Play where you can work the wiggle of a question mark or the curve of a comma into a unique design, September 14th – October 26th, free with Museum admission.
Do you have certain techniques or favorite art materials you use to teach painting to children in your classroom or at home?
Tags: Here's Looking at You
Posted in Activities, Infants & Toddlers, Painting, Preschool, Public Art Program | 4 Comments »
Saturday, September 10th, 2011
 Since the Studio’s approach is influenced by the philosophy of early childhood education in Reggio Emilia Italy, we’re super excited to share that Amelia Gambetti and Lella Gandini are presenting at The Carle A Day in the Life of an Infant Toddler Center and a Day in a Preschool in Reggio Emilia on Friday, October 21, 2011 from 6:30 – 9:00 pm
 What does learning look like? After viewing videos which are part of the traveling exhibition, The Wonder of Learning – The Hundred Languages of Children, participants will share reflections and discussion on the nature of learning. Guided by these distinguished educators, the focus will be on relationships, inquiries, materials, and spaces and how they support the “languages of learning.”
Before the program, there is an option to visit The Smith College Center for Early Childhood Education at Fort Hill.
Registration is required so please click here to visit our event page and learn more about this special evening. We hope to see you there!
Tags: Amelia Gambetti, Fort Hill, Lella Gandini, presentation, Reggio Emilia, Smith College Center for Early Childhood, The Wonders of Learning
Posted in At The Carle, Infants & Toddlers, Preschool, Professional Development, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Monday, September 5th, 2011
One of the best aspects of working in The Studio everyday is the unique opportunity to interact with visitors about the art they are making. The other day one of our “regulars” stopped by with his family to participate in our current Public Art Project, Here’s Looking at You. After he finished his painting he walked over to show me his painting.
I asked him to tell me about it and here he describes his process:
“I started by drawing a line around in blue and then in red and I put yellow in the middle but you can’t see it very well. Then I looked up in the mirror and painted what I saw.”
A little later I overheard him talking to his mother about it:
Mother: Is this your face?
Boy: Yes! [pointing out the different parts] This is my hair. These are my glasses.
Mother: I see! Is this yellow your skin?
Boy: Yes, and these are my lips.
He also showed her another painting of rainbows and symbols and explained to her what each mark was. I loved his mother’s response!
Mother: I’m so glad I asked you to explain because now I understand what you made!
Do you ever document quotes from your children or students describing their artwork or process? If so, how do you display and share evidence of learning in your classroom or home?
Tags: Here's Looking at You
Posted in Nurturing Creativity at Home, Our Approach, Painting, Preschool, Public Art Program | 1 Comment »
Thursday, September 1st, 2011
A few days ago one of our blog followers, Meg, posted a comment asking for more information on the foam printing activity we do every year as part of our four-day program, Animals, Art and Imagination here at The Carle. Check out the original post here (last photo). Keep reading below for steps on how to make your own.
Even if you don’t own a traditional printing press you can create small foam prints using a pasta machine at home or in the classroom. Foam printing has been one of our most popular activities over the years in classes and for special events. Since we go through so many plates here in The Studio we buy 9”x11” white styrafoam trays in packs of 50 and cut the foam into circles using a sharp X-acto knife*. A circle makes it easy for kids to carry and match up the edges of their print if they want to overlap multiple colors. No matter what shape you choose, just make sure the foam plate you cut fit through your pasta machine.
To etch marks into the foam we use ballpoint pens, clay modeling sticks, wooden dowels and bone folders. Light surface scratches will not show up so the trick is to make marks deep into the foam but don’t go all the way through the foam to make holes or cracks.
Carefully roll block printing ink or tempera paint over the surface of the foam plate. Avoid over-inking by counting 2-3 passes over the surface. More than that and you may gunk up your print or the pasta machine.
Press the plate onto a piece of drawing paper slightly larger than the plate but still narrow enough to fit through the press.
Crank the print through on the pasta machine’s widest setting and be sure to guide your plate and paper as it passes through the bottom. If the plate goes straight into the table it could crack or break. Young children can work together with an adult to print. Older children can print by themselves with help the first couple times.
Peel back the paper and you’ve got a print!
Try overlapping your original print in a contrasting color, or go back into your plate to make additional lines and marks before reprinting it.
Wet prints will dry quickly on a temporary clothes line strung below a table or have students stack their prints on a table to keep work organized.
I recommend this project for ages 3-5 yrs. with one-on-one help rolling and printing. Ages 6 + can roll and print by themselves but should have an adult supervise their rolling and printing technique. If you have several children doing the project at the same time setup two pasta machines and two inking stations on opposite ends of the room to prevent crowding.
*Note: Once the pasta machine is used with paints it should not be used with food. Instead of purchasing foam trays you could recycle trays from the grocery store. Make sure they’re properly sanitized before use. Of course if you don’t have a pasta machine prints can be hand printed instead.
For a similar printing activity, check out The Carle’s Activities page and click on “Printmaking with Foam”
Happy printing everyone!
Tags: cheap printmaking, Easy, printing, printmaking, printmaking activity, printmaking with children, printmaking with kids, prints
Posted in Classes, Elementary School, High School, In the Studio, Preschool, Printmaking | 3 Comments »
|
