One of the fifth-grade art-curriculum objectives is to create a relief print. In this era of budget cuts, the author was looking for a way for her students to meet this objective by making colorful prints without using a lot of expensive printing ink. She knew she wanted to use a rainforest animal theme, as well as share the colorful art of Henri…

In this article, the author discusses the different two- and three-dimensional art forms. She also describes the different media that can be used in these art forms.

Vocabulary can become tedious and a chore if it is approached as such. By making art terms and vocabulary meaningful, students will remember and use them for years to come. In this article, the author describes two vocabulary review projects that work wonderfully and create great works of art: (1) cursive creature rubbings; and (2) bubbling bodies…

Foil can be shaped into almost anything--it is the all-purpose material for children's art. Foil is a unique drawing surface. It reflects, distorts and plays with light and imagery as young artists draw over it. Foil permits quick impressions of a model or object to be sketched. Foil allows artists to track their drawing moves, seeing the action…

As hands-on environmental observers, children use printing to save and share "treasures" they find. In this article, the author shares thoughts which are based on observing what children find valuable and worth saving, and the printmaking processes used to "lift" images from their finds.

Gustav Klimt was born in Vienna in 1862. At age 14, he received a scholarship to the Vienna Public Art School. After graduating, he painted realistic portraits and later began to paint landscapes. Klimt was best known for creating a style known as Art Nouveau, in answer to the Industrial Revolution of the early 20th century. Art Nouveau was a…

Teachers can help students become more fluent and confident in creating their own art, as well as being consciously aware of the art elements--line, color, shape/form, texture, space and value--when they view the art of others. In this article, the author reviews and defines the characteristics of each element separately, basic elements that are…

Claude Monet and the Impressionists were the forward thinkers and painters of their time. They used quick brushstrokes and a rapid pace to capture lively outdoor scenes. Inspired by the colors and shadows revealed by sunlight, the Impressionists typically worked outside, without many preliminary sketches or drafts. This was in direct contrast to…

Autumn is a colorful season--with the brilliant yellows, oranges and reds against the evergreen trees. It makes sense to incorporate the beauty of season into art projects, and it provides an opportunity to integrate natural science into the lesson as well. Literacy was also incorporated into the lesson, as the author introduced this printing…

After creating fish-themed art works for the school's Evening of the Arts, the school moved onshore. In Florida, a tropical climate and casual dress is the norm, so students are familiar with Hawaiian "Aloha" shirts. To begin the lesson, the author displayed several Aloha shirts across the front of the art room. She then gives a quick…

What excites the author the most is finding something new and turning it into a lesson her students will enjoy and learn from. Lately, she has been most inspired by the work she finds on one website. The lesson began with a brief PowerPoint based on an artist's website. This particular artist--Jennifer Schmitt--does reduction prints using several…

When one creates an artwork, the "ingredients" are the elements of art: (1) line; (2) color; (3) shape/form; (4) texture; and (5) value. How they are used makes up the principles of art: (1) balance; (2) emphasis; (3) proportion; (4) movement; (5) rhythm, repetition and pattern; (6) variety; and (7) unity. Students will gain a better understanding…

Most students enjoy the printing process. Some may have experimented with printing in the past using found objects or cutouts made of cardboard. In this article, students create a design on a pie-shaped piece and then repeat it to make a radial design.

This article profiles Romare Bearden (1911-1988), one of the most talented American artists and well-known and influential African-American artists of the 20th century. An acknowledged master in many media, Bearden was especially innovative and preeminent in the medium of collage and printmaking. A native of North Carolina, he grew up in Harlem…

Look for ways to take students on virtual journeys to faraway places, and then connect the experience to something they can relate to on a more personal level. In this article, the author describes a block-printing unit inspired by Japanese printmaker, Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), and his series of art prints, "Thirty-six Views of Mount…