hand contour drawing Sticky post

Hand Contour Drawing

Hands are a tough subject.  My students eyes get wide when I say we are going to focus on drawing hands from life. This hand contour drawing unit requires tons of guided practice and lot’s of encouragement along the way. Hands are a great subject matter because they are so approachable, easy to come by, and are an incredible tool to communicate ideas, emotion and … Continue reading Hand Contour Drawing

sculpture lessons that are not clay Sticky post

Seven Sculpture Lessons That are Not Clay

This post will describe my favorite seven sculpture lessons that are not clay. Building a 3D program with a variety of processes and materials can be challenging. There are budget constraints and sculpture supplies can be so expensive. Some of the techniques can be intimidating and I don’t always have a lot of experience with certain media. Flashback to the time I bought a bunch … Continue reading Seven Sculpture Lessons That are Not Clay

art history warm-ups Sticky post

Art History Warm-Ups

This post will describe (in detail!) my practice of daily art history warm-ups. These prompts help students develop their art interpretation and art criticism skills and it’s a wonderful opportunity to investigate a broad range of artists consistently. Students also develop their art vocabulary both by writing and participating in verbal discussions. This practice is a classroom management game changer and helps establish a daily … Continue reading Art History Warm-Ups

Memory Linocut Artwork Sticky post

Memory Linocut Artwork

Linocuts are such a fun way to explore line, shape and personal expression.  Students (mostly) love the hands-on process and the magic of pulling prints.  The physicality of carving keeps students engaged and the final results are often a beautiful surprise. This memory linocut artwork provides great results and helps student practice using their personal voice. Materials for Linocuts ***This description contains affiliate links to … Continue reading Memory Linocut Artwork

Monochromatic Pet Portraits Sticky post

Monochromatic Pet Portrait

Monochromatic pet portraits teach the basics of painting while giving students ownership of their subject matter.  Pets are a subject matter that consistently bring happiness to students and allow them to focus on realism and blending value and color.  We started by practicing blending shades and tints using a set of primary base colors.  I like to start with grayscale so they can see how … Continue reading Monochromatic Pet Portrait