Lessons
Hello Fellow Artists!
Welcome to our Elementary Art site. Every Monday I will post an art activity for you. Please remember to have fun and always use your creativity.
The best way to reach me is at dcassels@smasd.org I will be checking my email periodically from 9-3 Monday-Friday. I will post comments and answer questions on the Art Comments/Questions page. You can find it from the drop down arrow or the button at the bottom of the screen. Everything will be anonymous.
What is art? Art is a creative activity that expresses imagination or technical skill. Art is a way of expressing feelings, and thoughts. Art is also a way to record history.
Who decides if art is good or bad? You decide if art is good or bad, knowing as much as you can about art and knowing about the artist can sometimes change your mind. Some people let “authorities” decide for them, but you should decide for yourself.
What can art be made from? Art can be made from absolutely anything.
This is a piece of my artwork, titled, Pelican. It was a lot of fun to create. I used watercolor paint, acrylic paint, crayons, and colored-pencils, I pressed in bubble wrap and scaped with cardboard and combs, just about anything I could get my hands on.
Medium can be the type of art (painting, sculpture) or what material(s) were used to create the art. Mixed media is when more than one main material is used. My painting is considered mixed media. Tell what medium(s) you used when your post this week.
SHOW YOUR ART TALENT!
Post any of your artwork from the past or create something new. Maybe you have made a model car, or can paint your fingernails in a creative way, maybe you’ve sewn something, or made something from wood.....any type of art, we want to see it! Don’t forget all the art careers we learned about.
It is all up to you, you are the artist, do it your way!
Click the button below to go to the Virtual Art Show and post.
If you posted an art talent on the Talent Show, you can still post here, but you don't have to.
Check back next week, for the link to join in drawing cartoons.
VIRTUAL ART SHOW
If you would Ms. Cassels to read this lesson to you click on the orange triangle above.
Week 7 May 11 - May 17
Wow! I am getting such wonderful, creative artwork! Keep up the good work!
Art is all around us, it is everywhere we look, our clothes, our toys, our houses, our cars, our furniture, our magazines, television, our food wrappers, it is everywhere!
When you think of what career you would like when you grow up, have you ever thought of a career in art? Even though art is fun there are many art careers.
It is difficult to think of a career that would not benefit from art. Creativity allows us to progress, with inventions and new ideas. There are many careers that may not be considered art careers but that benefit from art. For example, dentists benefit from having art in their background when they sculpt or build a filling. They need manual dexterity, which means they need to be able to use their hands well. They need to match the color of crowns to the color of your teeth. These types of things and the benefits of developing creativity are true for veterinarians, engineers, and the list goes on.
Your assignment is to look at the photos below, which are just a few art careers. then look at the list below the photos describing some art careers, select one, and create a piece of art related to that career. Each one has an example, however, you are the artist, do it your way!
Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright, Falling Waters
Fashion Designer: Christian Siriano
Illustrator: Norman Rockwell, Saturday Evening Post
Industrial Designer: Concept Drawing for Buzz Lightyear
Which art career would you choose?
Architect- designs buildings, you can design a building by drawing it, or build a model.
Interior Designer- designs and/or decorates the inside of buildings, you can sketch a room in your home and create a new design for it.
Plastic Surgeon-does surgery to change the shape or appearance of a part of a person’s body, you can find a photograph of a person in a magazine, cut it down the middle, glue one side to a piece of paper and draw the other side.
Graphic Designer- does many things, among them is to create designs for advertisements, posters, magazines, websites, etc., you can design a new cereal box or a candy wrapper.
Photographer – takes photographs for all kind of things including books, advertisements, events, etc., take a photograph with your computer and try to capture something beautiful or interesting.
Illustrator- does two-dimensional art for books, magazines, web sites, technical designs and advertising, you can make a new cover for your favorite book.
Medical Illustrator-draws for medical purposes, a medical book or instructions for physicians or patients, you can draw your hand holding something.
Animator/Game Designer- creates moving pictures and visual effects or video effects, and animated movies, you can make a flip book, or draw something in motion.
Art Teacher/Professor -teaches others about art, you can make up an art lesson, if you want, try teaching it to someone.
Fashion Designer-Jewelry design-designs clothing or accessories, you can design a new outfit or a piece of jewlery. Try using something for inspiration, like an animal or a sunset.
Movie set design, costume design, special effects designer, lighting , cameraman, director, videographer-there are a lot of art jobs associated with movies, plays and sporting events, you can design a costume or draw a backdrop for your favorite play or movie. You can make a video movie.
Furniture Designer-designs furniture, you can design or make a model of a new piece of furniture, like a bed you would like to have.
Fine artist, sculptor, painter- professional artists paint, draw, sculpt and usually sell their work, some take orders for art that people want, like maybe a portrait, you can ask someone what they would like for you to draw or you can create what you want and give it to someone.
Industrial designer-comes up with the designs for all kinds of products, they are part artist, part engineer, you can design a new car or a new toy.
There are more art careers: printmaker, art director, marketing manager, cake decorator, floral designer, urban designer, photo journalist, art therapist, event planner, and many more.
Post your artwork on the Virtual Art Show. Please add your art career when you post your artwor. You can click on the button below to go to the Virtual Art Show page.
VIRTUAL ART SHOW
Week 6 May 4 - May 10
If you want Ms. Cassels to read the lesson to you click on the orange triangle above.
Art can influence people, artists can say things or tell a story without words. Look at this piece of street art by an artist known as Banksy. It is called, Girl with a Balloon. Bansky is an artist that is alive today, but keeps his identity a secret, which means, no one knows who he is. He painted this on a cement wall, outside. The red balloon symbolizes hope, dreams and love. We have to interpret what we think the artist is saying, we don't know if the girl lost the balloon or is letting it go, maybe like a gift to the world. The words, "There is always hope" was written underneath.
You may have heard the song “Lean On Me", maybe even in the virtual music class this week. It is a song about being there for each other. Listen to the song by pushing the white triangle in the middle of the picture, below. You can even sing along, the lyrics are below the picture.
"Lean On Me"
Sometimes in our lives
We all have pain, we all have sorrow.
But if we are wise,
We know that there's always tomorrow.
Lean on me when you're not strong
I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need somebody to lean on.
Please swallow your pride
If I have things you need to borrow
For no one can fill those of your needs
That you won't let show.
You just call on me, brother, when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on.
I just might have a problem that you'll understand,
We all need somebody to lean on.
Lean on me when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need somebody to lean on
You just call on me, brother, when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on.
I just might have a problem that you'll understand,
We all need somebody to lean on.
If there is a load
You have to bear
That you can't carry
I'm right up the road
I'll share your load
If you just call me.
Call me if you need a friend
Call me, call me, uh-huh
Call me when you need a friend
Call me if you ever need a friend
Call me, call me
Call me, call me
Call me, call me
Call me, call me
Call me if you need a friend
Call me, call me
Call me, call me
Call me, call me
Call me, call me
Call me
Your assignment is to create a piece of art showing your emotions when you listen to this song. Maybe you think about a special person who has been there for you when you needed someone. As the song says, “we all need someone to lean on”. Maybe you have been that person someone needed to “lean” on. Be creative and tell a story with your art and show your emotions with your artwork. You can include words if you want to.
Try doing it in black and white, and make only one part in color, make the colored part what you want people to notice the most, like Bansky did.
See how many different values you can use, black is one, white is one, but there are a lot of different grays between those two. Value is the lightness and darkness of a color, there are many values between black and white. Below is a value scale showing a lot of grays between black and white. See how many you can put into your artwork.
May 10th is Mother's Day, if there is a woman in your life that has been there for you, mom, grandma, your guardian, step-mother, or whoever is special to you, wish them a Happy Mother's Day. Your artwork would make a nice for gift for them!
Post your work on the Virtual Art Show. Go to the Virtual Art Show page by clicking on the button below.
VIRTUAL ART SHOW
Week 5 April 27 - May 3
If you would like Ms. Cassels to read the lesson to you click on the orange triangle above.
This week we have a STEAM lesson, remember STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math, taught though art. We will be looking at science and art today.
Have you ever seen a rainbow? Rainbows are one of the natural beauties of the world! You are very lucky if you see a rainbow, because everything has to be just right, you have to be in the right place at the right time.
Here is how it works: Color comes from light. All colors are in sunlight. After it rains some water droplets are left in the air. When sunlight passes through one of those drops of water, the drop of water acts like a prism. A prism separates colors. When the raindrop separates the colors, you get a Rainbow!
The colors in a rainbow are ALWAYS in the same order, they are: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple.
An artist’s color wheel is used to see how colors work together, and it follows the colors of a rainbow. Below is a color wheel, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple.
Bonus, just for fun, (not required)- If you want to know more about rainbows, click on the link below.
Here you can see how rainbows are actually a full circle, and how double rainbows are created. There is a lot of weather information and other interesting science information there for you to explore.
Paul Klee was born in Switzerland in 1879. His father was a music teacher and his mother was a singer. His art was influenced by his musical background. He also used unexpected materials, like canvas and cardboard or foil and fabric for his artwork.
He started every picture with an abstract mark—a square, a triangle, a circle, a line or a dot—and then allowed that to evolve. Here is one of Paul Klee’s paintings, called, With the Rainbow, do you see the rainbow?
Your assignment is to start with a line or a shape, it can be on paper or built with anything you want, like Paul Klee did, and create a piece of art with a rainbow in it. You can use any materials that you want. Do it your way!
Click on the link below to hear music from Johann Sebastian Bach, that influenced Paul Klee. After you click look for the tiny triangle to start the music. You can listen while you create your art, or turn on your favorite music for inspiration.
Listen to Brandenburg Concerto No. 2: Movement 1
Post your artwork on the VIRTUAL ART SHOW. I have added a VRTUAL ART SHOW FOLDER . Use either the Folder or the Padlet, whichever is easier for you.
Use the drop down arrow or the button below to go to the VIRTUAL ART SHOW page.
VIRTUAL ART SHOW
If you want Ms. Cassels to read the directions to you press the orange triangle above.
Week 4 April 20 - April 26
The Getty Museum is a famous museum in California. They have asked people to recreate famous pieces of art with whatever they have at home. Look below to see some examples of what people came up with. They are funny and very creative, just have a look and enjoy. You can try it if you want to, and post it on the Virtual Art Show if you want to, but this is not your assignment.
Your assignment this week is to post your family art that you created last week. Post it onto the Virtual Art Show. Go to the Virtual Art Show page by clicking on the drop down arrow or on the blue stip below where it says VIRTUAL ART SHOW. Directions are on that page. This week is just to get used to posting your work so please take your time and read the directions carefully. While you are there, scroll down and look at some of the great artwork from fellow SMASD elementary school artists.
To the people who already posted: WOW, I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed the wonderful artwork. The creativity has blown me away!
If you did post last week please check to be sure it showed up correctly, I will change your name to your initials for privacy reasons, but I need you to put your name on it when it is submitted to me., your grade and school will also show up. Remember, I said no faces and no last names, not even last names on the artwork. I do need your first name, last initial, grade and school. If you do not have All this information you may not get credit. I will change your name to initials only. If your picture is not showing up you may have had your last name on the artwork or you may have had a problem uploading. If it is an uploading problem, try clicking on the camera instead of the up arrow and taking a picture, or if the camera will not load, go out of Padlet, take a photo then upload it.
Bonus art work is always available on the main Elementary Art Page, click the drop down arrow or the blue bar below where it says Bonus Work. This is just for fun, not required. You can post your bonus work to the Virtual Art Show too, if you want to, just be sure to write bonus when you submit it.
VIRTUAL ART SHOW
If you want Ms. Cassels to read the directions to you click on the orange triangle above.
Week 3 April 13 - April 20
Let’s learn about a new artist!
Mary Cassatt was born 174 years ago in Pennsylvania, but lived most of her life in France. She liked to paint mothers with their children. The painting above is called Young Mother Sewing.
Mary Cassatt was an impressionist. An impressionist paints a picture that looks like they had just caught a glimpse of it. Look at the close up, you will see that there is not a lot of detail. But there is a lot of color.
Families come in all shapes and sizes.
A family is a group of people united by being related to each other or by choice.
Your art assignment is to create you and a member of your family, or your whole family by drawing, painting or by building using any materials you want. If you want you could try to paint in the impressionistic style that Mary Cassatt painted in. Be creative and do it your way! If you have pets don’t forget them, they are part of the family too! There are some photos for ideas below. Remember you can use one of the drawing boards on the Resources page if you want to, but don’t forget to save your work for our Virtual Art show!
Next week we are going to start our Virtual Art Show: Save your artwork from this week, we will be entering that into the show.
Your assignment for next week is to enter your work in the Virtual Art Show, however, if you want to enter it this week you can: Go to the Virtual Art Show page, (use the down arrow at the top of the page to get there). There are directions for the Virtual Art Show there.
Look below for ideas on creating you and your family member. Remember, you’re the artist, do it your way!
If you want Ms. Cassels to read the directions to you, press on the orange triangle above.
Week 2 April 6-April 12
Hoppy Easter!
TEXTURE
Today we are going to work with texture. Texture is the way something feels, hard, soft, rough, bumpy, etc.
Look at the painting below. The title of this painting is Young Hare. A hare is in the same family as a rabbit but they are bigger, and look how long the ears are! Young Hare was painted by Albrecht Durer, from Germany.
He used watercolor and and a paint called gouache. Gouache is a paint that is opague, which means you cannot see through it.
Look closely at the fur and how soft the rabbit looks. There is a close up of the fur below the photo of the hare.
Do you want to know how Durer painted it to look so real? First he sketched it very lightly. Then he painted layers with transparent watercolor. Transparent means you can see through it, so you can see the layers on top and the ones underneath. Then he created the soft texture of the fur by adding light and dark lines with watercolor and gouache. Watch my video in the flipgrid to see a demonstration, just click on my squirrel.
Your assignment: Can you find something with a soft texture and draw and/or paint it to look soft? You don’t have to do it like Albert Durer did, but of course you can if you want to. We are all different artists, so do it your way! It doesn't have to be an animal, anything soft is great. You can use any art materials you have or use one of the drawing boards on the Resources page.
*An important note: You can save your work on sketch io, you cannot on AutoDraw. However, you can share on AutoDraw, (see directions on the Resources page).
If you want to show me your work, click on the flipgrid below, look for my squirrel to see the demonstration then click on the green plus sign and show me your work. I would also really like to know what you think of the fact that this painting was created 518 years ago, so why do you think people are admiring it and still talking about it?
Hoppy Easter!!!
( this flipgrid has expired)
- l will not be posting this flipgrid, it will only be seen by me. Save your work because we will be posting our favorite art work later. A Virtual Art Show!! if your are using the drawing boards I have added directions on the Resources page on how to save your work.
Directions for the flipgrid:
Click on the link that says flipgrid
- Type in password (it is case sensitive) email me if you do not have it
- Click on the large green plus sign
- Push the red camera at the bottom when ready to record, it will say 3,2,1 record
- Say and show what you want
- Click the green arrow when finished
- It will let you see it, then click the green arrow again
- Then you to take a selfie by clicking the red camera at the bottom
- You can decorate yourself with stickers that will pop up on the right, you can even pick drawing and draw your own
- Click green arrow
- Fill in name, email is optional
- Push submit
Here is a close up of the fur, can you see the layers Albrecht Durer used to achieve this soft texture?
Week 1 March 30 - April 5
This week I just want you to browse the Elementary Art site. Take as little or as much time as you want. To get to the Resources page go to the drop down arrow next to Elementary Art or you can click on the button below. No response required this week.
You can also check out Mo Willems on the main Elementary Art page. You can access this by the drop down arrow or the Mo button on the bottom of this screen. You can draw along with Mo every weekday if you want, he changes the lesson at 1 pm every weekday.
Right under Mo Willems on the main Elementary Art Page there is a list of ideas, "What can I do now?" It will give you some optional art activities. There is a drop down arrow above or a button below.
The Endangered Animals page is under construction for 4 th and 5 th graders, more about that later.
Resources...
Comments and Questions