Paper Marbling

This week there were a few 4th, 5th, and 6th grade classes that worked VERY hard to complete their projects- which means we had time to experiment with paper marbling!

First, you have a little circle of paper called "float paper" in a tub of water. Then, you drop various colors of ink on the float paper. The paper causes the ink to stay on the surface of the water. You can create various designs with the floating ink. To transfer the ink to your paper, you simply drop it on the surface of the water and lift it up. The beautiful marbling designs are then printed on the paper!

Students carefully dropping ink onto the float paper. If the ink falls onto the water, it will just sink to the bottom.

Once the ink hits the float paper, it spreads across the surface of the water.

You can then create beautiful swirled designs with the ink.

After creating the ink designs you want, you simply drop the paper on top of the water and lift it up!

The results are this beautifully marbled paper!

I cannot stress enough how well these students worked together to create their marbling designs. What a great team-builing activity!

Keep Creating!

- Mrs. Hartford

String Art

The 6th grade class just finished working on their string art circles! I wish I would've taken pictures as they were working because they worked so hard on these. They had 3 designs that they could choose from, or they could create their own. 

The traced their cardboard circles and punched the holes to sew in. Then, they used embroidery thread and tapestry needles to sew their designs.

This was a time-consuming project and I'm so proud of them for sticking with it. 

The results are beautiful!

I cannot stop staring at these. Beautiful!

Keep Creating!

- Mrs. Hartford

Op Art

4th and 5th graders learned about OP ART. 

Op Art: A form of abstract art that gives the illusion of movement by the precise use of pattern and color.

The students created their designs with pencil, traced them with sharpie, and then added SHADING using colored pencils.

The students shaded with COMPLEMENTARY COLORS, or colors that are OPPOSITE on the color wheel.

The finished projects look AMAZING! The students loved seeing how their designs popped once they added shading!

Monochromatic Self Portraits

At the beginning of the year, every student in my 4th, 5th, and 6th grade created a MONCHROMATIC self portrait. 

We tried to brighten up the hallways of the school, and start the year off by WORKING TOGETHER.

We are VERY excited for the new school and can't wait to display our artwork there!

Keep Creating!

- Mrs. Hartford

ROY G BIV

Kindergarten learned about Mr. ROY G BIV and how he helps us remember the order of the colors of the rainbow.

We learned a song about ROY G BIV. 

Careful, it's pretty catchy and is often stuck in my head ALL DAY!

Here's the link for the song: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf33ueRXMzQ

The students learned how to mix the color indigo by mixing blue and purple paint in baggies.

We had rainbow strips of paper and tested ourselves by trying to put them in the right order.

We cut out a head, drew a face, and glued down his CRAZY rainbow hair!

Keep Creating!

-Mrs. Hartford

Mondrian and Primary Colors

Kindergarten classes learned about the artist Piet Mondrian.

We talked about how he used STRAIGHT LINES (vertical and horizontal). We learned how he only painted with PRIMARY COLORS: red, yellow, and blue (or ketchup, mustard, and sky... a fun way to remember the primary colors ;) )

To get the straight lines, the students traced a rectangle template, turning it different ways to create different sizes of squares and rectangles. 

After creating our lines, the students chose different shapes to color. Remembering to only use our primary colors!

I love how their projects all turned out different. 

Some students chose to color a lot and some only colored a little. 

This project was a great way to learn about different types of lines, primary colors, and a famous artist!

Keep Creating!

-Mrs. Hartford

Room Tour

Hello! Welcome to Mrs. Hartford's Art Room!

I'm ready for a great year of learning and creating. :) 

In January we will be moving to the new building (YAY!!), but in meantime I'm preparing my temporary classroom for the start of the new school year.

Here are some pictures! A little "Virtual Tour" of the art room at Central Elementary.

 The colored paper on the backs of the chairs corresponds with the art jobs.

Here are the art classroom rules!

Basic supplies are on the shelf ready to use.

Don't worry...this is not everything! We've got colored pencils, oil pastels, charcoal, chalk pastels, mixed media, and SO MUCH MORE ;)

The classroom rules and incentive sticker chart. 

I can't wait to see this chart full of stickers at the end of each semester!