Homemade Watercolor Paint!

I just discovered something wonderful.... homemade watercolor paint!!

This would be perfect to make this week while the kids are home!

I made a batch for our wonderful neighbors, and it turned out better than expected, so thought I'd share.  The best thing about this is that I had all of the ingredients already at home, and the colors turned out beautifully bright!

Ingredients -

4 tbsp. baking soda

2 tbsp. vinegar

1/2 tsp. corn starch

2 tbsp. corn starch

food coloring

I made a double batch which perfectly filled 12 muffin pans 1/3 of the way.


Mix the baking soda & vinegar together (Science experiment time!!) I used a 2cup Pyrex with a spout.  Wait for the fizzing to stop and stir with a fork.

Add the corn starch and corn syrup and slowly stir until starch has dissolved.

Pour evenly into containers - I used disposable cupcake pans, but any small cup/jar will work 

(Baby food jars would be perfect!)

Add dips of food coloring. I added 4-8 drops, depending on how vivid I wanted the color. 

Red always needs more. 

YAY!! Let sit to dry overnight... Sorry, this is the tough part!!

When they have hardened, start painting!

Let me know how they turn out!

Winter Break Art Activities

While the kiddos are home for break, here are some fun Art activities to keep them busy and creating!

Holiday Hanging Stars

I love these and have several hanging at home! A little parent help is needed with younger kids.

Snowflake Collage

These just look wonderful!

Mod Podge Jewelry

There is something for every age on here!

101 Simple Handmade Gifts

So many beautiful handmade gifts.

I will be working on a watercolor painting series and a few jewelry pieces. 

I would also love to hear about any other Art made over break.

Be safe and make stuff!

See you January 2nd!

1st & 2nd - Clay Birdies

So sweet are these little birds!

We kneaded and rolled our clay. To roll slabs, we use 1/4 inch wooden boards to roll the clay evenly. 

Students cut out half circle templates to trace in their clay. We poked holes for legs and feathers that we added later. 

After firing in the kiln, liquid watercolor was used to add bright color to the birds. 

We used wire, yarn, and pipe cleaners to add legs and feathers.  

Sweet little birds!

7th & 8th - Printmaking Critique

Art room tree

Yesterday morning was our I heART the Holidays Critique and Art Celebration (and sugar rush)!

Here are a few pictures of our wonderful 7th & 8th graders talking about their beautiful artwork from our Printmaking project!


















We use a variety of critique formats for each of our projects. This time around, students presented their 4 prints to the whole group of 7th & 8th graders. After describing their design and color scheme, we opened it up to peer comments. Students based their comments on the Principles of Design (balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, pattern, rhythm, & unity).

Have a safe holiday!

More Art to be made when we return! :)

7th & 8th - Printmaking

7th & 8th have spent the last several weeks on a printmaking project. We centered this project on the Quaker SPICES that we uphold at our school -

Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, & Service

Students spent time brainstorming in the sketchbooks visual images that they associated with these concepts and sketched several ideas. They were encouraged to look deeper at the role that each of these plays in their own life and select one of the SPICES to focus on. Students used the iPads to search visual references that would later inspire their work.

After a series of sketches, students refined their drawings to a completed image that they transferred onto our printing blocks.

In their sketchbooks, students used markers to clearly label the positive and negative space - the negative space being what they would later carve away.

Carving the blocks.

Thanks to the wonderfully easy-to-clean surface on our Art room tables, we rolled the ink directly onto the tables... which was a big hit.

When ink was rolled out and made that magic "clicky" noise, it was rolled onto the blocks.

Printing!!! Ohh the color possibilities are endless!!!

We experimented with a variety of colored papers and inks. Students will each select 4 of their finished prints to hand in.

Critique on Tuesday!

Here are a few finished prints!

Caitlin

Christopher

Ellie

Jessica

Kailey

Kindergarten - Clay Snowmen

Kindergarten really the oil pastel snowmen that we made, so while thinking of a clay project, we continued the snowman theme. 

We kneaded the clay to get out the air bubbles.

Rolled the clay into balls

We carefully made sure that we had three different sizes, a good proportion lesson.

Students learned how to score and slip their clay, using the "clay glue" to hold their pieces together,

Snowmen were assembled and details were added using clay tools. 

Happy snowmen waiting their turn in the kiln... not knowing what their fate would soon be......

SNOWMAN AVALANCHE!!!

Well, one of the important lessons to learn with clay is to not get too attached to your creation.. it just might explode. 

We'll revisit clay after the holiday break and make some more!