Wonderland Flowers

Just in time for Mother's Day, these Wonderland Flowers bloom year round and don't require watering!  These images show several styles of flowers and you should b cr8iv with the shapes, textures and designs of your flowers, but the directions below will give you a basic idea of how to get started.

Start by making a pinch pot (roll a sphere of clay, push in your thumb, pinch around the sides) that is the general size you want your flower to be.  Scratch the entire inside of the pinch pot bowl with a tool.  Now start making your petals with your extra clay.  You can flatten small slabs of clay and cut them into your petal shape, you can roll coils of clay to create more spiny petals or you can slap small pieces of clay onto the table to stretch them into a petal shape--it's up to you, experiment and see what works best!  Now scratch the backs of each of your  petals and attach them into the pinch pot, layering them around as you go.  You can continue to layer them all the way into the center or you can create a small pinch pot and scratch-to-attach it on upside down to create the center of your flower.  Don't forget to experiment with different textures, sizes and shapes for your flowers. When you're finished building them, you'll need to put a hole in the bottom that is slightly larger than the rod you'll attach later.  I use 3/8th" steel rods for my flowers.  Let your flowers rest in bowls to help them  keep their shape as they dry.  Once you have bisque fired, glazed and glaze fired your pieces, you'll want to attach them to your "stems".  Choose your metal rods and clean them well, they will probably have a greasy residue that will need to be cleaned for your adhesive to stick.  I like to use a  putty epoxy for attaching the flower to the rod. It comes in two parts that you knead together, attach to your piece and it hardens in place.  It can be sanded, drilled and painted, so its a great choice for attaching the flowers to the stems.  I like to make a sphere of the putty and push it onto the tip of the rod, then push that into the hollow space of the flower, then I make a coil of the putty and wrap it around where the two come together and blend it in just like its clay.  Let the putty set up and then you can paint it to match your flowers.  You can make a perennial garden where no two flowers are alike!

!!!B CR8IV!!!

Textured Pods

This is a great classroom challenge project for working with texture.  You can also make this as small or as large of a challenge as is appropriate for your classroom.  This can also be done over the course of a few sessions if needed too.  First I discuss texture with my class; what it is and how it can be created by pushing into clay and by adding onto clay or a combination of both techniques.  We look at shells, pine cones, stones etc...  We also doodle with a little bit of clay to think of different ways we can add on texture or what objects we can use to push into the clay to create unique textures.

Then the challenge:
Create 5 hollow pod forms (two pinch pots scratched-to-attached together) that are all a different shape.
Push in two unique textures on 2 of the forms.
Add on two unique textures on 2 of the forms.
Use a combination of push in and add on for the last form.
HINT: Adjust the numbers on this to fit your students level

Next create a tray or bowl (this could be a simple slab or a large pinch pot) to hold all of your textured pods but don't scratch-to-attach them to the container.  Be sure to poke a hole into the hollow space of each of your pods so that they don't explode in the kiln and then let all of your parts dry well and bisque fire them.  When glazing allow your students to paint the entire surface of each form and the surface of the container for them.  When they are in the glaze firing the pods will fuse to the container you have made to hold them and will create an interesting piece of abstract art.  Be inspired by natures forms, textures and colors for this project.

!!!B CR8IV!!!

Paper Roller Coaster Sculptures

These roller coaster sculptures are super fun to make and a way to teach the art of  line to any age level.  You'll need a lot of drywall shims, they are available at hardware stores and are basically thin strips of cardboard that are about 2 inches wide by about 4 feet long.  The bonus is they're cheap too!

I start by giving examples of lines found in artwork both 2-D & 3-D, we may practice a few on paper as well.  Next I give students at least 3 cardboard strips and a selection of oil pastels.  You can use markers or paint here, but I like the brightness of the oil pastels on the dull cardboard surface and I don't have to wait for paint to dry.  Another option is giving them a coat of white paint first and then painting or drawing on them with your chosen material, if you have the time.  Have students use the oil pastels to color in the strips with 6 different types of lines (one for each side of the 3 cardboard strips), using lots of colors and experimenting with lines.  Once all of the strips are colored, let students experiment with 3-D lines by bending, twisting and folding the strips.  Eventually connect them with a stapler.  You'll need at least 2 well positioned staples at each connection point, maybe more.  Some of the younger students need help with this part, but I've done this with kindergarten and it worked just fine.  Encourage students to look at how they are connecting them together and what their overall sculptural form is becoming.  Have them play with what is the bottom of their sculpture, sometimes they look more interesting turned upside down.

HINT: Some of the little guys like to turn these into sculptural hats by making a loop in the strip that fits their head, it's a little crazy looking but fun!
HINT:  You can have students connect all of their individual sculptures together to create a group classroom sculpture and they are light enough to hang from the ceiling if you need the space.

!!!BCR8IV!!! 

Totem Poles

Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest have been carving totem poles for generations, this clay project exposes students to the traditional techniques and symbolism used by the carvers.  Start by showing students examples of totem poles and the symbolism of the animals used in the poles.  Generally the animals in the poles tell a pictorial story, this can be a way to incorporate a writing project with an art project in your classroom.  Once students have chosen their story or their choice of symbols and animals, its time to build.

Start by giving students 6-8 ping pong sized spheres of clay (one for each animal).  Have students break off a little bit of the clay and start by shaping the body of the animal, typically it will be round or oval shaped, then use the extra clay to make the body parts such as legs, arms, wings, tails, facial features etc... don't forget to scratch to attach on all the parts well.  Use tools to create details like scales on a fish or claws on a bear.  Once each animal is built, you will need to cut a hole from the top to the bottom of each animal, I used a thin wooden dowel.  The top animal of the totem pole only needs the hole to go in about halfway so that you don't see the dowel poking out the top of the totem.  Be sure to make the hole slightly larger than you think you'll need because clay shrinks when it dries and is fired.  Next, fire all the pieces, glaze them and fire them again.

Once all of the pieces are finished, its time to assemble them.  I use cut blocks of 2x4's for the bases, it's good to pre-cut these then have students write their name on the bottom and sand them smooth with sand paper.  I also pre-drill a hole into the center of the base the same size as the dowel that you'll be using to stack your totem.  Squeeze a little wood glue into the drilled hole and slide in the dowel.  While the glue is drying, have students wipe the sawdust off the bases and then paint them.  I used a black acrylic paint, but you can use any color you'd like or have students use markers to color them in so you don't have to wait for the paint to dry.  Once your base is ready, start sliding the animals onto the dowel, hopefully you've made the holes large enough and they all fit easily.  If you have trouble with fit, you can either use a smaller dowel or use a Dremel tool with a grinder bit and grind the hole in the animal larger (this can take some time!).  When you add the last animal on the top of the totem pole, put a little glue into the hole and fit it on snugly.  If the dowel is too long, just cut it to the correct height with garden shears, then glue on the top piece.  Have students share their totem story with the class!

!!!B CR8IV!!!

Gustav Klimt's Tree of Life

Begin by showing Gustav Klimt's Tree of Life mural and some of other his other paintings to students and discuss his repeated use of gold and patterns in his work.  Have students find patterns in his work and practice drawing them with markers on paper.

To build the tree, give each student at least 10 pipe cleaners that are about 12" long (color doesn't matter here).  Have students stack the wires in a bundle and twist them together in the middle of the bundle to create the trunk of the tree. Leave some wires splayed out at the bottom for roots and about 5" of wire left for the branches -little hands may need help with this.

For the roots, divide the 10 wires into small groups of 2 -3 wires, twist those and then divide them up into groups of 1-2 wires and twist the groups of 2 until you have just little wire ends left.  The idea is to have the roots look like they are going from thick to thinner and thinner pieces.  The branches will be created the same way, separate the wires into small groups and twist, separate them in to groups again and twist.  When you get to the end of the tree branches, use a pencil to wrap the end of the wire around to create the spiral that is used frequently in Klimt's paintings.  One all of the branches have been formed, take the time to arrange them so that the spirals are visible and the tree should start to balance standing.

Next, give each student a small block of wood for the base of the sculpture, have them sand it down and use hot glue to attach their trees to the wood.  Have students put their names on the bottom of the wood.  Using gold spray paint, paint the trees and wood completely, and let dry.  Last, have students use Sharpie Markers to draw on their Klimt style patterns onto the block of wood.

!!!B CR8IV!!!

Chihuly Seaforms

Artist Dale Chihuly makes amazing and beautiful abstract forms out of glass.  This project mimics his series of Seaforms.  I use expandable wire mesh from Dick Blick Art Supplies  and have students cut a circle from the mesh or pre-cut your circles for younger students.  Then you can stretch, bend and shape the mesh into your seaform. 

Next students tear up small bits of tissue paper in the colors of their choice, then dip them lightly in watered down white glue and started wrapping it around the wire forms. If the paper gets too soaked, it will start to fall apart and can be really frustrating to work with, but if its just wet enough to make it stick, it should go on smoothly.  Make sure that students cover every area of the wire mesh and that the tissue paper is flattened smooth against the form; a brush can be helpful with that. It can get a bit tricky and sticky, so I always have a damp rag for each student to wipe off their fingers.  I also find that its best to cover one side of the form and let it dry and then come back for the second side.  As the glue dries, the shape will stiffen.  When the entire form is covered I have students paint a thick coat of Modpodge over the surface to seal the paper and to give a bit of gloss to the surface.  When finished the seaforms with be semi-translucent if displayed in the window.  These pieces could also be displayed for an art show hung from the ceiling like Chihuly ceiling at the Bellagio Hotel. 

!!!B CR8IV!!!

Build A Better Burger

My students LOVE this project!  We've created realistic burgers like the one pictured here and also themed ones-like bug or candy burgers.  My students imagination's run wild with ideas of what kind of burger a mermaid might like to eat, maybe seaweed lettuce and starfish cheese!

To create these realistic pop art burgers I have students start at the bottom and work their way up and usually I require them to have 6 or more layers to their burger.  Each item added is shaped by hand or using tools to give each piece unique texture.  I encourage students to be creative with what they're adding on-squirts of ketchup, pickle slices, maybe a side of fries.  I have students stack but not attach them together.  The only item that is actually scratched-to-attached on is the sesame seeds.  Once bisque fired, each item is still separate which makes each item easier to glaze.  After all the items are glazed, they are re-stacked and when glaze fired, the glaze will fuse the pieces together where ever they are touching. 

!!!B CR8IV!!!