Thursday, September 18, 2008

Sock Puppets......

These funny critter are the latest creations complementary of Year 1 students. We were only allowed one session so the lesson was brief. Each student was presented with a sock, donated mostly by my fabulous hubby, usually due to holes.... It was then up to each student to allow their imagination do the work.

Animal Puppet Heads - Part 2

I thought the other Year 4 class deserved some adoration. Their puppet heads are progressing beautifully! They really are coming to life!!!! Check out the other class, if you haven't already. Both have really thrived in this activity, though i have to admit i will be very happy when i don't have to mix up anymore paper machie glue....

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Teacher Eater Pet Dragons...

For the last session this term with this particular year 2 class, I thought it was time for a little teacher eater pet dragon drawing. And yes, the magic scratch paper came out. We spoke about how fabulous it would be if we could have a pet dragon and they ate teachers? What the???? Yes well we all have a vivid imagination and here are some very interesting specimens.... Enjoy! I wish I had a child eating dragon...... hmmmm the dream lives on!

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Animal Puppet Heads....

These are the Year 4 student animal puppet heads. I asked each student to choose their favourite animal and off they went to construct. Now the puppet heads take quite a few weeks to create but are so worth the effort. It covers sculpture, puppet making, colour, construction, paper machie and design. Each student begins the journey with just a cardboard tube and the rest is a secret....... shhhhh and enjoy the various animal / monsters! The Year 4 students have done quite an amazing job. They have shown patience and perseverance too, which I have to admit is a nice change!

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Straws and more - Part 2

This is part 2 of the straw animal sculptures. I believe the other Year 2 class should get a chance to also show off their creative skills..... Some very fine examples indeed!
Above mice.....mice's to pieces!!!!Giraffes.....Birds in flight (above) dogs (below)....

Friday, September 12, 2008

Dinah the Guide Dog....

These very hairy and fury stick puppets were created by the Year 1 class. I read them the story called- "Dinah". Now Dinah is the story about the naughty Labrador puppy who is different. Dinah gets into all sorts of mischief and her mum warns her that ,"no one wants a naughty dog, who is different!" Eventually she is taken by a person who likes her difference. She is trained to be a seeing eye dog. Dinah then becomes the eyes for a blind man. So this different puppy becomes very special- a guide dog. As a class we discussed guide dogs, who has seen one and why we just don't go up and pat a guide dogs?- (Because they are working and could get distracted, they need to stay focused! as said by a Yr 1 student) The year 1 class was very intuitive and gave some very enlightened thoughts and comments. Then each student was able to create their own hairy Dinah puppet!!!Yes some "Dinah's" had more of the traditional colours and others were way out there. Some Dinah's had wool and some had felt coats. All Dinah's had eyes (some were goggle), as they are of course the eyes for the vision impaired.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Straws and more....

After last weeks session where the Year 2 students had to create an animal using only triangle shapes, this lesson was all about recreating that same animal using only straws. Now we spoke about how to attach straws using just them and also sticky tape. Student were able to cut straws to any length. The first photo high above we have a dog and puppy, just above we have a turtle and baby turtle.Not sure which one is the baby?Here above a mother and her baby giraffe with long necks, not too sure about the short legs though??? Heh Heh!!! Below the arachnids, mum and little spider, all with 8 legs!Above the very cute and precise dingo and her pup. Below cat and sweet kitten.Lucky last below is the fishes, look at the tails and fins. Way out there!!! Students at first thought it was going to be a tough task, but then really got into it and with a little patience won over! Don't you think?

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Shadows and Silhouettes

I have been playing with a new concept for the Year 6 classes. I was thinking about silhouettes and shadows. What one sees when blinded by the sun and all that you get it a black shadow. You need to put enough detail into the shapes to explain what one sees without the lines. No pencils or lines allowed, which is quite a challenge. I think that with the tissue paper it gives a great contrast not only because of the basic colour but also because you can achieve different gradations of colour , which gives an added dimension. Pure shapes and pure dreams.....

Friday, September 5, 2008

For the Love of Dad....

For the last session of the week and the most well behaved class I have ever had the pleasure to teach, the Year 1 class was thrilled to be able to draw a portrait of dad for Father's Day. Some morphed into a "family" portrait rather than just a sole portrait of dad, but no matter, they were delightful. We spoke about the things that made dad different and special. Some dad's had beards, wore glasses, had blue eyes and some had a moustache like mine does!
Magic scratch paper is just fabulous to used. The students find is amazing and are over joyed to use it. Just don't touch it till the drawing is complete!
This dad above must be a stunner! Happy Father's Day all you dad's out there!!!

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Triangles and Animals....

This is what you can find if students are given triangles. This session was all about finding different shapes and sizes using triangles. The triangles were not allowed to overlap and the triangles had to create a whole animal. Here are some colourful creations....above a mouse, just so, so, so clever even down to the triangle whiskers! The mouse has also taken a bite out of the cheese in the bottom right corner; of course there is a triangle bite!!!!
-A puppy dog, even though she only has two legs???-A bigger canine, at least we have four legs here! And below a fish even down to the colourful scales, swimming between the seaweed......

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

A New Oil....

A "new" oil in the works. I am terrible, I am in the process of still finishing the two larger ones I have. You see with oils, they really do take so long to dry and i like to apply the paint in layers as a technique. Even though I use a drying medium, it still takes forever to dry. How does the saying go- as much fun as watching paint dry!!! Yes; well I can vouch for that!!! So I get antsy and begin a new one while I wait. Don't worry I always finish what I begin, it just take longer sometimes.....especially in oils. Hang in there I will post when I get it closer to completion.