Kindergarten Art Projects
Kindergarten art introduces children to art, beginning with abstract art (so that they do not develop a fear of not being skilled, but can enjoy the process and fun of art. They are introduced to all of the art materials, with specific focus on appropriate and SAFE use of tools and media (materials). Some realistic work is done, but in a directed drawing method to help them gain drawing skills. Self reflection is done nominally at first and then students are introduced to a simple rubric in the Spring.
1. Abstract Line and Watercolor Wash Paintings
2. Paper Collage a la Piet Mondrian
3. Joan Miró Modern Paintings
4. The Color of Emotion Triptic or Quadriptic Paintings
5. Circle Paintings a la Kandinsky
6. Warm/Cool Color Farm Drawings
7. Tempera Turkey Paintings
8. Parent & Child Pastel Portraits
9. Native American Totem Pole Sculpture
10. Abstract Sculpture
11. Patriotic Symbols Collage
Kindergarten art introduces children to art, beginning with abstract art (so that they do not develop a fear of not being skilled, but can enjoy the process and fun of art. They are introduced to all of the art materials, with specific focus on appropriate and SAFE use of tools and media (materials). Some realistic work is done, but in a directed drawing method to help them gain drawing skills. Self reflection is done nominally at first and then students are introduced to a simple rubric in the Spring.
1. Abstract Line and Watercolor Wash Paintings
2. Paper Collage a la Piet Mondrian
3. Joan Miró Modern Paintings
4. The Color of Emotion Triptic or Quadriptic Paintings
5. Circle Paintings a la Kandinsky
6. Warm/Cool Color Farm Drawings
7. Tempera Turkey Paintings
8. Parent & Child Pastel Portraits
9. Native American Totem Pole Sculpture
10. Abstract Sculpture
11. Patriotic Symbols Collage
Abstract Line and Watercolor Wash Paintings--The students were introduced to the art element of line. They were also introduced to artists, Hokusai, Klee and Kandinsky, after which, they used eight types of line to make abstract paintings. The students learned the technique of watercolor washes over oil pastel. It's fascinating how every student approached the concept in a different style. I always begin the year with abstract art to free a student up from the anxiety of perfection as an artist. They learn to revel in the creative process right from the start.
Joan Miró Paintings--The students learned about the modern artwork of Joan Miró and created their own paintings, a la Miró, of themselves, family and pet(s), and the sun. They learned how to create shapes with lines they learned and alternated colors within the shapes. This project really honors a kindergartner's developmental level of drawing and makes everyone feel like successful artists.
Mondrian Paper Collages--While looking at works by Piet Mondrian, students learned about the Elements of Line and Color. They learn straight lines and vertical and horizontal lines, as well as rectangles and squares. They are introduced to the Primary Colors of Red, Yellow and Blue, in addition to black and white. Using the technique of collage, they compose a composition of these elements.
Circle Paintings a la Kandinsky -- Students continue their study of line and shape by creating watercolor and oil pastel circle paintings.
Color of Emotion Paintings—The students learned about the Element of Color and how artists use lines and color to express emotion. They also explored how many artists paint to music because they feel that music also expresses emotion. Students looked at work by Helen Frankweiler and Wassily Kandinsky in exploring this concept, as well as read Dr. Seuss's last book, "My Many Colored Days," illustrated by Fancher and Johnson. Students listened to various pieces of classical music then drew and painted to the music, responding to the emotions they heard, through the use of line and color and body movement while they worked.
Tempera Turkey Paintings — Students explore blending primary colors to get secondary colors, in a addition to the appropriate use of a palette, while creating large tempera paintings of turkeys.
Warm & Cool / Day & Night Farm Drawings — In keeping with their farm studies in homerooms, students learned to draw farm animals and structures with emphasis on the Art Element of SPACE, incorporating techniques of perspective into their drawings as able. They then did a warm or cool watercolor wash over their work to show how colors would look if on the cool side or the warm side.
Animal Habitat Collages a la Eric Carle—The students learned about the technique of collage using shape to create lines and shape with painted paper to create animals in their own habitats.
Parent and Child Pastel Paintings—The students learned about portraiture and how the mother and child has been depicted throughout history and by different cultures, including those by Picasso, Cassatt and Tanner. Students discuss how culture has informed history in the predominance of mother and child paintings. Students then created their own parent (mother or father or grandparent, etc.) chalk pastel paintings while learning the proportions of a face.
Patriotic Collages of USA Symbols—The students learned about patriotic USA symbols in homerooms, and we practice them in art through drawing, painting and collage. They paint in the flag using fine motor skills and brush skill, and they follow directions on types of lines when drawing (through teacher directed drawing) the statue of liberty and the bald eagle. The seal, liberty bell and 50 states are colored pencil and copper paint projects to learn color and texture related thereto. The students learn about balance in creating a collage composition with their symbols on black paper then add fireworks.