Art Projects for Primary School Students by Raquel Redmond
Chroma2 paint, from Chroma Australia has been used in this painting tutorial.
Art Technique
Assemblage and PlasterAge Group
6 to 14 years of ageConcept
Students create and shape a 3D construction using recycled materials. Students create an observation drawing of their sculptures based on concepts such as colour blending, tone, overlapping and space.Sessions
3 sessions of 1 hour and 30 minutes eachRoom arrangement
Group desks in lots of four to create space in the centre and cover desks with secured sheets of plastic or single sheets of newspaper.
Materials
- 1 tall, plastic empty spool or a 35cm cardboard tube inserted and glued on to a clay base per student, see picture (4)
- 2 rolls of masking tape per group of four
- 1 pair of scissors per student
- 1 x 2 litre bottles of Chroma 2 paint in the following basic colours: white, black, warm yellow, cool yellow, warm blue, cool blue, warm red and cool red per class
- 1 #10 + 1 #4 hog hair paint brush per student
- 1 polystyrene ball per student
- 1 bag of ping pong balls, approximately
- 30 per class
- Approximately 3 kilos of plaster bandages cut up into 3 x 3 inch strips or a 10 kilo box of plastic bandages ‘MOD ROCK’ distributed over 3 classes
- 1 food tray per student (fish and chip trays are ideal)
- 1 A3 sheet of cartridge or brown paper per student
- 1 piece of willow (natural) charcoal per student
- 1 – 2 boxes of oil crayons per group of four
- A rag per student for cleaning
- 2 plastic containers for water per group
- 2 ice cube trays for paint per group
- 1 piece of paper each for mixing colours
- 1 roll of kitchen plastic wrap to cover paint trays
- 2 small newspapers to cover tables
- 1 paint shirt or art smock per student
- 1 bucket with soapy water
This project has been design to suit normal classroom conditions and illustrates how the classroom can be adapted to create working space required.
This project has been designed to suit normal classroom conditions and illustrates how the classroom can be adapted to create working space required.Paint notes
Paint spilt on garments will come off when washed by hand. Rinse the garment in cold running water and rub the area where the paint has dried. Soak for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight in a laundry tub or a bucket, add 2 table spoons of laundry detergent and enough water to cover the garment. After soaking, rub off the remaining paint in the sudsy water and hey presto... a clean shirt!
Introduction
This construction project offers students an art experience in three dimension with a wide range of creative possibilities such as individual expression, experimentation and exploration using a variety of recycled materials in combination with plaster and paint.
Objective
Create a free standing sculpture gathering and joining materials such as: plastic, wood, cardboard and metals to construct a sculpture.
Visual References
The sculptures of Alberto Giacometti and Pablo Picasso. The architecture of Antoni Gaudi’s with focus on the Towers of ‘The Sagrada Familia’ church in Barcelona. Visual references can be obtained from the school library or the internet.
The project described in this tutorial focuses on Gaudi’s towers and on how the architect found ideas in nature—for example trees, flowers, wheat ears, palm leaves and herbs to create mystic symbols. However, many other ideas and artists can be explored in developing a project like this.
This project involves assembling different materials with masking tape and plastering with plaster bandages or ‘MOD ROCK’. Depending of the age group, two or three parent volunteers should be invited to help in the classroom when working with young children from six to eight years of age.
A list of recycled materials should be sent home to the parents, see sample list below. The choice of recycled materials will depend on the age group of the students.
Before starting the project, proceed to sort all of the recycled materials into the tray compartments or into small boxes, with the help of the students, divided into small groups or parent helpers, if working with very young students. (1)
Examples of recycled materials
Cardboard tubes 35 cm long, old texta pens, paddle pop sticks, wooden pegs, small pieces of cardboard, paper towel cylinders, empty match boxes, corrugated cardboard, plastic straws, all kinds of seed pods, small sticks, old ping pong balls, small pieces of wood, small shapes of metal, old pipe cleaners, different sized pieces of plastic (bottle lids for example), corks, discarded CD’s and small computer parts, a couple of newspapers.
List of Recycled Materials.
Motivation
To prepare the students to focus on their ideas, gather them in a group and encourage them to talk about the art reproductions (visual references) on display by asking questions. Base your questions on the steps of art criticism.(2)
Describe – Materials, what is the sculpture made of? (wood, plaster, clay or stone).
Purpose – Is the construction/sculpture made for religious purposes? Is it made to show the artist’s emotions/feelings?, Is it made to decorate a place?
Location – Where is the sculpture found? In a church, a gallery, a park or a private room?
Analyse – Visual characteristics, what kind of lines, textures, colours and shapes has the artist used? What kind of sculpture is it? (realistic, expressive, distorted, simplified, exaggerated).
Judge – Do you like this sculpture/construction? Why?
Procedure
Room set up – To create a space suitable to work in groups, sharing the art materials, arrange the desks in groups of four or six and cover with newspaper secured with masking tape. (3)
First Session
Assembling and plastering
Demonstrate how to assemble the different materials into a tower, or into a human figure (if you choose to do a figure). Using masking tape, show the students how to join the different bits to a central pole. (4)
Note: the central pole can be created with a piece of cardboard tube and clay base inserted with PVA glue onto the clay to make it stable if plastic empty spools are not available. Place recycled materials centrally on the table for students to share.
To avoid a wet mess on the tables set up the assembled construction on plastic food trays lined with newspaper. Apply plaster bandages pre-cut into 3 x 3 inches approximately, (in a similar manner to paper maché) by submerging the plaster in water and then applying holding with two hands on to the assemblage ensuring each bandage overlaps and is smooth. (5)
After the plastering is done, store the constructions in a pre-selected area of the room and instruct students to place all of the left over assemblage materials back to the trays.
Clear the tables, roll up used newspaper and discard it. Return the room back to resemble a normal classroom.
Second Session
Painting
Follow the same procedure by grouping the desks, covering with newspapers and setting up each group with the paint contained in 2
or 3 ice cube trays with all the colours suggested. Provide 2 or 3 water containers per group and each student with a piece of scrap paper to mix colours, a piece of rag to wipe paint brushes, a medium sized paint brush and a small paint brush. (6)
Demonstrate – Gather students in a class group and demonstrate how to mix more colours, how to paint big areas of colour first and then how to paint patterns and repetitions like
lines, circles, dots, swirls, over the big areas of colour using the small paint brushes. (7)
Allow the entire session for the students to paint their sculptures. When finished, display them in the allocated place, clean up, and if time permits gather the students in a group and reflect with them about the experience so far.
Third Session
Follow the same procedure for room set up and gathering the students in a class group to discuss further ideas about drawing and technique.
Drawing
This session involves drawing of the sculptures set up in a group in the middle of each group of tables.
Demonstrate
Show how to draw their sculptures on to A3 cartridge paper or any other A3 sized paper. Draw with charcoal and start by drawing first the sculpture in front of you, then the one on the left, and the one on the right, finally draw those which sit toward the back explaining overlapping and size diminution to create space. If working with children from the age of 9 to 14 years of age.
Demonstrate how to apply oil pastels by practising blending. (8)
Note: There is no need to fix, spray the charcoal drawing before applying oil crayons.
1. Found and recycled objects sorted into trays
2. Discussing ideas with students
3. Room arrangement
4. Assembling materials together with masking tape
5. Sit the assemblage on a tray and apply the plaster
6. Arrangement of art materials
7. Painting sculptures
8. Applying oil crayons to charcoal drawing