Kumihimo

Kumihimo is japanese braiding.  Kumi means "coming together" and Himo means "threads".  I was told this was first used by the samurai to bind their armor to thier bodies.  Using a braiding disk with 8 slots, and 7 strands, my students made cool friendship bracelets.  a great website for 16 strand kumihimo is http://www.homemade-gifts-made-easy.com/ .

Starry Starry Night!

This started as a sub plan.  Our 4 floors look like a starry night!

 

Basically, I printed this template off, and photocopied it with scrapbook patterns on the other side. Each student needs 5 templates. ( for me, that  750 copies!)  They cut, score, fold, glue.  Then we hang. Here are the steps on the instruction sheet I give to every student.  The student copy included an image from the original website. 

5 Point Star Directions

1.   Cut and Score.   Cut five shapes using the template. Use the paper template as a guide and score along the fold lines to give crisp folds. I used an empty ball point pen.

 

2.  Fold. Fold along the lines and glue the long edge together. This forms one point of the star. Repeat until all five points have been formed.

 

3.  Assemble the star.  Now it's time to start assembling the star! Take two points, run a line of glue or double sided tape along one of the inverted 'v' edges of the open part of the point and attach this to the next point as shown.

 

4.  Finishing.  Attach the final point to complete the star. This can be a little fiddly, so it is best to attach one side of the final point, before attaching the remaining side.

http://rubberstamping.about.com/od/projects/ss/Paper_Star.htm

Trippy Painting!

Painting in the blacklight is always an enjoyable experience for art students.  Nearly any project with color and paint will do, but I find that mandalas are an easy way to work.  Get flourescent tempra from Dick Blick, and go to town!  I let the sets dry out, and students can use them like watercolor.  (saves a lot on waste, espically with this rare and expensive resource)  All it takes is an investemnt in the system.  I have two fixtures with four bulbs (would love to double this) The radial design was created using a small template that was repeated.  Here is a website with similar procedures.

 

Student Labor in Painting an accent wall?

Saw this wicked cool pattern on a wall at a local restraunt.  My classroom is too plain. It would be awesome to get this type of embellishment at school.  Maybe if each student did one, we could get an accent wall done?  Not sure yet...

Best place to meet wierd people?

 I think it is the public library. This guy was set up in a room at the library, bonking on these giant xylophones (sp?)  He was very nice and let Ollie make some music. They are pretty! He is working on getting ones put in public spaces like parks!  great idea! Good Luck big guy!

Jazzing up the art room

 easier said than done.  I'm spray painting the legs of my stools bright colors. Start by spraying white, let it dry, then spray a bright color.  Alone (plus a toddler) it took me 2 1/2 hours to finish 10 of 30.  I am tired.  I need to let art club help me finish.  Then somethign fun for the tops?  Acrylic painting of master art works?  What do you think internet?

Art Club Mural

We are painting a GIGANTIC wall in the Band room with a giant grafitti style "Band".  Here is part of the process. 

NASHVILLE!!!

Took our son to audition at his future college in Nashville, and got to go around the city a bit!  Here's photos from the American Pickers Nashville store!  and on Broadway, a parody of Grant Wood's American Gothic!  Fun!

Clay LOOMING Over my Head!!!

I thought making clay looms would be awesome.  They could be. They should be. They will be.  They are not yet.  We have 150 students in art right now, and I had 50 break before they went into the kiln, and I'm not sure if the rest will make it. Thanks to a couple of staff who helped on an early out, we made up 25 more, and they are still to be fired.  And all glazed, before we can even think about weaving.   When we do, Ill update.  Here's what we have so far...

It is a slab technique.  I made a frame like this one for cutting slabs quickly, from something I saw on Pinterest.


then we use rollers to apply texture, and used a template to trace the opening and loom holes.
Flip it over, put name on it.  Set it on paper towel on a clay board to dry.  Put in kiln, fire, glaze, fire, and string up the weft.  weave between.  see this website for great details.