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Tuesday, January 29, 2008

No Time

I'm currently at the public library and i only have 5 minutes remaining to use this computer. Just wanted to let anyone who might happen to read this know that I'm still alive. I've had a very hectic past few days. I'm currently looking for lesson plans to teach secondary colors to second graders. Wish me luck. I hope I do a good job!!!

No lesson plan or artwork post today. Not enough time!

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Native American Weaving!

I went and seen Troy yesterday at his house. I was hoping we would go to the movies or something, but the poor thing has done something to his back. When I got to his house, he was visibly in pain. So, we hung out at his house all evening and watched Batman Begins on FX. I had never seen it, and really enjoyed it. When I left his home late last night, his back seemed to be feeling a lot better. :)

Today I'm going to post an activity on Native American Weaving. I found this activity in a book called Art Projects by Design.

Materials need:

  • 6" x 9" practice paper
  • 6" x 9" cardboard
  • scissors
  • string
  • various colors of yarn
  • visual references of Native American weavings, especially patterns and symbols
  • pencil
Terms you might want to know:
  • Warp and weft
Directions for students:
  1. One 6" x 9" practice paper, choose a Native American symbol to draw. Make it large, but not so large that it touches the edges.
  2. Shade the back of the practice paper (this works the same as carbon paper) to transfer it to 6" x 9 " cardbaord.
  3. On 6" x 9" cardboard, mark off every 1/2 inch on two opposite sides and cut in on those marks 1/2 inch.
  4. To create warp, start with one corner cut with white string and go across the opposite cut, then to it's neighboring cut, then back across to the opposite cut. Continue until the string is in the last cut. The strings should go across the frong of the design and not the back.
  5. Use color yarn to weave into the design first. Tie onto white string, then weave over, under, over, under, and so on. (Note: I found that you don't always have to tie the string to the warp. You can simply tuck it under and if your weaving is tight enough, it will not come undone!) If weaving a line pattern, start at the top.
  6. To weave the background, use the same process but remember to weave around the last string of the design (if not, a hole will remain).
  7. Slip weaving off cardboard and tie tassels onto the loops where the white string used to be hooked on the cardboard.
Design element: Area -- color shapes
Art History: Navajo weaving for color shapes
Grade level: Intermediate

I hope you find this helpful or useful. I found that while typing it I got rather confused. Weaving is a rather simple process though, so have fun!

I officially begin student teaching tomorrow, so forgive me if I don't post as often as I should.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Monochromatic Paintings!

Nothing too exciting is happening in my life today (although I wouldn't mind going to see a movie, but I don't that that is going to happen), so why not talk about Monochromatic Paintings, and give a lesson about it???!!!

First of all, what is a monochromatic painting? It is a painting in which the color scheme is created from using shades and tints of only one color.

Here are a few examples of some monochromatic works:


Student Example



Blue Landscape #1 by Maria Bales; Shades of blue!



The Guitar Player by Pablo Picasso; Muddy browns and other muddy colors!

Now, here is something you can do with students regarding Monochromatic colors and paintings! I found this activity in a book called the Art Curriculum Activities Kit Grades 1-8 . You can buy it on Amazon here.

Materials needed:

  • 12" x 18" manila paper
  • white heavy paper, 12" x 18"
  • pencil and eraser
  • 4 baby food jars (or any other container)
  • popsicle sticks
  • tempera paint
  • masking tape
  • paintbrushes, various sizes
Directions for students:
  1. Draw a sketch of a landscape for your painting. It could be underwater, outerspace, or anywhere that you want it to be.
  2. Copy it onto your white paper. Any easy way to copy your sketch is to tape your first drawing under the white paper, tape this to a window, and trace the drawing.
  3. A monochromatic painting uses dark and light shades or values of only one color.
  4. Begin preparing your paints by filling two baby food jars each about one-third of the way with the ONE basic color you have chosen. To one jar, add nothing. To the other jar, add a small amount of black paint.
  5. Begin your third color jar by filling it about one-third of the way with white paint. To this jar add a very small amount of your chosen color.
  6. Make your fourth color jar by by filling it about one-third of the way with black paint. To this jar, add a small amount of your chosen color.
  7. Mix each color with a popsicle stick. You should now have four very different shades or values of the color you have chosen.
  8. You can now see that adding white always lightens a color, and that adding black always darkens a color.
  9. Using the correct sized paintbrush for each area, being to paint in the landscape.
  10. Try to use high contrast colors (colors that are light next to colors that are dark) to make the objects and shapes stand out clearly.
  11. If you run into the problem of an object or shape not showing up, you can outline that shape with a darker or lighter color.
  12. Remember never to paint next to a "wet" area. Paint in another part of the paper and come back to that area when it is dry.
  13. When working this small, it is best to hold your hand as far down the brush next to the bristles as you can because you will have better control.

Enjoy!!!

Friday, January 25, 2008

Home Sweet Home

So, I'm home for the weekend. It's so great to be able to sit here and watch Ghost Hunters on Tivo and actually have internet access. I am going to try to enjoy my last "free" weekend I have before I begin student teaching on Monday. I am having so many mixed feelings right now. At times I am excited to go, and at other times I'm completely terrified!!! What if I'm horrible?! I don't want to fail!!! *Sigh*

The weather is SO COLD. It was 16 degrees last night. I cannot stand this cold weather. If it's going to be this cold, it could at least snow enough for classes or something to be cancelled. Geez!!!



Here is Poppies by Vincent Van Gogh. He is one of my favorite artists. I love his brushstrokes and painterly effects. I also love his use of color.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Study Study Study Move Move Move

I feel so rushed right now. I am at the campus library. I've been in the process of doing homework for some two hours now. There are some stupid annoying people sitting next to me listening to music. DON'T THEY KNOW THEIR IN THE LIBRARY?! I have an exam tomorrow, and the next day, in the same class! Student teaching begins Monday . . .no more tests!

I am officially moved into my new apartment. Everything I own is in it, it's just kind of scattered. I probably won't get a chance to post on here until Friday night. I can't wait for the weekend. I am SO exhausted from all the moving and studying and homework.

So, yeah... bye. I will have more exciting posts soon, I promise!

Monday, January 21, 2008

New Beginnings

I got a new apartment today! Not much time to type anything. On a friend's computer for now. I just wanted to say that I'm super tired and super exhausted from all the moving!!! Time for dinner!

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Shop Til I Drop

My mom and dad took me shopping today to buy some "professional" clothes to student teach in. Money is tight, so I wasn't completely looking forward to the trip, as I normally would. To my wonderful surprise, we RACKED UP. I got four pair of dress pants and two shirts for not a lot of money at all!!! I love clearance!!!

I'm semi-looking forward to my new apartment search tomorrow. If anyone happens to read this . . . pray that I will find a good place to live. If I can't find anything, I really don't know what I will do.

I've been thinking about different ways I could make this thing here interesting. I know my writing is very informal, but that's the way I like it. I think since I'm all "artsy", if you will, I could post a daily artwork from a favorite artist of mine, or some days even lesson plans. I think it would be a good reflection of who I am!!!



Andy Warhol had some very interesting ideas on what good art was. What can you get away with?

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Confusion and Anxiety

Losing a friend is hard, but it's not that hard when you realize that for the past eight years that friend has manipulated, diceived, and basically just treated you bad. A person can only take so much, and I have reached my level.

Now, I am placed in a new predicament. I've got to find a new roommate, or get my own apartment. This is a lot of stress placed upon me, especially when in the matter of a week, I will become a student teacher. I already have enough on my plate, and now I have even more. I have some choices to make. I can move in with two strangers with affordable rent, or I can move into my own one bedroom apartment with rent that is a little bit high, but I think I can make it.

I'm leaning toward the one bedroom because I am so over the roommate thing. I won't have internet or cable, but I suppose I can always go to the library, right?

I just really need to do well this semester in order to graduate in May, so having a good place to live is definitely needed.