Our Andy Warhol Soup Can Projects | Food Drive

We have been very busy creating fun and vibrant POP art in Kindergarten through 4th grades. The project started with the 1st graders doing a Warhol style creation using their hands. Here's the link to that past blog. They were very eager to do more Warhol style work, so we reviewed our colors by coloring a Warhol Soup Can page using only warm or cool color. This coloring practice and review really helped them observe the shape and lines of the writing on the can. They moved onto trying to sketch on their own; a cylinder drawn with a ruler, included block lettering, and they could color their own crafted can in any color scheme of their choice.  The kinders had fun doing the same project. Their drawings were curated by third grade students. The ones they chose will be on display at an upcoming event.

The third and fourth graders took a more direct observational approach by analyzing their cans and trying to draw the correct perspective of a cylindrical soup can on 4"x5" piece of paper. Plus, they tried to sketch the label type. We also discussed how a 3-D form can appear rounded on a 2-D surface. You'll notice our Warhol inspired cans have shadows and shading. The lesson objectives are:

• to create a can that is cylindrical with a realistic perspective- using a ruler on the straight edges
• clearly paint a shadow and shade the can accurately
• trace three identical copies (portrays the "mechanically made" element of pop art)
• keep writing, painting, etc extremely clean and neat in the style of graphic, pop art
• choose the right tool for the task ; size of paint brush, paint versus colored pencil, size of sharpie pen
• select a frame/background for the completed work that enhances, not distracts, from the art piece
• peer critique using a grading rubric - must offer tips and suggestions for negative scores
• overall craftsmanship

I can't wait to publish their finished pieces of 2x2 soup cans created in Warhol's style. They are fantastic!!! 

Second Graders are doing the same as above. However, they are not tracing the three copies and are using larger 8x11.5 sized paper to sketch and paint on. The also were given the choice to directly copy the soup can label or use it as inspiration and design their own labels. Many couldn't resist branding the soup after themselves.
The following are all 2nd grade art works.

Stay tuned for more completed pieces as the students finish up. Each grade is having a chance to curate another grade. They are learning to talk the language of art by critiquing and choosing the pieces that will be on final display.

Peer Critique

I am enjoying assessing the students peer critique one another. As they complete their Warhols, the students are randomly paired up to swap work and critique one another's pieces using a grading rubric with the learning objectives listed out. They are encouraged to offer support and tips or suggestions on how to improve if they have given a "thumbs down" review. If a student can spot the pluses and minuses of a lesson, they are telling me they understand cognitively what the skills are. I can compare that with his/her actual work. If the work is missing some of the elements, perhaps some more time teaching the technique would be valuable for this student or the student needs to slow down and apply more effort to his/her own work. They have quickly learned that giving all :) happy faces is not useful and could actually hurt their friends by not offering helpful suggestions. This is their opportunity to correct their assignments before turning in to be graded. 

Art + Community

This project naturally led to include our community in a soup based food drive. We collected just over 400 cans of soup and others have donated non-perishable items to help support the drive. At a later event, we will be using the food drive to center our theme and teach the importance of art and its positive impact on a community. Every student is experiencing how one person can make a difference and when joined with others making a difference.....it's big! 

A special thank you to all the families for generously donating to help those in need in our community. We are currently at 450!!!!

Andy Warhol Elementary Art Lesson

Our school-wide Andy Warhol project is well underway. They have enjoyed learning about Warhol and really enjoy his graphic, bright, and popular subjects. The kids say Warhol would have painted Justin Bieber, Salina Gomez, and Spongebob, if he were still alive. Warhol's famous screenprinting style can be found everywhere, including a phone app called Popstamatic. It's free, super easy to use, and gives Warhol quotes while your image is being Popstamaticized. I am always trying to offer a home + technology extension for extra credit. Let your child take a photo using the app, "Warholize" it, print it or post to our Facebook page wall. They love seeing eachothers' photos online.
The kinders through 4th are creating graphic, "mechanically" made, flat and brightly colored pop art creations. We have 400 Warhol inspired hands and soup cans being created.

As an Art + Community extension, I thought it would be a wonderful lesson to share our project with our city by donating our "models" to a local food bank. 400 cans of soup to help feed the hungry and 400 students learning to extend kindness and generosity to others in need. Thank you to all who have opted to participate in this community extension.

SECOND through FOURTH GRADES

We are learning: Pop Art style, process of "mechanically made" art, graphic design, shape, form, value, typography, and craftsmanship. They will be graded on:

• Neatness of Lettering
• Cylindrical Shape
• Shading and Shadows
• Painting Techniques
• Overall Craftsmanship and Effort

Stay tuned for future updates with final pieces and step-by-step photos for all the grades.

FIRST GRADE _ WARHOL HANDS
We are learning: Pop Art, graphic art, and "mechanically" made art. Cool and warm colors, complementary colors, primary colors, cutting from the "inside" versus the "outside" of a shape (this was rather challenging for some of the students), painting, gluing neatly and with the appropriate amount of glue, overall craftsmanship.

KINDERGARTEN - WARHOL COLORING
We are learning: Pop art, slowing down and calming down to create better art, staying within the lines, using warm or cool colors, color opposites. Advanced students are studying the shape of the can and free-hand sketching it and the label.

Pumpkins at Night

As a follow up to the color wheel lesson, we pulled out the paints for some primary color mixing for an autumn themed drawing and painting lesson (inspired by DeepSpaceSparkle's Sparkle Pumpkin blog) We started with a reading of The Littlest Pumpkin by R.A. Herman. Many of the children had read this story at home or in their regular classroom but we read it with a focus on the shapes of the pumpkins. We compared and contrasted the colors and shapes of some real pumpkins in class and began drawing after a quick lesson in creating a more life-like shape.

Time for Painting
The kids were given only yellow and red watercolors to learn to mix orange and its various shades and hues. We also discussed painting by following the direction of the shape to help with the realistic curvature of the subject. Some of the children were ready to move on so they were given a blue pod and encouraged to make green and add leaves to their pumpkin.

We completed the paintings by cutting them out and pasting onto black construction paper. Then we added the night with sparkling stars, moons, owls, etc. For students, who were wanting to discover another medium, I pulled out the fall colored fabrics for them to create fabric leaves for our pumpkins to rest upon.
I think the first graders did a wonderful job and this was their very first time painting in art class at school!!

Art at Home | Art in the World

There are many great resources out there to bring art from the classroom, to home, to the world. This post will share a few different links to a variety of topics; contests, art shows, science, and culture.

Brainstorm about what culture is. You will notice most of the 4th graders related culture to their ethnic heritage. However, many did not know what was unique about their ethnic heritages. 

We have begun a very exciting project for our K-12th graders; a collaborative art show with many artists including our very own art educator, advocate, artist, Tia Flores and the internationally known arts writer and activist, Lucy Lippard. The project, Mixed Blessings Symposium, focuses on culture and our environment. Some of our students will be presenting their art work in this show. Our students have been contemplating their cultures and sharing the unique differences and similarities of each of them.

As a home extension, here is a link to a PBS lesson from the children's show, Maya and Miguel, that encourages celebrating one's culture with family. The lesson is from episode #114, Family Time.  Create a "cultural collection" with all your family members.
More information on Mixed Blessings will be blogged at a later date.

ART CONTEST
Ms. Braik's Geology Club is participating in a wonderful art extention sponsored by AGI, "Imagine Me, An Earth Scientist". It's open to anyone, so even if your child is not in Geology Club, visit the site for contest entry form. Submissions must be postmarked by October 19th.

Art and Neuroscience
CNN recently published a great article, "What the Brain Draws From: Art and Neuroscience" which discusses the tricks that artists have developed for centuries to fool our perception and the importance of color.