More kids making artists trading cards

 

I  taught a day of art day school at the Memorial Art Gallery during February recess. We dedicated this day to a day of making Artists Trading cards. I love teaching this art lesson.. one of the many things that i love is that there is no wrong way to do it. As long as the card is 2.5 by 3.5 inches and you trade it-- It' s a trading card. I explained to students the difference between an ACEO which is a original 2.5 x 3.5 inch card that is for sale and not for trade.. We had a little "test" where I
held up several items and asked them if it was an artist trading card of not and how it could be one..

The other thing I really like about artists trading cards for kids is that it is a quick project it hold there attention span for just long enough and you can move on and make another.. I challenged students to make 11 cards within a 2 and 1/2 to 3 hour time. I presented a materiel and how to use it and then let kids loose to make their own.. This time we used Bristol board, watercolor paper, and some of the kids made fabric cards which I ironed a fusable interfacing onto white cotton blend fabric that I had. I also used a very old box or playing cards that I found in my parents basement. We sanded the protective coating off of them them colored with markers on the card.We also had some scratch art cards to make our own images on.

We got some plastic trading card sleeves for kids to keep their cars in and I gave them a template to make their own envelopes to keep cards in.

I first showed kids how to use colored pencils then how to use paper punches and aluminum foil. I showed them how to use watercolor along with sharpie and or crayons.

This students was really into Doctor Who can you tell?

Something Fishy

 I was in for a art teacher whom I have been subbing for for some time now.. I had to fill in for her for a few days the assignment was to create ocean creatures and sea life.  The students had several step by step drawing books to look at and  we watched several National Geographic clips for inspiration on the large classroom television monitor.  Several students wanted to include sharks, other options were squish fish and octopus. As the assigment progressed I rounded out the requiremnts to create a more complete compostion within the sea life drawings. I encouraged students to include plants and to vary the height and type of plants.I created an example poster and  put the requirments on it. I also demonstrated how to blend and high light the colors on the sea creatures using colored pencil and Art Stix. I reminded student to consider light source even though the scene is underwater.

Valentine's day heart tracer drawing with kids

 I created a bunch of  heart shaped cardboard cut outs out of thin chipboard sheets. The student pick one or two and using marker trace them to the hearts delight. Student's were encouraged to fill the page and let the negative space show in between the tracings. Other variations on this drawing are to trace one heart onto construction paper and cut out the one heart to make in contrast with the other traced ones

Show of Handmade Valentine's cards This Friday!

 I found out through  My Facebook friend John about this little show of handmade valentines day cards at Black Radish gallery and custom frame shop in Village Gate.He had submitted some stuff and I having made lots of little Valentine day ACEO's wanted to submit a few.. so I submitted one necklace two ACEO's and one hanging valentine which sold! The Show titled "LOVE Spam focused on using old ads from the 1950's of Spam and that it was a "no waste food" That said, artist's were encouraged to use recycled materials and bits and pieces and scraps of things.... The cards ranged in media and materials some 1958 Wilton cake cardboard's were used, lots of magazine collage's some wonderful hand drawn images and lots of bikes and kitties as a theme. There was a heart with little cupid angels that made awesome use of Tootise Pop and earth Balance wrappers.

The cards are still available for purchase through  Tuesday so if you don't have you Valentine's day card yet and you are in Rochester stop by  Black Radish at Village Gate and pick one up!



Love Spam at Black Radish this Friday