2 Soul Sisters Art Ed is a blog dedicated to art teachers seeking innovative and practical art education ideas. We offer a variety of engaging lesson plans, complete with photos and examples to inspire your classroom activities. From creative projects to effective teaching strategies, our blog provides valuable resources to enhance art lessons and foster student creativity. Explore our site for fresh, easy-to-implement art projects and tips to make art education both enjoyable and educational.
Saturday, August 31, 2024
Bertie, the Art Room Therapy Dog
Friday, August 30, 2024
Clay Cats
Clay cats were a big hit with the 4th graders!
Here’s how it went:
I rolled out slabs of clay and cut them into rectangles for the bodies.Then, I cut circles for the cat faces.
The kids cut out pieces for the legs.
They learned to slip and score to attach everything.
After I fired the cats, the kids painted their creations.
I finished them off with a spray of Krylon Crystal Clear Coat for a glossy look!
Thursday, August 29, 2024
Exploring Art with Grant Haffner: The Road Trip Vibe
In our recent art lesson, we learned
about an artist named Grant Haffner. His artwork is all about colorful lines
and the feeling of being on a road trip. We had so much fun getting into the
road trip vibe while making our own art!
Who
is Grant Haffner?
Grant Haffner is an artist who creates
amazing pictures of long, colorful roads. He uses bright lines and bold colors
to show what it feels like to drive down a road, especially during sunrise or
sunset. His artwork is inspired by road trips, where you drive for a long time
and see lots of different places along the way.
What
is a Road Trip?
A road trip is a fun journey you take
in a car, usually with family or friends. You drive through different areas,
maybe past fields, forests, or even mountains. It’s all about the adventure and
the excitement of what you’ll see next! Grant Haffner’s art captures that
feeling—the open road stretching out in front of you, full of possibilities.
Our
Art Project
For this lesson, we used 9 x 12 paper
to create our own road trip scenes inspired by Grant Haffner. We focused on two
main things: lines and color. We used lots of straight and curvy
lines to show the roads and added bright colors to make the skies and
landscapes pop.
We talked about how the lines help
lead your eyes down the road, just like in Haffner’s work. The bold colors we
used helped bring the feeling of adventure to life, making our pictures look
lively and exciting—just like a real road trip!
Why
We Loved This Lesson
This was such a fun project because it
let us imagine going on our own road trips. We loved using color and lines to
create that sense of movement and adventure. It felt like we were capturing the
energy of a journey, just like Grant Haffner does in his art.
By learning about his work, we saw how
art can express a feeling, like the excitement of exploring new places. We
can’t wait to take more artistic “road trips” in the future!
A fantastic resource for this unit is located here:
https://www.arttime.com/post/road-trippin-with-artist-grant-haffner
Yall... one time 1965 and I went on a road trip to Memphis to see my daughter. It should have taken us 9 hours it took like 18. We did a side detour. You can read about it here. https://2soulsisters.blogspot.com/2021/08/two-sisters-and-two-dogs-finally-seeing.html Right Brain, 1969's husband, called us. He heard Boy George in the car and was like what is going on...we just laughed. Boy George was programmed on our WAZE app. As I made this post and got it ready to scheduled, I realized it is our sweet mama's bday. Happy Heavenly, Birthday Mama "Ga"....we sure do miss you. So, we know just how much you like sunsets not sunrises because you liked to sleep in....this post is for you! Love you - Mean it - Miss you our dear, Mama! Here are a few links about our sweet mama. See below:
https://2soulsisters.blogspot.com/2023/12/celebrating-bob-cochran-potter-husband.html
https://2soulsisters.blogspot.com/2022/05/elaine-cochran-memorial-art-award.html
1969
Wednesday, August 28, 2024
Designing Treehouses in Art Class
Our students recently got to design
their very own treehouses! In this art lesson, we focused on how to use the
Elements and Principles of Art to create amazing treehouse layouts. The key to
this project was learning about design and how to carefully plan out each part
of the treehouse.
What
We Learned
Students explored the idea of design
and layout by thinking about where everything should go. Should the ladder be
on the side or in the middle? How many windows does a treehouse need? By asking
these questions, students made thoughtful choices about how their treehouse
would look. Did it have a swing? What other details could you add? Had students
think outside the box.
We also talked about how lines,
shapes, colors, and textures help bring the treehouse to life. Using the
Principles of Art, like balance and contrast, students made sure their
treehouses were interesting to look at while still being well-organized.
Creative
Choices
Each student got to pick the art
supplies they wanted to use. Some chose markers for bright colors, while others
used crayons, colored pencils, or even paint. This freedom helped them express
their ideas in their own unique way.
Thinking
Like an Artist
We also practiced the Studio Habits of
Mind, which are ways that artists think. Students used skills like planning,
trying new ideas, and looking closely at details. They stretched their
creativity by exploring different designs and working through challenges.
The
Final Results
After finishing their treehouses,
students shared their artwork and talked about their design choices. It was fun
to see how each treehouse was different! The lesson taught us that careful
planning, creativity, and thoughtful design can turn simple ideas into
extraordinary art.
This project showed that when we focus
on good design and layout, we can make something special! Have you ever built a
house? Have you ever experienced a remodel of your home or beach house? These
were key factors in our class discussion as they worked.
1969
Tuesday, August 27, 2024
Summer Art Camp: Creating Squeegee Cats!
At our summer art camp, we had a blast learning a new and fun painting technique—Squeegee Painting! This time, we used the technique to create colorful cats. The best part? This is an easy project that can be done anytime, not just at art camp!
What is Squeegee Painting? Squeegee painting is all about spreading paint in creative ways using a simple tool—a squeegee! It’s like using a giant windshield wiper to swipe colors across the paper. The process is quick, fun, and full of surprises.
How We Did It First, we picked out bright paint colors and squirted small blobs onto our paper in different places. Next, we took a squeegee (you could also use an old credit card or a piece of cardboard) and dragged it across the paint, spreading it in all directions. The colors mixed and made interesting patterns that looked like the fur of a playful cat!
Once the paint was dry, we added details to turn our swirls and streaks into cats. We waited until the end to add things like eyes, whiskers, tails, and little paws, making each cat unique and full of personality.
What We Learned After we finished, we had an impromptu critique with each other. We talked about what we liked in this process, what surprised us while painting with squeegees, and how the process worked for everyone. Some students found the squeegee moved the paint just the way they wanted, while others discovered happy accidents that made their art even cooler. We also discussed how patience was key—waiting to add the details at the end made our cats come to life in the best way!
A Lesson for Any Time This project was a huge hit at camp, but it’s something you can do anytime, whether at home, in class, or even on a rainy day. Squeegee painting lets you experiment with colors and techniques, all while having fun and letting your creativity flow.