Spring Into Art

This program focused on modern, abstract art.  We started with a brief explanation of abstract art and then let the kids get to work creating their own.

Craft: Tape Resist
We gave each child a 6 x 8 canvas panel and some masking tape.  They could create any design they desired on their panel.  They then came up and selected 3-4 colors of paint to use.

Taping a canvas panel

Starting to add color

Adding additional colors

Sample shown to kids

Made by Miss Sandy

Made by Miss Jennifer

Craft: Duct Tape Pencil Pouches

We started with regular slide-open sandwich bags.  The kids chose their first piece of duct tape and placed it on the bag directly under the slider. They overlapped a second piece of tape directly below the first.  Then, they cut off the excess bag and ran a third piece of tape along the open bottom so that half was on one side and half on the other.  The did the same with the sides.  

Idea and instructions from: http://www.makeiteasycrafts.com/2012/08/duct-tape-pencil-pouch.html

Our sample pencil pouch

Some chose different tape patterns for each step.

Craft: Tin Foil and Yarn Art

This was a surprising hit with the majority of the kids starting with this project first.  Kids began by cutting slits along each side of a 6 x 6 inch square piece of cardboard.  Then, the wrapped a 4-5 foot long piece of yarn around the cardboard, catching the yarn in a slit along each side as they wrapped.  Once all the yarn was wrapped, a piece of tin foil (8 x 8) was wrapped over the front and secured to the back with tape.  The kids glued a 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 piece of card stock over the back to hide the extra yarn and tin foil edges.  On the front, they smoothed the foil carefully over the yarn to make the pattern stand out.  They decorated each section with permanent markers.

Idea and instructions from: http://www.piikeastreet.com/2012/04/modern-tin-art/

Getting started

Adding designs

Sample

Craft: Watercolor Circles or Kaleidoscope Painting

For our final project we prepared paper ahead of time (stamping overlapping black circles of acrylic paint across a piece of watercolor paper).  The kids used watercolors to paint each section a different color.

From: http://www.chrissiegrace.com/summer-series-2013-week-3-2/

Sample made by my 5 yr old daughter

Hard at work

Evaluation:

For a spring break program, this was well attended and the kids really liked the variety of projects.  The duct tape was hard to work with and cut, but the kids did really well and were patient.  As stated above, the tin foil and yarn art project was a huge draw.  It was so simple, yet they really got into it and even the parents were amazed.  The painting projects were fun and no two were alike, which made for interesting, fun results.