candice ashment art: November 2012

November 08, 2012

Ceramic Tubular Coral & Coil Method - Kid Ceramics

Oh yeah, I love playing with clay, kids and paint! They produce amazing shapes and paint with bright colors and crazy designs- BAM!

The kids thought these looked like coral tubes, so that's what they are!

This was one of the first projects I had them try just to introduce them to clay and scoring shapes to each other and making something functional and beautiful. They had a fun and messy time...

Go here to see our ceramic cupcakes & favorite food.

(ages 6 - 10 years)

coil method- a jug, bowls and a snake

slab method - a mug, organizers & coral organizers

November 06, 2012

November 02, 2012

A swarm of Sea Creatures! -tissue paper & paint {tutorial}

This is one of the most beautiful collaborative art projects that the kids have created yet! I absolutely love the way their adorable fish are swimming in the gorgeous blue ocean water...

There were 4 - 1st grade classes, with 80+ kids who collaborated. We used tissue paper & acrylic paint to produce this lovely, colorful artwork that hangs in their hallway.

There are so many joys I receive & give from volunteering my time to help create art for these kids. One is that 2 of them are my own kids and knowing their excitement and appreciation. Another is seeing all of the kids in each grade so thrilled and proud of their artwork-that they contributed to such amazing artwork hanging in their halls. It does not matter the level of artistic ability or even capability each child has, but that each one has contributed and they are just as awesome as the others! An additional aspect I enjoy about creating art with the kids, is that any of our projects can be made at home in a smaller version.

Here's how we did it {tutorial}:

Items you will need:

white tissue paper
various acrylic paint colors
black permanent marker
Mod Podge (and a brush)
3 canvas or wood panels (white)

(to make your own wood canvas, go to my tutorial here)

On a tissue paper I had them draw with pencil, then outline with permanent marker, and then paint their fish. They could fill up their paper with many sea creatures, or a few large ones, whatever they desired.
On a separate tissue paper they painted with several hues of blue for ocean water, some with waves, or bubbles or splashes...

I spread out the ocean water pieces, darker on the bottom and lighter towards the top. I then Mod Podged the water onto the canvases, overlapping each other a little. I had to work quickly because the tissue paper rips if you wait too long. Dry time is 20 min.
Next, I cut out each of their fish and Mod Podged onto the ocean water. I clustered their own fish near each other so they would be able to recognize all of their artwork together.

Just little ol' first-graders...