Cassie Stephens: art class

Showing posts with label art class. Show all posts

Monday, December 23, 2024

Let's Paint a Christmas Wreath!

Tis the time of the year to get to creating! If you are like me, then you just can't seem to part with your paper bag collection. I always see endless ideas on Pinterest and Instagram for bags so I just can't part with them! Last year, I recycled my bags by painting them into holiday motif bags and it was so much fun. I have been doing it again this year and decided to film the process in case you'd like to join me.

Something fun I found is that...once your painting is complete, you have an original masterpiece that can be framed and enjoyed!

Here's the process:

If you have children who need to scratch that creative itch over the holidays or are hosting a family gathering, this may be a fun activity for everyone!

And now I can't stop painting on bags and stuff!

Have fun!

Hey there! As I was unpacking my Christmas clothes at the start of the month, I decided to film the process. However...it was kinda boring just holding the clothing up so...I thought I'd try some on for ya! I only managed to scrape the tip of the Christmas clothes iceberg but these are my faves. I'd love to hear yours!

And...if you are looking to up your closet game, I highly recommend the following:

*Hit the thrift stores! I PERSONALLY...love to have one-of-a-kind items. So the thrift and resale shops are always the best. For those of you saying "I never find anything at the thrift store"...me neither! The key is to go often. And, if you can, go earlier rather than later in the day.

*Hit those sale racks! I never shop full retail. Never ever. I always put on my blinders and go straight to the sale rack. What other people decide is 'too weird' or 'out there' always ends up on the sale rack and, wouldn't you know, that's always my fave finds.

*MAKE IT YOURSELF! I know, you may not be able to sew but...I didn't either for the longest time. So...start with upcycling outfits by adding to them with your own bit of flair and just gradually go from there. You seriously won't regret learning a new skill like sewing, needle felting or the like.

*Have fun with what ya got! Chances are you have a closet full of possibilities. You just need to mix and match the patterns and prints a bit. You'll get better at this. My hot take: start adding more black and white dots and/or stripes to your wardrobe as THAT goest with everything and offers a flair of fun.

Happy Holidays, y'all!

Marker Print Snow Globes

Well, hello there! As you can see, I am CLEARLY snow globe obsessed at the moment. I shared my first Snow Globe lesson here and then shared a floating chalk print version here. Today I thought I'd share a version of adding color the background with little marker and water. As a teacher...or a parent who loves to create with their artsy kiddos, these ideas will give you three fun options for completing your snow globes!

Let's talk supplies:

* Pizza pan, a sheet of aluminum foil or any non-porous, flat surface

* Paper. I'm using a mixed media paper or one that's a little thicker than copy paper.

* Black permanent marker

* Water-based markers, I prefer Prang Markers

* Spritz or spray bottle of water

Here's the how-to video:

Just a reminder that you can get my free snow globe downloads here.

What I did find is that the lighter color markers work best...as the darker color markers are a little too dark and may hide the drawing underneath. But the real fun is in drawing a lotta these globes so you can explore a lotta printing. Also...I have found that using one of those misting spray bottles is the best as opposed to a regular spray bottle. AND the pizza pan is from Dollar Tree!

If you need some drawing ideas, I got ya covered. Tap the link to download and print!

I can't wait to see what you and the artists in your life create! If you do share to social media, please make sure you tag me here so I can see!

I've got a lotta winter videos coming to my YouTube channel soon. So if you need some inspo, the best way to stay up to date is to subscribe. You can do that here. Chat soon!

Marker Print Wreath with Pop-Up Bow!

A couple of days ago, I shared a wreath drawing/marker painting lesson here. As I continued tinkering with this lesson idea, I thought it would be fun to try marker prints on a pizza pan. If that sentence leaves ya scratching your head, here's my video here:

For this, you'll need:

* A pizza pan, a sheet of foil or any non-porous surface for printing

* Crayons

* Water-based markers (not permanent)

* Spray bottle of water

* Mixed media paper (paper thicker than copy paper works great...but you could totally use copy paper in a pinch)

To add a little dimension to the wreath, I thought I'd add a little pop-up bow demo. I hope you have fun!

Floating Chalk Print Snow Globe!

YOU GUYS. I can't tell you how excited I am about this one! After I created my first Snow Globe lesson , I started getting all sorts of ideas on how to add color to the background. I thought...what about chalk prints?!

I first shared the process of Floating Chalk Prints back in 2014 (that's wild!) and you can check out that post here. But really...not much has changed! You'll need:

* A basin of water. And, seriously, nothing but water.

* Freart chalk, found here. Sidewalk chalk won't work...and artist chalk is so expensive and little...this stuff is seriously the best.

* If you are looking for round paper, Prang just created some!

And that's it! Of course, you might want these free downloads from yours truly...

Get your Snow Globe download here.

And free winter drawing idea sheet here!

Okay, now...let's get started. I promise...you and your students are gonna love this!

RIGHT?! Out of all the methods I tried for adding color to the background (and I have another fun one that I'll be sharing here and on YouTube soon...I always post to YouTube first so, please be sure and subscribe to be alerted!)

Whenever I share the process of floating chalk prints, I always get the question "do you have to spray or set the chalk once dry?" NOPE! Which is what makes it even more amazing!

I hope y'all have fun! I can't open my comment section here on my blog, unfortunately, because I get spammed for days BUT...I am active on Instagram and Facebook! BTW...I recently had a fake Facbeook account created in my name and likeness. It's not me! The one I have linked here is my account. So...if you do this lesson in any way, I'd love to see! Please be sure and tag me.

And...friendly reminder...that if you are interested in receiving any of my books for the holidays, you may want to order super soon! I sign all of my books before packing them up and sending them your way. You can find them here!

Let's Draw (and Paint!) a Snow Globe

Since Prang came out with their new round paper, I've had so many ideas about what can be created in a round format. Last week I shared this wreath project...and today I thought I'd share a Snow Globe lesson with ya! I even created some free downloads for you to use. All I ask is that you only use them in your creative world and don't copy then and sell them on Teachers Pay Teachers (yes, it happens. A lot.)

Now, this isn't my first Snow Globe lesson...I did a Snow Globe City project with my fourth graders that's a little different. If you'd like to check that out, go here.

Also...stay tuned! I got SO MANY ideas on how to add color the background of these Snow Globes that I have two more videos and lessons coming your way. So...the best thing to do is to subscribe to my YouTube channel. You can do so here. I have three more videos for kids that will be landing there this week!

Now...on to the video:

Yay, so fun!

Tap this link for the free download to the Snow Globe sheet.

Tap here for this idea sheet, free!

And...I'm not just sayin' this cuz I work with Prang BUT...their markers, which I never used before working with them, are simply the best! They are heavily pigmented and work really will with this type of painting-without-painting type of project.

AND...just a reminder, if you'd like any of my books as Christmas presents for teachers, friends or the young artists in your life, might I recommend you purchase them sooner rather than later. This way they will (fingers crossed) arrive in time for the holidays. Chat soon!

Hello, friends. It's that time of year...the time of year when we start seeing (and hearing) a whole lot about yee ole Elf on a Shelf.

I don't know how or where this whole elf thing started but when I saw it's popularity in stores and in the chatter with my students, I started thinking: should I? I mean, I love to have things that engage my students, get them excited, laughing and having fun...could an elf be just the thing? Especially for these dreary winter days.

So, I did it. I got an elf. Now, not one of those branded ones because I'm a cheapo. No, I found a colorful one at Michaels and thought, yep! I guess I'm doing this!

For YEARS my students absolutely LOVED Esmerelda, our art room elf. I'm here to share with you the pros...and the cons...in case you find yourself contemplating whether or not you too should get an art room elf.

PRO:

* THEY LOVE IT! All of my students absolutely adored the art room elf. It got them so excited to come to art class, even more than they normally are. During the first few minutes of art, I would greet my students in the hallway and let them know that Esmerelda was in the room. They were to go into the room and look for her...but they had to be quite (she's shy) and absolutely not run. My art room has a lotta space...which lends itself to the occasional sprint. This was a fun way to kick off class. Once they 'found' her, students were to meet me on the floor in our instructional area.

* NOT ALL CHILDREN HAVE ONE! Students are always abuzz this time of year if they have an elf at home. And they want to talk about it! And then there are the children who don't have one...and often, they don't understand why. The premise is that they are magical...and students are left wondering why they weren't chosen to have one visit their home. So having an art room elf meant that everyone got one! Everyone got to experience a little of the magic. Those students seems to cherish Esmerelda the most.

* IT KEEPS THE ART ROOM MAGICAL! I found a tiny door at my local Goodwill and added that one year. Students knew that when the door appeared, Esmerelda was not far behind. Some students would ask why I had an elf and other classrooms didn't. Because...art class is magical! Magical things happen here!

CONS:

* ELVES ARE A LOTTA WORK! Look...having an elf means you gotta do something EVERY DAY. So...prepare your ideas ahead of time. Keep some simple like...drawing on the dry erase board or tipping over a box of blocks. Having a list of ideas really helps because you don't wanna get caught moving it around right as the students are walking in the door. My suggestion: do it the night before. Or...if this sounds like too much, don't do it at all!

* YOU'LL HAVE SOME NAY-SAYERS! Surprisingly, the older kids WANT to believe...or they just want to act wild the first few minutes of art class...but you'll always have some nay-sayers. Just have an answer ready to roll out and don't engage in too many back and forth's. I usually said, "if you don't believe Esmerelda is real, that's okay. Just don't say it too loudly, we don't want to hurt her feelings." And leave it at that.

* THE KIDS GET A LITTLE TOO WILD! Let's be real...between programs and parties and interruptions to your schedule, you hardly have time to do your lessons. Now...adding an elf to the mix?! Look, if you aren't feelin' this, don't do it! You are the teacher, you get to decide. You do you and, at this point, you do what you can to make it across the Winter Break finish line. Know that I'm rooting for you either way!

Just a reminder: if you'd like my books to arrive in time for a Christmas present for a teacher, a young artist, an aspiring art teacher or a gift to yourself, please consider ordering soon! I'm signing each before popping them in the mail. You can find all of my books here!

My Favorite Art Lessons for Winter!

Hello, friends! With Thanksgiving break coming to an end, it's time to kinda-sorta start thinking about exactly what is gonna go down in the art room for the next (longest) weeks of your art teacherin' life. Well, have no fear! I've got a TON of projects here that will not only get you to the finish line but will also be projects that are appropriate to continue after Winter Break. Yippie!

Before we dive in, I thought I'd share my books with you! I've had lots of folks purchase my books for Christmas presents for teachers, art teachers and children...and now is the time to get them, if interested. If purchased soon, we can assume (hope and pray) that they'll arrive in time for the holidays. You can check out all four of my independently published books here. I have written two other books with a publisher...and those can be found on Amazon. Let me take you on a quick book tour:

Art Teacherin' 101 is packed with everything-I-wish-I-woulda-known about teaching art. It has all of my tips and tricks for classroom management as well as discovering just who you are as an art teacher so you can be your very best. If you would like to kick off the new year with some new methods to try, this book is for you!

Larry the Line is based on a poem I wrote my first year teaching art. I've shared Larry in many blog posts...before writing a longer version of my poem, illustrating it and crafting it into a book! It's a rhyming book which are always fun to read to students...and, added bonus: they remember the names of lines much better this way! You can check out Larry the Line (and read the 175 reviews!) here.

As a teacher, I could never seem to find a book on shapes that wasn't too baby-ish. All the books seemed to be simply getting children to recognize and name shapes which...most can already do by the time they enter the art room. However, many don't know the difference between a shape and a form, geometric and organic and how shapes can be used to draw. So...I wrote Alfred the Ape Knows His Shapes and I think you'll love it!

My new book Find Your Way was written to read to my students as they work. I do this with my second through fourth graders (and on up would work but I only teach thru 4th) and it keeps them focused and working quietly. This book is a choose-your-own-adventure style book where you go on art adventures with 7 different artists! From Vincent van Gogh to Frida Kahlo, Money, da Vinci and more, the reader can decide what adventure to take with up to 32 different endings and over 80 illustrations! Find it here.

Okay! Let's talk winter lessons! If you are looking for something big that involves all your students then crank up those holiday tunes and let's make a big ole Winter Mural. Details here.

If you are feeling adventurous, run a homeschool group or love working in small groups...OR just have kids who learned to stitch and don't wanna quit (which was the case here) then this project is super! I had fourth graders who had just finished a sewing unit and would come in during recess wanting to sew some more. I came up with this fast sewing project which you can find here, complete with video tutorial!

If you are looking for a project that really gets the kids drawing and focused, these Snow Glow Cities were the trick for me! Added bonus: it was a long project that took us all the way to the holidays! IYKYK. Video tutorial in the post!

Okay, lemme just say this: DO NOT start this project...unless you've done weaving (even just paper weaving) with your students first. Otherwise, you will curse my name and probably put a hex on me and my cats. And I don't want that! BUT you could start by spending a couple of days before break painting and prepping the plate before diving into weaving. I promise it's not HARD...but it does require patience which...who has that before break? Full lesson with video here.

And if you are interested in more sewing and weaving projects, I do have TONS under the "fibers" playlist on my YouTube channel. I am getting ready to upload a ton of new content there so...I encourage you to subscribe! Also, if you'd like to see more of these type of projects, then check out my book: Stitch and String Lab for Kids.

Now let's chat about some fast -n- furious art projects that all your students will love. I put together several in this blog post, just for you! This Hot Chocolate Collage was a fun pairing with what we did after winter break...

And that was to make ceramic mugs for our Hot Chocolate Party! I do this every year with my kindergarten-fourth grade students. By the time they leave my school, they have a cabinet of five mugs at home!

Another spin on yee ole hot chocolate is this bingo dauber lesson! I created a video to walk your students through the process and you can find it here.

Speaking of a little guided drawing...I created a video that will walk your students through a quick -n- cute cats and dogs drawing video that I promise they will love!

If I may...offer a little advice during this time of year. Your schedule is going to experience so many interruptions that it's gonna be hard to know what to expect. SO...why not just do the same dang lesson with ALL your student?! Then the supplies can just stay out! ALSO...older students LOVE doing projects that are 'easy' every now and then. It builds confidence and they love doing younger kiddo style of artwork. This lesson is penguin perfect for this idea! Video lesson included!

Same with this lesson! Fun, colorful and easy. Full video tutorial here.

This lesson is ALWAYS a hit and now...even better that Prang sells ROUND PAPER! I know, isn't that the best?! Full lesson with video here.

A lesson I did every year with kindergarten that was always a hit is this painted and collaged winter landscape with a decorated frame!

I'm gonna add an update to this lesson so listen carefully before you cause yourself a whole lotta headache: don't make black glue. DON'T DO IT. You can still do this lesson HOWEVER...do it the way I share in this lesson and it will be so much easier! Tree lesson here.