Creating a Give Thanks Painting!

Hey, friends!

If you are looking for a fun painting project that encourages artists to consider the idea of giving thanks, then have I got one for you! I created this lesson for my friends at Prang and I used some specific supplies BUT this lesson can easily be adapted to what you have on hand. So, let's talk about it! For this lesson, I used:

* Prang's 9" X 12" canvas boards that come in a pack of 3 BUT 9" X 12" white paper would work as well! I prefer Mixed Media paper as it is thicker and can hold the paint. 

* Tempera paint is what I'm using in the video. Acrylic paint also works well on canvas although I would not recommend it for use with children. It stains clothing and dries quickly. If you plan to do this project on paper, then tempera paint, tempera cakes and watercolor would work well. If you'd like some tips and tricks on using tempera paint with children, check out this video here. And my recommended supplies for painting with children can be found here. 

* Ink-filled bingo daubers are legit my fave thing in the art room. You can buy daubers here. For more lessons using bingo daubers, I have tons here. 

* Paintbrushes and a cup of water.

* Chalk for drawing. Select a light color like yellow, peach or light blue that can easily be erased with a tissue if need be.

Now, one thing I was not expecting was how long it took the ink to dry on the panel before I could start painting. Just a heads up that you'll want to make sure that the ink is totally dry before painting as it could smear. 

However, if you are using the bingo dauber on paper, it will dry immediately. So you should be in good shape!

When I have done a similar lesson with students in the past, a few didn't understand the concept of making the letters stretch. The reason we do this is to create separate shapes that students can fill with color. You might want to make sure they have your stamp of approval before going over their chalk lines with ink. 

Okay, here's the lesson:

Have fun!

Now, stay tuned. I have a couple of variations of this lesson coming soon. Until then!

Looking for a fun drawing sheet instead? Here you go! 

And for another, look no further then here!

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3 Fun Art Lessons to Show Gratitude

Over the years, I've done a handful of gratitude style projects that my students have not only enjoyed but really sparked joy around the school. I'm breaking these down from most involved to easiest incase you are uncertain which you'd like to do.

Let's start with my favorite: Gallery of Gratitude Modeling Clay Portraits!

For all the lesson details, you can visit my first blog post where I created a video I shared with my students. This introduced a modeling clay artist as well as walked them through the steps. 

I did this lesson with my fourth grade students. They could choose who to create a portrait of...but, as you can imagine, that got a little tricky. Several students volunteered to create a portrait of a teacher or staff member whom they didn't know well. We talked about how everyone in the school is important, their role in the school and how they make our school better. After the first two 30 minute art classes, we got about this far. 

You can see their completed portraits here, framed in a sparkly Hobby Lobby plate! Students also had to type up why they appreciated the staff member. This was printed on framed paper and hung with the clay piece. Many teachers still have these portraits in their classroom!

This Gallery of Gratitude was created by all of my students, kindergarten through fourth grade. My older students created the portraits while my kindergarten and first graders added the High Fives and the hearts. 

Here was the set up for my students to create their framed portraits. Teachers names were laid out as well as sparkly paper for the frame. 

Like the other project, students had to express their gratitude toward the chosen staff member. 

If you need a shorter lesson or one that is more student-focused, try this Tiny Gallery of Gratitude on for size! You can download it for free right here!

There is even a simplified version for younger students, also free, right here. Have fun!

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