My Top 10 Favorite Line Lessons!

Welcome to my Top Ten Line Lessons!

Since I have been sharing so many LINE lessons on my blog lately (with more to come, yay!), I thought I'd create a blog post with ALL of my very favorite lessons on line. Consider this your one-stop-shop for all things Line-Lesson-y!

Of course, we have to kick things off with The Man, The Myth, The Legend: Larry the Line! All my line lessons begin with Larry so if you'd like to get yourself a copy of my book, you can do so here!

To kick things off, let's start in kindergarten! Right away, we dive into all things LINE by create a line sculpture on the very first day! By the third day, we are ready to put our line knowlege to work with these lines paintings. 

Did you notice in the photo how nicely the artist was holding their paintbrush?! That's because they know all about The Paintbrush Ballerina! This method of teaching painting will totally change how your artists handle their brushes and paint. 

For a little Paintbrush Bootcamp (with free downloads!) visit here!

After these structured paintings where we paint lines across out paper, we dive in with either watercolor or tempera cakes to add color. You can find this line unit here!

This line sculpture lesson is one of my all-time faves AND it's what I teach on my first day with kindergarten artists! I also recommend this lesson if you have to do a teaching demo for a job interview. It's always a hit with kids of all ages!

To take a look inside my art room on that very first day of art, you can watch me teach! Check it out here!

Of course, if you are on a cart or simply don't feel like busting out the paint at the start of the school year (don't blame ya!), you could always do a variation of the line lesson with tempera sticks!

Then you can finish 'em off with these wild and wacky line monsters! For that lesson, visit here.  

And, of course, if you are doing collage with your students, you DEFINITELY need my new book Scissors, Glue and YOU! 

One of my FAVORITE ways to teach lines is with Line-Making Stations! My artists CRANKED out so much artwork in just a couple of 30 minute art classes. Not only did they learn all about lines but a variety of ways to create them! You can read all about that and check out the video and handouts I created for the occasion here. 
Printed lines was a fave! They really popped with black and white paint on black and white paper. Stay tuned to how we used all of these pieces of art!

All ya need is cardboard and some paint! Visit the link for the handout!

I did these stations with my first through fourth graders. Even this cutting station because, let's be honest: they all need the practice!

Here we used our ink-filled bingo dauber. If you aren't familiar, visit this link and I talk all about 'em!

For details on how these looked when finished and for some trouble-shooting tips, visit this blog post!

One year, I did a variation on the kindergarten line sculpture and made it into a school-wide project! We called them our Getting-to-Know-You sculptures!

I created a couple of totally free downloads and my students used them to create a coded work of art! These were so fun to have on display for open house. 

Here's a little look at what the finished display looked like! Tips and tricks for this lesson can be found here.

You could also...turn that sculpture into a HAT! I did my sculpture on a paper plate and then wore it like an artsy thinking cap! For the lesson video, visit here!

Once the paper sculptures are complete, your artists could try their hand at these super fun cardboard line sculptures!

Of course, modeling clay is fabulous for teaching lines. Let me share this sheet with you as well as walk you and your artists through the process here!

Keep the line sheet in a sheet protector and it's perfect as a center for those early finishers or for a line making station!

Looking for a Larry-themed lesson?! Then this new one from my blog is sure to be a hit! You can check it out (with video, of course!) here!

Whatever you do, I hope you have fun AND I hope you have a wonderful long weekend. You've earned it, friends!

Let's Draw School Supplies!

Hey, y'all! If you are looking for a fun back-to-school lesson that also introduces your artists to their art supplies then look no further! I've got it covered with this super fun school supply art lesson!

To jump directly to the lesson with process photos, visit my friends at Prang right here!

Full disclosure: I never used Prang's markers until working with them. They truly are the best markers! I used to use another popular brand (ahem) but always found them to be runnin' outta juice almost straight out of the box. Not only are the Prang markers much juicer and full of color but they are SO GOOD at this marker plus water hack! AND...all the marker tops are the same so that means no searching for that one missing marker top. If you know...you know.

Okay, now on to the lesson! 

In this video, I'll walk your artists thru the steps to draw each and every one of these cute little art supplies. I would recommend having students practice drawing on a dry erase board first or in their sketchbooks. Then they can dive in on their artwork. I would have students draw with pencil first...then trace with permanent marker. 

Now, I couldn't decide which was cuter: the supplies with the faces or the supplies without! So I created both versions in the video so you and your artists can decide. 

I also created free downloads! This way if your students need inspiration or even a coloring sheet, they are all set! 

Here's the link!

This is also a great lesson to keep on hand for a sub! I know the start of the school year can be...a lot so I hope this lesson helps!

Here's a version without the silly faces! And, of course, a download:

Here's that download!

Of course, if you are looking for books to read to your students, I got ya covered! Visit here to check out my books and my digital downloads.

Have a great week, friends!

Let's Create Line-Inspired Cardboard Sculptures!

The other day I was brainstorming LINE-themed lesson ideas because I know so many of us use line as our inspiration for our first lessons of the new year. AND I GOT SO MANY IDEAS! I'll be sharing them over the next couple of days so be the first to see them, you might want to subscribe to my email list! 

This project was inspired by one of my VERY favorite lessons: Line Paper Sculpture! I've done that project every year with my kindergarten...and one year, did it with the whole school. It's always a hit!

They always look so amazing. I love having these big, colorful sculptures all over the hallway walls. It's perfect for Open House.

It's made even more fun with a Getting to Know You sheet on hand so parents and family can 'read' the artists sculptures! You can find these free downloads here!

Now for this sculpture, you'll be using cardboard, ink-filled bingo daubers and pipe cleaners. There is a little bit of cardboard cutting that will need to take place on your end...so for that, at the start of the video, I chat you through the process and the tools I recommend:

The first thing you may want is one of these badboys. They are not cheap BUT...I use mine all the time and wish I would have gotten it sooner! It's a cordless cardboard cutter and I love the thing. You can find it here.

I love these cardboard scissors for cutting the notches. In my art room, I was able to get one pair per table. This would mean less notch cutting for you! But it really does go by quickly.

If you can't get your hands on that cordless cardboard cutter, than this Canary knife cuts through cardboard VERY well. I have one of these and love it!

Bingo daubers are my favorite art room tool. I talk about them and all of the lessons I use them with here. To find these, you can visit this link.

And any ole India ink will work. I found this one to be priced well. 

Of course, the inspo for this lesson was my book Larry the Line! You can find it as well as the downloads featured in the video here. 

I can't wait to see what your students create. I know they are gonna love these sculptures. So save those boxes...if your school is like mine, they are all over the hallways this time of year!

Let's Create Lines with Larry the Line!

Hi, friends!

Since I know so many of you kick off the school year by covering LINES, I thought I'd share a new line lesson with you! 

I actually had a brain explosion of line lessons lately...and I CANNOT WAIT to share all of them with you! So be sure and check back here often because I'll be uploading them all over the next couple of days. 

Of course, THIS lesson is inspired by the one, the only Larry the Line!

To know me is to know about Larry the Line. He's been in my art room, inspiring artists for 25 years! A couple of years ago, I turned the short Larry the Line poem I created into a book. You can find it here.

I am working on creating a whole library of books on the elements of art. So far...I have line and shape (check out Alfred here!) 

But today...we are focusing on LINE.

For this project, I'll be sharing a wet-on-wet technique as I introduce lines and watercolor paint. I love the low-mess, low-stress activity of watercolor paint and this lesson really shares the magic of the medium. 

Once dry, students can use line idea sheets to add designs to their snakes. For the supplies I am using, visit here. 

And for the video that you are welcome to use in your art-makin' world, visit here:

In the video, I use permanent markers to add lines to Larry. For a free download of Larry's Line Gallery, visit here!

Have you ever tried this technique with your students? They love it and it's like magic! 

However...be CERTAIN that they keep their papers flat. The paint will be super drippy and you'd hate to see their lines get all mixed up. I recommend having students carry their work on a tray when it's time to clean up...or a sturdy tagboard messy mat.

Even without Larry's line designs, these are super fun. I hope you and your artists have fun creating!