16 of My Favorite Watercolor Lessons!

Hi, friends! 

Since I recently shared a tips and tricks video on all things watercolor paint, I thought I'd dive in with my very favorite watercolor lessons of all time. I have 16 of 'em just for you but before we get to those...I thought I'd share some of my all things watercolor.

Let's start with PAPER! If you'd like to check out the blog post on paper, visit here.

Now let's talk supplies! You can find my list of supplies right here.

For ALL of my watercolorin' tips and tricks, check out this video here!

And here's a short video of me introducing my kindergarten students to watercolor!

If one of the things your students struggle with is BRUSH CONTROL (or just not abusing those poor paintbrushes!), might I recommend my Paintbrush Ballerina method? You can kick things off with my book The Paintbrush Ballerina and then dive into my free downloads!

First, I recommend using these (totally free) downloads. Slide them into sheet protectors and allow students to practice their brush control with just water. I'll show you what I mean and share the downloads here.

Once complete, students can 'graduate' to painting with watercolor paint in these fancy frames...and even earn a Paintbrush Pro certificate! Those downloads are here.

Now let's get to those lessons!

In my Tips and Tricks video, I share that one of my favorite things to do is create customized watercolor trays. I like to have a warm and a cool tray on hand as that allows my students to explore with watercolor paint without the messy/muddy paintings. Warm and cool colors are analogous which means that they not only sit next to each other on the color wheel but...they also look great when mixed! 

For this second grade lesson, students had to decide which they wanted to use: warm or cool. Then we traced a circle and created this sunset or sunrise scene.

Once dry, we created these silhouettes with India ink. You can find the lesson details here!

And see how we wrapped up the lesson here. Aren't they so pretty?!

Here's an oldie from over 10 years ago but LOOOOK how pretty! This is a similar process to painting the background with an exploration of Ming vases. Details here.

This one might be my favorite!

Another example of my students using the customized watercolor trays is this kindergarten rainbow lesson!

If you'd like to see my introducing watercolor paint to my kindergarten friends, visit here!

Now this lesson is usually one I do with tempera cakes BUT you could also do it with watercolor paint. It's the perfect rainbow follow up lesson for kindergarten (or any grade!). Lesson here!

So precious, I would frame it!

For another rainbow lesson, check this one out!

Now I never did a blog post on what we did with those rainbows but...I do have the evidence! I did this lesson EVERY YEAR (which is wild I never blogged about it) and they always made me so happy. We created the sun and cloud images and added them later. We used blue chalk to add color to the sky before we added the cloud and the sun.

Exploring abstract painting is always fun...especially when you can tie it in with the combo of crayons or oil pastels and watercolor. They always look so fab together! This could also be a super fun LINE review. Which seems like the perfect time to reread my book Larry the Line! Find this lesson here.

What do you do with the abstract paintings? Well, you could just admire their beauty OR...use them for weaving! Details on first grade paper weaving here!

Now I don't think I ever created a lesson on this one (my googling turned up empty handed) but what we did with the weavings was create these fun houses! To do this, we painted with tempera on a large sheet of paper a sky and the ground. Once dry, we cut out a house silhouette and glued it over our weavings. Early finishers had fun learning how to do a little bit of stitching!

Here's a spin on pattern making and resist! My first graders created these and you can find out how here. 

I love this lesson for learning how to do a fun wet-on-wet technique. In the video, I'll walk your artists through the process and they will love the magic! 

Once dry, students can use permanent markers to create floral designs on the watercolor paint. Find the lesson and the free download right here!

One of my VERY favorite things to do is create these texture cards for use with oil pastels and watercolor. I've created several vidoes on how to create these but...it's so easy! Just use tag board and glue to draw some line designs. I used the line ideas I created in Larry the Line.

To create them quickly, I cut a ton of those little cards and laid them all on a table before attacking them with lines drawn by my glue gun. Then my kindergarten friends used oil pastels to create texture rubbings!

From there, they painted over the texture rubbings with watercolor before using ink filled bingo daubers to add an alphabet. This lesson is always a hit! Also...those texture cards will last FOREVER. I made one set and used it for over 10 years! Lesson details here.

This lesson was created for a sub to use and the kids LOVED it! This one comes with a video and a free download. You can find it here!

The download is actually here! I just love this lesson so much!

Check out this fun one! This could be the next step in the house lesson  where your artists create little pop up houses. The most fun was in created the patterned background. Lesson details here.

Okay, so I didn't realize I had a thing for house lessons! The little road was my favorite part of this project. Find the lesson details and video here.

I love a lesson that ties in a couple of concepts. This one explores LINE (featuring Larry!) as well as the wet-on-wet watercolor technique. You can find the full lesson here.

I love a fun and funky art project and this one, which is also a shape review, is just that. You can find the video lesson here. 

Another shape lesson is this one! Both of these lessons are based on my book Alfred the Ape Knows his Shapes!

Favorite Art Lessons Featuring Vincent van Gogh!

Hello, friends!

I'm not sure where you are in your school year...but I hope it's going fabulously! I know here, teachers just wrapped up their spring break and are quite possibly starting the countdown to summer. Is it too soon? I say NEVER! 

I know some of y'all are like "spring break?! It's still snowing here!" and, yeah. Same. Well, it was 80 over the weekend and then we did get sleet and 30 degree temps here in Tennessee. But...this is just how we do spring in TN; we like to keep everyone dressing for all seasons!

Regardless, I put together a blog post today featuring art lessons based on Vincent van Gogh. Did you know that March is his birthday month?! Yep! And, in honor, I am also doing readings from my book Find Your Way! I'm posting it to my YouTube in case you wish to share it with your students. Have them vote and then be sure and visit daily (or as close to daily as I can get) for the adventure to continue!

In my art room, I would read this book while my 2nd through 4th graders worked and...it worked WONDERS. I always seemed to struggle with my older students after spring break...the sun is out, the summer vibes are approaching and the kids (and me!) are itching for a break. BUT it's the stretch to the end! We are usually doing weaving and clay at that time so I still need 'em to focus and create. Reading while they worked helped with that TREMENDOUSLY. While I was at NAEA a couple of weeks ago, I meant so many art teachers who said they were skeptical at first and now...they can't imagine their class without Find Your Way. Trust me, I think you and your artists will love it.

And now, let's talk lessons! Kicking things off first with my latest discovery: you can fill those bingo daubers with tempera paint for a variety of paint markers! I'll walk you through how as well as where to get your empty bingo daubers here.

Are you in the mood for clay? We used Vincent's sunflowers as our inspiration for these clay florals. You can use kiln fire clay OR...these were made with salt dough clay! I'll share with you how I create that clay and more lesson details here. 

For details on how to make them out of kiln fire clay, visit here!

For even more sunflowers, check out this lesson! This project was created with Payons...have y'all ever used those? They draw on the paper like a crayon but react like watercolor when water is added. The colors are super vibrant. However, in a pinch, markers could also be used in this same way. For details and product info, visit this lesson!

If you are looking for a lesson that is ALWAYS a kid-favorite, then you gotta check out this James Rizzi meets van Gogh lesson! I have a lesson video here as well as some totally free downloads!

Find the free downloads here! I keep mine in plastic sleeves, one visual on each side, so that students don't get em too dirty when creating. They LOVE creating the funny faces on the buildings. Can you blame them?!

My second graders had a fun time looking at van Gogh's cherry blossom trees before creating their own. We used huge sheets of tag board for this one...but even construction paper would work. I know...this time of year, it's 'we use what we have left' time! Lesson details here. 

Ready for another artist mashup?! Then check out this Charly Harper meets van Gogh lesson!

Looking for an art show-show stopper?! Here's a HUGE collaborative lesson I did with my second graders one year!

One lesson I ALWAYS did, year after year, was this van Gogh sky/super hero lesson! My students loved drawing themselves as superheroes!

Of course, the kids can't have all the fun! Why not create some earrings or buttons to wear as you teach about van Gogh?! Here's how!

Looking for even more van Gogh lessons?! I have some here!

Not sure how to go about reading a book like this while students are working?! No worries, I have my tips and tricks for making it happen right here!

AND if you want to keep the art adventure going, check out my book here...and stay tuned to my YouTube channel!

25 of My Favorite Sub Plans for the Art Room!

Hey, friends! 

I'm so excited to be heading to Chicago in a couple of weeks for the National Art Educator's Association conference. Will you be there? It's March 4th - 8th and I'm stoked. Mostly I'm excited because I get to see YOU (hopefully!). I'll be with my friends at Prang in their booth on Thursday, March 5th and Friday, March 6th from 11am-2pm. I'll have a limited number of my books with me to sell and sign...but you don't have to buy a book to drop by. Prang is hosting a Build Your Own Palette party where you can create your own watercolor tray. So be sure and stop by...say hi and grab some swag!

While I LOVE going to NAEA, I hate the preparation for the event. Cleaning my art room, prepping supplies and...coming up with sub plans that I know will be a success for my sub and my students. 

For that reason...I put together a HUGE blog post with all of my favorite sub plan lessons! All of these are totally free, many come with free downloads and videos for your sub to play. So! Just click on the link and visit the post for each of these plans. I've used them all in my art room with success so I know you will too!

First up, we have this Colorful Village sub plan that can be done any number of ways...so feel free to customize to what suits you, your supplies, your sub and your students! In this lesson, my students used neon oil pastels and watercolor paint. 

Now, watercolor is NOT something I would have my sub use (unless I knew the sub and trusted they would have success) so...for the few days that you are gone, the students could work on this portion of the project: drawing 3-D houses and adding color. When you return, you'll have a project ready to jump right into...with watercolor!

An updated version of this lesson is one I did with markers! Instead of using oil pastels or watercolor paint, this lesson, which comes with a free download, makes for fewer supplies. This means less prep for you and your sub!

This lesson was always a wild hit with my students as they loved learning about the artist James Rizzi as well as created their own fun face buildings. This lesson calls for permanent markers and regular coloring markers...and that's it!

For this lesson, you can check out the video as well as the two free downloads here!

To see my students' creations, visit this post!

This fun lesson gets your artists creating drawings of their favorite art supplies! This lesson has two versions: one of the supplies with funny faces and personalities and another one a little more 'realistic'. Find the video lesson as well as free drawing downloads here. 

Tis the season for selfies! Here's a fun self-portrait drawing lesson that is inspired by the artist Romero Britto. You can find the lesson video here!

My students love creating castles! This lesson also involves limited supplies which is perfect for a sub!

This lesson not only comes with a video lesson BUT...tons of free downloads! This lesson is perfect for 2nd grade and up! Check it out here. 

My first graders drew themselves as scientists for years and they are ALWAYS the cutest drawings ever! You can check out the full lesson here.

To go along with that lesson, why not have your artists create these exploding beaker bottles?! I love these pop-up style drawing that transform...and so do the kids. Find the lesson here. 

One year, I had a pirate themed art show and had my students draw themselves as pirates. It was easily one of their favorite activities! You can check out the drawing video here. 

For some coloring sheets to go along with this lesson, check this post out!

To go along with the pirate selfies, here's a fun collage project you and your artists will enjoy!

How about drawing a pirate map?! I've got a video where I'll show your artists how to create their own. Find it here. 

How about a superhero selfie?! Another art show theme that I did was a superhero one. To kick things off, why not have your artists create a superhero selfie?! Find the video lesson here. 

This lesson can be tied with a book like The Dot (I always love having books for my sub to read that tie in with the lesson) and is a fun way to get students to really thing outside the box. I have a free download for this as well as a drawing video. Check all that out here. 

How about having students create little selfies that can later be used to create a school-wide selfie collab! Check out the video lesson here. 

Feeling a little more ambitious? These collages are so much fun for kids of all ages! Check out the video lesson here. 

These collages inspired by contemporary artist Greg Mike always give me so much joy as they are so much fun for the kids to create and funny to put on display. Lesson video here!

A CLASSIC that I did year after year with my students is this pop-up star lesson. It's a great line review. It also involves a writing activity that is precious: the students write about what makes them a star. This is the perfect art show piece so if you are looking forward to that and need a sub plan...here ya go!

This is a lesson that I created for as a sub plan years ago...you can find the details here!

How about a little origami? Man...if you want kids to go bonkers, just teach them how to create these cute cats and dogs with a little drinking dish! All the video lesson details here. 

How about this sweet origami lesson?! It's precious and the kids will love creating it. Video lesson here. 

Let's create some positive word posters to bring cheer to the hallways? Check out this lesson to do just that!

Are these not the cutest little wizards ever?! Let me show your artists how to create them here!

Aren't these Wayne Thiebaud-inspired cakes just the coolest? Wanna have your artists create them while you are away at NAEA? Then just click here!

Alright, friends! There's 25 sub plans for ya, hopefully you'll find something here AND...I do hope to see you at the Prang booth at NAEA on Thursday and Friday 11-2pm! We'll chat, take selfies and create!