Top Tips and Lessons for Using Chalk in your Art Room!

Hello!

Last week I dumped everything I could think of into one video all about watercolor painting with kids. I hope you got something out of that video and enjoyed it! I made it just for you (and your sanity.

This week, I thought I'd share all things chalk! I know a lot of art teachers avoid chalk because of the mess. I'm going to encourage you to give this video a watch and try some of these tips on for size. I think you'll find it helpful...and maybe even fall in love with using chalk with your students! 

Also in this post, I'm throwing in all of my very favorite chalk lessons and projects. All are free for you and your students to enjoy. 

I shared several projects in that video so I thought I'd place them and the links below for you to use!

Always a hit! This one is done with the liquid starch and chalk hack I shared. Here's the video. And here is a blog post of the finished results!

This project was done with the same method of starch and chalk. It's a huge hit with the kids. Video lesson is included here!

Another method for liquid starch and chalk is this one I did with my fourth grade! Video lesson included here. 

One of my most popular lessons of all time is this one! BUT don't do what I did: don't make black glue! Instead, follow my demo in the video and go the much easier route of using Elmer's Glue All and black marker. 

Here's a blog post with the finished results. This one is always a crowd pleaser!

Here's another one inspired by the artist Sandra Silberzweig! Video lesson included here. 

Yet another glue and chalk combo! Lesson video here. 

Before tackling their butterfly ceiling tile project, one second grade class created these beauties! A fun project for the end of the school year. 

Looking for a quick chalk project that introduces a contemporary artist? Try this one! 

I have a LOT of videos and blog posts on our annual chalked event but this blog post breaks it all down for you, if interested!

This lesson is fun to show kids how to use stencils with chalk! Full lesson and artist reference included in this blog post (with video!).

Floating chalk prints is ALWAYS a huge hit! And this year, I did it with kindergarten. Independently! You can read the details here. 

Still want more?! I got you! Check out even more chalk pastel lessons here and have fun!

15 of my Favorite Lessons for Spring!

One of my favorite lessons (and more popular vidoes) is this Heather Galler-inspired floral painting. We did these in April and they were always an art show show-stopper! Not to mention, a great gift for Mother's Day! Full lesson with video here.

I even love them in black and white! If you are short on time, these could be completed with tissue paper squares...see my lesson below for more details on that process.

Liquid watercolor was how we finished these off. I like using liquid watercolor on larger projects. I always save pan watercolor for more detailed work. 

This lesson is a hit with ALL grade levels! I first did this lesson years ago with second grade. Last year, I did it with everyone and the results are always beautiful. Full lesson and simple video here!

So many ways to finish these beauties. We opted for chalk but we've also used bleeding tissue, watercolor and tempera paint too!

THIS is kindergarten, y'all! We finished these with oil pastel and watercolor. A more updated and kid-friendly video can be found in this blog post. 

Looking for a spring-time clay project? Check out these created by my kindergarten students! You can find the details and a video tutorial here.  And if you are looking for a list of my favorite clay supplies (as well as were to snag my clay book) check out this link!

Springtime is the best time to introduce landscapes to your students! This one is so fun...it's chalk like you might have never used it before! Chalk...that doesn't need to be set with a fixative. More here!

I will advise this: when adding paint after the chalking, use tempera cakes, they were so much better than the tempera paint I used in the video.

So, like, basically, ANYTHING you make and put in these PLATES from Hobby Lobby looks stunning. This was a quick kindergarten lesson that you can find here. Video too!

This one was so fun! Learn a little about Warhol AND get to use Puffy Paint?! Yes please and thank you! Again, I got a video for you. Check it out here. 

Nothing says spring like cherry blossoms! This one was inspired by Vincent van Gogh's love of Japanese prints. I created a video and you can find it here. 

I think my favorite part is the textured paper we created for the background!

What is better than neon oil pastels and watercolor?! Not much, I say. We loved creating these coloful landscapes and they so brightened the halls. For the complete lesson and the video (I told you, I got you covered!) here.

Cereal boxes for the win, friends! Start collecting now!

Honestly, I don't know who loves puffy paint more, me or the kids! Just keep a pin on hand to unclog the nozzle. The paint does tend to dry out and clog the inside!

Looking for more landscape ideas? I put together an entire blog post of my favorite landscape lessons right here! 

I want this as a quilt!

Here's a little lesson I created to use up popsicle sticks (ha!) and for a sub! These turned out so cute and the kids loved them! Video lesson here. 

Please tell me I'm not the only one with three million trillion popsicle sticks!

These clay flowers my third graders created were so beautiful! 

Each one was so creative. I provide the step by step photos in this blog post. 

The details! Loved the birds and bugs added!

Cute little kindergarten flowers! We even painted flower pots for Mother's Day. All the details here. 

This lesson was so much fun! We used watercolor paint for the backgrounds, we drew designs on the vases, we used black ink and tissue paper! It was a big fun lesson and you can find it here. 

Love the dragon on this one!

I made this mural at the start of a school year...but I also think it would be perfect for spring! It's a lot...but so many beautiful things were created. Check out the blog post here. 

Speaking of murals...this one involved the whole school! And would also be a great end of the school year collaboration. 

Happy and bright colors like this always put me in the mood for spring.

I hope you find a lesson or two here that you can use this spring! I'm always so happy to share with you all. 

Let's Talk Clay! Part 1

Well hello there, y'all! It's been a minute...and, if you haven't heard, a lot has happened around here. Like, for instance, me stepping away from teaching art in a classroom setting after doing so for 25 years! I KNOW. CRAZY. All the details on THAT very soon but first...a little something that I've been promising on Instagram for quite some time: a big ole post on all things CLAY. 

Let's first cover my supply list of Must-Have's for working with clay:

* TOOTHBRUSHES! I'm so sorry to shout...actually, I'm not. You will thank me later but THIS is what your kids should be using when they slip and score. Buy this set and use them year after year!

* WATER DISHES! This is where we keep our slip. In fact, I use the same set of no-spill cups each year, just add more clay to it. When clay time is over, I let the water evaporate and just leave the dried clay inside. When the new year begins, I just add water and we have insta-slip! Kids dip their brushes here. We also have a set of these just for painting...so I don't have to worry about cleaning them out when we switch from clay to painting!

* DOGGIE DISHES! Okay, so this is an alternative to the no-spill cups. I love these! We use these also when painting. So if the other cups are too much for your budget, try these!

* DOILIES! Since I started shouting, now I just can't stop. I LOVE doilies...in fact, just scroll below and you'll see a ton of my projects features a texture...it's from theses bad boys! You can also find them at your local thrift store and yard sale so be on the look out!

*SKEWERS! I think we all know about using skewers with clay but one thing that really always bothered me was how long they were. I was always thinking someone was gonna lose an eye! Not a happy thought. I discovered these shorter skewers a couple years ago and now...this is all we use. 

*TRAYS! Contain all of that dusty mess with trays. I didn't start using trays until recently and I was like WHERE HAS THIS BEEN MY WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE?! 

* GARLIC PRESSES! Oh man. You can't just get one of these. You're gonna need bunches! I found them here...but I have also found them less expensive at the Dollar Tree and Walmart. 

* REUSEABLE TOWELS! Oh man...I cannot tell you how much this saved the MESS in my room this year. Hear me out: I placed a bin of water on each table with a splash of soap and 2 towels. At the end of each art class, the kids used a towel to both clean their hands and the table. This kept the dust mess down! My custodian friend was so happy. 

The other items you'll find on my list are the air dry clays I've used in the past. I'm also sharing glaze (which is only used on kiln fire clay). I purchase my clay locally from The Clay Lady. She also sells the clay mats I strongly recommend. If you purchase your clay locally, you'll be supporting local businesses. 

And now...on with the show!

Isn't it crazy to think that we are expected to know about all things clay...just cuz we have an art teacherin' degree?! Well, I created a video sharing everything I know about clay. You can catch even more details in this blog post. 

And I talk a whole lot about glaze right here. 

Of course, there are plenty of ways to add beautiful color to ceramics without the hassle of a second fire and of the expense of glaze. I'll share a TON of projects in the second installment of this blog post that do not require glaze...and still look amazing. BUT FIRST...

What is Clay is a video I created several years ago to share with my students on the very first day of working with clay. With my 30 minute classes, we watch the videos and then we spend the rest of class just rolling up our sleeves and getting a little messy. It's a great introduction to clay, no matter what the project. Here's a peak at the video:

And now...a moment from our sponsor. 

Me. I'm the sponsor. 

Many of my projects can also be done with air dry clays, either homemade or store-bought. And if you are kiln-less and would like a little more guidance, I wrote a whole book about it! You can find it here. 

Okay, y'all. I really thought I could also add all my favorite clay projects also in this blog post BUT...I think I'll save that for the second installment of this series, so stay tuned. Until then, have a good one!