In the Art Room: Printed Paris

Goin' out with a bang! We are slowly wrapping up our unit on Paris, France and what better way to say goodbye than with fireworks.

As my third grade students were finishing up these printed and chalked Parisian pictures, I was so impressed, I thought I'd share them with you. They were mighty proud of them too which lead to the following back and forth:

Kids: Can we PLEASE take these home today?

Evil Art Teacher: No! I must keep all of these masterpieces for the end-of-the-school-year art show!

OTL Kid [OTL = Out To Lunch]: When's the end-of-the-school-year art show?

EAT: The end-of-the-school-year art show is next week. 

OTL Kid: Yay! What time?

The Rest of Us: face palm.

Once we got OTL straightened out, I convinced the kids that this kind of art activity is one they could easily do at home. All that is needed is the following:

• cardboard cut into 1" X 2" rectangles. Be sure to cut it so that the wiggly corrugated cardboard line is visible on the 1" side. This will keep the cardboard sturdy enough for printing.
• tempra paint
• paper

I know, I know, paint on the floor? Really? I never claimed to be the Smartest Artist Teacher.

Group of finished third grade prints.

Want to make some printed Eiffel Towers of your own? Well, it's super easy. I thought I'd share with you the steps I had on display for the kids to follow.

1. We began by folding our paper in half both vertically and horizontally. After unfolding the paper completely, we brought the bottom of the paper up to the middle line and created another fold.
2. From there, we printed a vertical line from the top of the paper to the first horizontal crease. We added two diagonal lines and an intersecting horizontal line at the top.

3. We chatted about parallel lines and created two parallel lines from the ends of the diagonal lines. These were both the same length of the initial vertical line.

4. We crossed the initial vertical lines with intersecting horizontal lines. These were filled with diagonal lines that created X's.

5. All along we are learning factoids about the Eiffel Tower and it's creator Gustave Eiffel. We used the Eiffel Tower bulletin board and my windows as a helpful reminder. The second level of the tower was created with a printed rectangle shape.

6.  A triangle shape was created underneath that as were the long diagonal lines of the side of the towers legs.

7. From there, we created the arch and filled the legs of the tower with horizontal, vertical and intersecting diagonal lines.

And while I loved the end results of the prints, I wanted the kids to experience working in another medium and add their own personal flair to the project. Hence the chalking of their prints. I created the display of directions shown above to allow the kids to work independently on this portion of the project.

We also chatted about some of the famous structures in Paris that could be included in our chalked landscape like Sacre Coeur, Arc de Triumph and Notre Dame.

The key is not to let your paper move as you smudge the chalk upwards. If this happens, you might lose image in your design.

The kids had great fun with this project. I've already received a couple "I did this at home!" versions of both the prints and the chalk. Nothing makes this Evil Art Teacher happier. You'll have to let me know if you decide to give this a go. Just don't let me get my hands on your masterpiece...it's likely you won't get it back. That is until the end-of-the-year...which I could only dream was next week (just kidding...we have entirely too much fun in store!).

What the Art Teacher Wore #41

Batty Monday: Try to ignore the nappy hair and the messy background and focus on that batty dress. Holy guacamole, I love it so. I picked it up at Audrey K's while on vacation in Cali. tights: Target; shoes: Softt

Happy-Belated-Wardrobe post, friends! I'm just in and recovering from an art teacher conference held in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. What does an "art teacher conference" entail, you ask? Well, lemme tell you, it involves catching up with friends, making new ones and creating lots of stuff. And I'm totally an art conference junkie, so my weekend was just artsy-fartsy perfection. In fact, I got so involved in the fun that I completely forgot to snap a photo of Friday's outfit. Me so sorry! However, I do hope that this little bit of history on one of my favorite portrait artists, Vladimir Tretchikoff, will make up for it. Enjoy and I'll catch up with you later this week.

I have to tell you, Vladimir Tretchikoff's life reads like some sort of long-winded romance/adventure novel. The artist was born on December 13, 1913 (apparently the number 13 played a big part in his life) in Pertropavlovsk, Russia. I had no idea where Pertropavlovsk was but after some googling, I found that it's a peninsula on the far eastern side of Russia. Interestingly, it's the second largest city in the world that is unreachable by road.

Miss Wong. During the Vladimir's childhood, the Russian Revolution broke out causing his parents and eight siblings to move to an area in China that was Russian-ruled. It was there that Vladie discovered his flair for art. His talent eventually led him to Shanghai where he met his wife Natalie and fathered a daughter Mimi.

Day of the Dead Tuesday: On this day, kindergarten and I were talking Roy G. Biv. When we got to the "v", I asked the students if they could tell me the name of the color that looks like purple but starts with a "v". Surprisingly, they got it right! But soon after, one boy said,"My mom says I'm not allowed to watch violet movies. Violet movies are bad for little kids." They are so stinkin' cute. dress: made by me; tights and flowers: Target; shoes: Dolls by Nina; sweater: Anthro

Balinese Girl. Eventually, Vladie and his fam moved to Singapore where, in 1941, the Japanese invaded and took his wife and daughter. He was not to see or hear from them for five years. Vladie managed to escape by boat that was torpedoed. He eventually found himself with several others, struggling to stay alive on a small life boat.

Happy Halloween, Wednesday! Full outfit details here.

Chinese Girl. This painting is probably Vladimir Tretchikoff's most famous. But you want to know if he got off of that life boat, doncha? He did, arriving in Java, only to find that the Japanese had already invaded there. He was captured and thrown into solitary confinement for three months. His artistic abilities were actually what set him free. Impressed by his talent, his captors released him.

Art Conference Thursday: I never thought I'd buy polyester but this dress is just so awesomely cut. And I love the over-the-top pattern. What surprised me about polyester was how warm it is! I was perfectly comfy in my flammable frock. dress: vintage, Buffalo Exchange; belt: Anthro; boots: Seychelle's; double layer fishnet and tights: Target

Balinese Dancer. Once freed, Vladimir couldn't work fast enough. It seemed word got out in Java of his amazing portraits and he had clients out the wazoo. One such client, Leonora Moltema, became a muse of Vladimir's. She's the one featured in many of this portraits of Asian women. It was Leonora that took him to a seance that revealed the whereabouts of his wife and daughter.

Lady from Orient. Eventually, Vladimir found international success. His painting, Chinese Girl, has sold almost as many prints as Leonardo's Mona Lisa. Many write off Vladimir's portraits as kitsch but I find them absolutely beautiful. The artist, who lived to the age of 92, said near the end of his life: Express your passion. Do what you love. No matter what. Gotta love that.

In the Artroom: Happy Halloween from Madeline!

Because I dress pretty outrageous most days, the kids seemed to be more surprised by my hair than anything else. I think I heard an equal amount of "Did you cut your hair?!" and "Hey, it's a giant Madeline!" hat and Madeline book: thrifted; dress: DearCreatures; tights and skirt: Target; shoes: Clarks; big red bow: added by me

 Bonjour, Trick or Treaters! Despite the fact that we have a no-costume rule at school, I decided to dress as Madeline today. It's educational, fun and gave me an excuse to pick up this super sweet dress. Which I wore as a tunic because, well, I didn't want to turn my lesson into the Madeline Peep-Show, if you know what I mean.

“In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines
Lived twelve little girls in two straight lines
In two straight lines they broke their bread
And brushed their teeth and went to bed.
They left the house at half past nine
In two straight lines in rain or shine-
The smallest one was Madeline.”

 I had so much fun reading Madeline to the kids especially since we are still on our Parisian kick. I used this amazing bulletin board created by one of my practicum students. Under each leaf, there were facts all about the Eiffel Tower that the kids enjoyed learning about. I added my own fun facts. For example, we learned that the Tower is 59 giraffes tall and as heavy as 1,341 elephants. That's one big Iron Lady.

 I adore the illustrations in this book. They are the perfect mix of messy and retro. I did some research on the author behind the Madeline books that I thought I'd share with you.

Above is the author, his daughter Barbara (said to be who Madeline is modeled after) and his wife Madeline or Mimi. Born in Austria in 1898, Ludwig (best name ever) Bemelmans spent the early years of his life in the hotel business. He became a US citizen sometime in his thirties. Ludwig always had a passion for art but not so much for writing. It was at the suggestion of a friend that he write a children's book. His first was written in 1934.

Love this image of Notre Dame. Another one my practicum kids created a bulletin board featuring it and we used it today as well.

Poor little Madeline's appendix burst! But she ends up with that super sweet scar to show for it.

 The author wrote seven Madeline books (the last one was not discovered until after his death) and other children and adult books. Although Ludwig became famous for his Madeline books, he always considered himself more an artist than a writer. In fact, he has works of art on display in the Metropolitan Museum in New York and the Museé National d'Art of Paris.

 I still love Madeline the best. Especially if it means a big read bow and a sweet sailor dress. Merci, Madeline! Au revoir and Happy Halloween!

What the Art Teacher Wore #40

First Day of Vacay: We arrived in Los Angeles on the Tuesday of my fall break and went immediately to Disneyland. They were celebrating their Not-So-Scary event with the perfect backdrop for my dress. dress: El Dia de los Muertos Dress, sewn by me, more details here; fishnets and tights: Target; Frye boots: hubs picked 'em up a couple years ago for sale at Journeys for...wait for it...$39!

 Okay, so I'm just gonna let you know up front that this here post is muy photo and vacation chat heavy. We are just back from an awesome adventure in Los Angeles and there wasn't a single photo that I felt I could leave out. I was a complete vintage-shop-aholic during the day and theme-park-enthusiast at night. I'd love to hear if you've visited these spots...or if you have any recommendations for a future adventure. Thanks for dropping by!

Sleeping Beauty Castle. Not to be confused with Cinderella's much bigger and more impressive (sorry Sleeping Beauty, truth hurts) castle in Walt Disney World, Orlando. Although this castle does not resemble the castle in the film Sleeping Beauty, that's the name Walt gave it as he was building Disneyland. The film Sleeping Beauty was to debut a few years after Disneyland opened. Fun Fact: Snow White doesn't have a castle. That's what happens when you take up with that many little men.

Mickey's Soundsational Parade features some of the most popular music from Disney movies and some of the biggest Disney characters like Ariel, Peter Pan, Mary Poppins and Aladdin. This particular dancer with the Best Dress Ever (note to self: create a Pinata Dress stat!) from something called The Three Caballeros. Never heard of 'em but me gusta los frocks, chicas!

More notes to self: make one giant twirly skirt, double stat.

Nine  floats travel down Main Street, each telling their own musical story. It's pretty amazing...I just couldn't get enough of those costumes.

 By the end of the night, I was freezing my tail off. The thing about Cali is that it's a desert. So you might enjoy 80's-90's during the day but as soon as that sun drops, it' takes the temp with it. Most evenings were a chilly 60 degrees. jacket: Modcloth

Shopping in Orange, CA: One of the best little downtown shopping spots is in Orange. We've visited the Orange Candy Co. each time we come to pick up a bag full of Zots. dress and belt: Anthropologie; sweater: thrifted, Banana Republic

Orange has a lovely little town square full of countless antique and gift shops. I always poke around in this shop for DIY ideas. You can find more info on Orange and their shops here.

 Bruxie, home of the Gourmet Waffle Sandwich, is the best place to grab a bite. And the town has a great assortment of vintage shops and vintage clothing tucked in their antique stores. Lost and Found (also called Elsewhere Vintage) had some gems as did Orange Circle Antique Mall (photo on right from a booth in the mall).

Burbank, I love you: So many vintage-themed and vintage clothing shops all on one street. jacket: Modcloth; unicorn dress: Angie; fishnets: Target

Okay, I almost fell out when I spotted this shop. This is the only storefront that the formerly online-only clothing brand Pinup Girl has. It was such a thrill to try on their vintage reproduction duds...and walk out with just the cutest circle skirt ever. Picked up on sale, of course. The young woman working at the shop was just the perfect amount of pinup (with her skin-tight high waisted capris, sunny yellow bustier and rolled hair) and 1950's sweet. Not only was the clothing amazing but they also offer hair and make up classes. Gah! Must attempt that on another trip.

I  have to tell you that some of the nicest people work in these retail shops. The kind girl at Pinup told me to stop by Audrey*K because she has a similar aesthetic. I was so thrilled that I did. Audrey is the owner of the shop and just an absolutely delightful person. She is the designer behind most of the clothing in her store. Most of her dresses are vintage inspired but created with modern fabrics. Which means you can breathe and bend and not worry about hearing that horrifying riiiip of a vintage seam. What Audrey doesn't create herself, she buys from local designers.

More vintage goodness in Burbank: 33 Rooms and Swift Vintage. More super helpful store clerks and more damage to my wallet.

 Playclothes will blow your mind. The amount of vintage packed into that shop was so good it felt bad. They organize their clothing by era and had plenty of 1950's garb to get this girl's heart goin'. This place is a must if you are in Burbank.

Dreamworks Lunch: So one of my favorite artsy buddies from waaay back is married to a Dreamworks dude. He was kind enough to get us passes into Dreamworks for lunch...and it really was like a dream. The place looks like a beautiful Spanish style college campus complete with the best cafeteria ever (you had me at Starbucks on tap). It was such a thrill to see where the creative minds behind Dreamworks create. dress: made by me, more here.

California Adventure's latest attraction is Cars Land. The attention to detail was almost as amazing as the Cars Land ride.

I'm sure I would have appreciated it more had I seen the movie. My favorite part was the vintage feel to the sets. Loved all of those giant retro signs.

Not trip to California Adventure is complete without a stroll around Paradise Pier.

The real reason we ventured to California? Universal Studio's Halloween Horror Nights. I know what you are thinking: didn't they just go to Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando? Yes. We did. And wasn't that right after they went to Howl-O-Scream in Williamsburg? Yes. It was. We can't help it. In October, this is what we do. Go to haunted houses, get scared, scream ourselves silly. The Walking Dead themed house was hands-down the best at HHN.

Until next time, goodbye, Hollywood!

DIY: Flattened Fall Leaf Fantasmic

You can find two other leaf-craft posts on this here blog. There's Leafy Prints post and the Leaf Relief project. Since you've got those leaves collected, why not try these other two crafts?

Happy fall, ya'll! 

It's autumn here in Tennessee complete with brilliantly colored leaves, chilly mornings  and a constant craving for hot apple cider. Every year I forget just how beautiful and brilliant fall leaves are. And every year I collect dozens of them to be pressed and used for craftasticness.  I thought I'd share with you one of my favorite fall projects which I've been calling Flattened Fall Leaf Fantasmic (guess who was just at Disney).

My arrangement of leafy-ness hangs above my rarely-used because it's often too-stacked-with-stuff desk.

 Dude, if you are looking for a simple fall craft, this is the one for you. You'll just need the following:

• Leaf Press....you can find these for about $10 at any craft store. Or you can just use a telephone book and some heavy weighted books to stack on top.
• Leaves...if you pick them up off the ground, be sure they aren't so dry that they crack and break when you bend them gently. These should be freshly fallen leaves.
• Canvas
• Modge-Podge
• Paint

If you are handy, a leaf press like this one would be simple to make. You'll need to change out the cardboard every now and then as it will wilt from the dampness of the leaves. I just cut cardboard scraps from the recycle bin to fit my press.

1.  After you've collected your leaves, press them immediately. If you use a press, you'll need to tighten the screws every day to help flatten the leaves. A telephone book also works great and can old more leaves. Simply stack more books on it daily.
2. After a week or more, the leaves should be ready. They should no longer be damp and they should have held their flattened shape and kept their color.
3. While waiting for my leaves, I began to work on a background for my canvas.

You can see by the year that this one was created several years ago. I was very surprised that the leaf kept it's brilliant color after all this time.

 4.   I wanted my canvas to have an antiqued look, so I used a coffee dye. I really had fun playing around with some different textures. Sometimes I let the coffee drip down the canvas. Other times I pressed the damp surface of the canvas with a paper towel. I also used a doily as a stencil as seen on the canvas above.

 5.   Once the canvas was dry and the leaves were flattened, I began to play around with the composition. I used Modge Podge to adhere the leaves to the canvas both under the leaf and on top.

This is the canvas I used the paper towel on. I loved the delicate pattern it left behind when I lifted the towel.

 6.   From there I began lightly drawing in my design in pencil. I used black ink to paint my design as it seemed to flow better on the canvas and give me a hard edge. I wanted the painting above to look like a cameo necklace.

I love all of the different colors in each and every leaf.

For this one, I used a doily in the back ground and many leaves from the same tree. To connect them, I painted a tree branch.

Once complete, I covered each canvas with a thin layer of Modge Podge. I wrapped the edges in black ribbon and hung them up as a grouping together. So easy! 

If you happen to give this craft, or any of the other leaf projects a shot, please let me know! I've gotten several emails from folks that have tried out both the Leaf Relief and the Leaf Prints projects with success. I'd love to know what you think of this latest leaf-y project.

Happy Fall!