This is a new lesson I started this year and I’m SO in love with them!! My 5th graders at Roosevelt just finished these yesterday and I couldn’t WAIT to post them to share!! Thank you Laura (Paintedpaperart.com) and amymcreynolds (Instagram) for the inspiration!
Finished artwork is 9×12″ with an 11 x 14″ white paper border hot glued to the back. Read more below to see how these beauties were created with steps and photos!
Here are some close ups!
This 4 day (four 40 min. art classes) lesson focuses on 6 of the 7 Elements of Art; Form, Line, Shape, Color, Texture, and Value.
We used white Modelite modeling material, printmaking with bubble wrap, splatter painting with watercolors, liquid tempera paints to paint the flowers, bubble wrap and flower’s stems and leaves, railroad board paper, 80# white drawing paper, and scissors and glue sticks to create these mixed-media flowers.
DAY 1
Students each received a small cut section of Modelite modeling material to make 5 flowers. This air hardening, super soft material is SO easy to manipulate and shape. If you’ve never used it, it’s very similar to ModelMagic. I found that (4) 8 ounce packages are more than enough for 1 class of about 25 students. I put each section in a plastic ziplock baggie ahead of time so they wouldn’t dry out and make passing out the materials for class easier. Then I just reuse the bags for the next class.
I demonstrated under the document camera ways to create a few different flowers, but students could make any kind they wanted.
Students rolled a small chunk of material into a small ball, about the size of a ping pong ball, then flattened the ball with their palm a bit (to about the thickness of an oreo cookie. Then used scissors to make cuts towards the center all the way around, then cut small triangle sections out from those cuts to separate and create the flowers petals. From there they used their fingers to shape and point the ends if they wanted, or leave them more straight on the ends. The leftover clay from the triangle cuts were balled up to make the flowers center. Other small balls of material were made into tulips, circle “button” flowers, and daisy’s and many other fun creative flowers! Kids got really creative! Take a look below!
Flowers were stashed away to dry until the next art class (I see each class once a week). To completely harden it takes 72 hours.
DAY 2
Students painted their flowers with liquid tempera paint. I put the paints in ice cube trays as seen below to separate colors. What a game changer!!! I had never thought of using these until THIS YEAR?!? Super cheap to buy at the Dollar Tree (pack of 2 for $1)!
Students could paint their flowers any colors they wanted! Kids started on the petals first, leaving the center last, in order to hold them down while painting. They rinsed their brush well in water and wiped on a paper towel between changing colors. Kids did a great job of keeping the colors clean! Trays were covered in tinfoil and stashed away until the next class.
Love all the colors, and layering of color! Flowers were left to dry until the next class!
DAY 3
Students created 2 different painted papers for their table and vase. First, they created a print using bubble wrap. They painted the bubble side with liquid tempera and could use any colors they wanted from the trays. Once painted, they laid a sheet of 80# drawing paper on top, rubbed their hands over the paper and then peeled the paper off revealing their print!
Even if the print produced some areas with less color, students could use other sections of their print to cut out and create their tables and vases.
After they printed, they did some fun splatter painting with watercolors on a separate sheet of 9×12″ paper. Kids LOVED this and had a blast!
Paintings were left to dry until the next class!
DAY 4
On the final day students assembled everything together! To prep, I hot glued all students 5 flowers onto a sheet of 9×12″ railroad board (like bristol board with both sides colored). Teachers out there reading, this took a bit of time (about 1 hour per class of 27 students). I picked out the color for the paper, and had 2 hot glue guns going as I worked, then wrote each students name on the bottom of the paper. After, I placed all their papers with flowers in a large cardboard mason box to disperse in class later.
I demonstrated to students under the doc camera to measure one of their selected painted papers using a ruler. They measured 4″ from the bottom of their 9×12″ sheet, making 3 marks. Then they draw a straight horizontal line using the ruler along those (3) 4″ marks. Then cut along the line and glue with a glue stick and apply to the bottom of their railboard paper to create the table.
Then they choose another section of painted paper to create their vase. I suggested they use both painted papers (one for the table and a different one for the vase) for more visual interest, but they could use the same paper if they really wanted.
I created 4 different vase example drawings and photocopied them on cardstock to use as either a visual aid to observe and draw from, cut out as a tracer then trace on their painted paper, or they could create their own vase entirely. I wanted to offer a variety of methods, and including a tracer was helpful, since getting the sizing right to fit the paper under their flowers might of been a bit tricky.
For a final step, students used 2 different shades of green liquid tempera to paint flower stems and leaves.
The student above, on the left discovered how cool the BACKSIDE of his splatter painting was and decided to use that side instead for his vase! And look at that gorgeous rose on the top right! Beautiful!
The student above wanted to outline her vase and add black details with oil pastel! LOVE LOVE LOVE! It reminds me of Matisse!
They all turned out so lovely! I love the variety of flowers, textures, colors AND unique artistic decisions!! I can’t wait to mount them all on white paper and display them in the halls!
Thanks so much for stopping by! Check back soon for more artwork by 2nd grade, 4th grade and 1st grade!!
