Radial Symmetry Design: Part 2

Welcome back to my 4th grade Radial Symmetry design tutorial.  This week we will outline and color to our pencil design.  I know that a lot of your only have basic materials at home with you during this time of homeschooling. DO NOT STRESS!  You can use any or all of the following materials to give your art piece eye-catching details.  So take a deep breath and let's jump in.

Materials:

Crayons

Markers

Colored Pencils

Sharpies

Watercolors

Step 1: Outline

There are a few different ways that you can do the outline.  I chose to outline with a fine point Sharpie marker.  The Sharpie clearly defines the open areas where I will be adding color and pattern to make the design come to life.  

Another option would be to outline with a black crayon.  If you like doing Crayon Resist with watercolors, outlining with a black crayon would be a nice choice.  Be sure to use firm pressure while outlining.  This will apply enough wax from the crayon to resist the watercolors and keep areas separated.

Step 2: Step back from the basic design.  Are you happy with the look?  Does it look too simple?  What could be added?  As you are mulling these questions, I would suggest using a pencil to add any new touches, just in case they turn out to be something you would rather not keep in the design.

I think it may need a little more of...something

I think that is enough for now!  Time to finish the outlining.  

To complete the outlining, I used a little of this and little of that.  The curly bits needed the touch of an ultrafine Sharpie.  Using a thicker Sharpie or a crayon would destroy the delicate nature of the curls.  For the spots and butterfly-like lines, I used a black crayon (see close-up above).

Step 3: Color and pattern

The sky is the limit on this part.  Remember the radial symmetry.  If a color is applied in one part of the radius, then be sure to apply the color to the matching bits.  With the same thought in mind, if you apply a pattern to one area, be sure to match it in the others.

I started with crayon, coloring a section then stepping back to take a look.  The petals began as a curved Fuschia line in each section, then changed to the Fuschia outline with hot pink in the center.  Next dots,

then lines and a few solid areas, still using the crayons.

Another step back made me realize that it needed a little more balance between the center and the stripes on the outside, so I added the hot pink to the outside.  Now for some paint!

I used watercolors.  What I find fascinating about watercolors is how you can change the saturation of color by "repainting" using only water on the brush!  So cool.  It softens areas where the color was a little too dark and deepens color in other areas.

A touch of pinky-orange on top of the hot pink crayon filled in areas the crayon missed and softened the overall look of the petals.

Purple on top of purple crayon pretty much covered up the spots!  Easy peasy, lemon squeezy...paint over it with only water on the brush and then dab with a paper towel.  Viola!!  The spots pop out.  

Final touches, then paint the background and it is finished.  

I can hardly wait to see your finished Radial Designs!  I know they will all be stunning.  

NOTE for my 4th graders:  Don't forget to post your completed project to your Google Classroom assignment page for a grade!

End of the Year Recap!

It is hard to believe that an entire year has flown by, but here we are...at the end of the school year!  I spent yesterday packing up my room, clearing out hidden projects and passing them to the proper students, 6th graders flowed through to glue down airdry words to Pop Art pieces, and my littles finished decorating the skirt of my One-Of-A-Kind "designer" dress.  Here are some highlights from this year's creativity in the art room.

4th Grade Radial Symmetry:  paper folding, color, design.  Well worth the 4 weeks they took to complete!

 

 

 

 

Clay projects with 4th grade and 6th.  4th graders created beautiful polymer clay star nativity ornaments.  6th grade created beautiful Altoid tin shrines in a cross curriculum project (Religion and Art).  7th grade created Bottles of Hope for patients undergoing cancer treatments.  Some students kept their bottle to "gift" to a family member or significant person with health struggles of their own.

 

 

 

Our year started off with a bang!  A collaborative school project followed by Square One pieces and then classroom auction pieces!  Busy, busy classroom

kindergarten Dr Suess chalkboard 

  2nd grade shrink plastic rosary

1st grade Alphabet

4th grade patterned weaving

7th grade organic -vs- geometric lamp

3rd grade flag

6th grade Unique personalities

6th and 8th grade Square One

 

 

School wide collaborative wing project 
One feather designed by every student in the school plus a few teachers

Oil pastels on top of a black background made the most amazing "Starry Night" nativity canvases

4th grade experimented with printing techniques.  This was a new project and it will definitely be making a comeback in 2019/20!

 

Weaving was introduced to multiple classes throughout the year.  4th grade created recycled magazine baskets complete with air dry clay eggs. 3rd grade wowed with mixed media creations that started by weaving on paper plates.  2nd grade created amazing dimensional weavings that wowed all who saw them on display!  And 8th grade work for 5 weeks on large fiber weavings, incorporating 5 different elements (color, texture, beads, etc), tassels, and an angle.  The project was completed by tying the weaving to a stick for display.  All weaving projects were a hit 😄

 

 

 

Art History is always a part of the year.  All ages are exposed to famous artists, past & present throughout the year.  Here are a few of my favorites:

  Charley Harper

Lois Malou Jones

  Grant Wood (American Gothic) 

  Diego Rivera

  another American Gothic

  Andy Warhol

3rd grade was able to make handmade papers at the end of the year!  So much fun and the kids were amazed at the process (bonus points for combining science with art) 😉  Completed papers were showcased in painted frames backed with texture rubbings or wallpaper.

Two separate people sent me a Pinterest post with an Art teacher in a dress decorated with her students' artwork.  Don't you know I had to make one...I found a white dress on Amazon and let the kids draw directly on the skirt with Sharpies.  Every student in K-5th grade is represented on this dress in some way or another...some large, some small, but all signed with their artist signature.  There was much excitement when I wore it to school for the 8th grade graduation ❤

  Well that's it...another fabulous year at St Francis of Assisi School completed.  Way too many projects to share them all...I am hoping to be a bit more tech-savvy next year.  Time will tell.  Have a marvelous summer.

With Love, 

Mrs. Hess 

💜