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!

4th grade Radial Symmetry Art lesson

      With the Coronavirus in full swing here in the United States, schools have been let out for the remainder of the school year and the teachers have been sent home to teach online.  I must admit that when this unusual journey began I thought "How on Earth am I going to teach art online and actually get the kids to participate?"  Now going into my 3rd week of teaching online I feel like I am getting into a groove.

Normally at this time of the year, my 4th grade creates amazing dimensional Radial Symmetry designs using origami folds, bright colored construction paper, and glue. 

                   

      

With the bulk of my students having only basic art materials at home, I knew that even attempting the project would be a meltdown in the making for all of us!  So I redesigned the lesson to use basic materials: paper, pencil, scissors, and color.  Here is my step-by-step lesson for Radial Symmetry.

NOTE TO MY STUDENTS:  Have fun with this project.  Once you are finished, please post your completed design to the Google Classroom assignment post.  Have fun!  I can hardly wait to see what you come up with (((HUGS)))

Radial Symmetry

Materials: 

Paper (whatever paper you have on hand will work fine.  I used paper from my art journal)

Pencil 

Eraser (just in case you make a boo-boo or want to change an area)

Scissors

Color (crayons, colored pencils, markers, watercolors...whatever you have on hand at home)

something round to trace (bowl, plate, lids, etc.)

Place your bowl, plate, round object onto your paper and trace all the way around.  Once you have completed the circle, remove the plate, bowl, etc., then trace it one more time on a second sheet of paper. (NOTE: Be sure to help mom out and put it away when you are done!)

Cut out one of the circles.  Cut carefully on the line!  Throw away any trash (please).

Now we are going to do some folds.  Take your time, matching up edges as you go.

First, fold your circle in half. Match up the edges (as shown), then press along the fold to create a crisp, clean edge (sorry, that sounds rather redundant, but I think you know what I mean) 

Next, fold in half again.  Press along the folds to create crisp, clean edges. 

Finally, fold it one more time in half.  If you have followed the directions, your circle will be divided into 1/8ths when you open it up!   

Open the circle up, then get your scissors.  We are going to cut 2 wedges out of the circle (NOTE:  Only cut wedges out of ONE of the circles.  Set the other circle aside).  The first wedge should be a 1/8th wedge.  The second should be a 1/4 wedge.  Set the rest of your divided circle aside.  It will give you extra pieces in case you change your mind about a shape you create or you just want additional details.

Now we are ready for some design fun!  Let's start with the 1/8th wedge.  Draw a random shape on the wedge.  Be sure to incorporate the point (center of the circle) into your shape.

Cut out your shape carefully. Now you have 2 possible templates to use for the radial design!

Grab the circle you set aside.  Fold it in half and then in half again, before opening it.  Your circle should be divided into 1/4's.

Choose one of the templates to work with.  I decided to use my petal shape and start the design.  Place the point of your shape in the center of the circle as shown.

Make sure the point touches the center and the edge (as shown).  Trace along the edges, all the way down to the center of the circle.  Flip the template, line up with the next edge and trace again.  (NOTE: You will need to flip the shape [think mirror image] for your design to work out.  BUT if you forget or this step confuses you, I am sure it will work out fine.  Don't stress!! 😱)

Continue around the circle until you have completed your first design element.

Now to work with the 1/4 wedge, but for this one I want you to fold the wedge in half first.  Draw your shape on the folded edge.  Any shape will work, but be sure the point is a part of the shape.  You can see I drew a teardrop on my fold and that formed a heart once it was cut out.

This time I want you to use the template that has a curved edge.  Position your template as shown, lining up the edges of the template with the folded lines of your circle and the curved edge with the curved edge of the circle.

Use the pencil to trace the shape inside the template.  Once you have traced it once, move the template to the next 1/4 space and trace it a second time.  Repeat until you have traced the shape 4 times.

Are you getting excited??  We are almost done!  Now I want you to trace your template 4 more times.  Can you guess where??  That is right!  In the empty space.  When you have that completed, your design should look something like this:

Now, of course, your shapes may be different than the ones I chose to use, so your design will not be identical to mine.  But that is the way it should be...you guys know that "cookie-cutter Art" makes my skin crawl!  

It is time to add your own extra details to the piece.  I decided to trace a couple of bottle caps in the center.  Maybe you decide to add a few more details around the edges.  Just remember to keep whatever you do symmetrical!

Alrighty, I am going to stop the lesson now.  Get your design completed to this point and then put it in a safe place (DON"T lose it!!).   

For my 4th graders: post a photo of your progress to our Google Classroom assignment page. Next week we will work on color and texture and POP for our radial design.

Until then, I miss all of you terribly!  I can hardly wait for us to be together again (((HUGS)))

Global Monarch Awareness Project, pt. 2

I read 2 books with my 2nd and 4th-grade students: "Monarch Butterfly" by Gail Gibbons and "The Seeds of the Milkweed" by Second grade students from East End Elementary in Little Rock, Arkansas.  After reading the first book we discussed the stages in the life cycle of the Monarch butterfly.  We also discussed why the Monarch might be in danger of being added to the Endangered Species list and what could be done to keep it from happening.  

The first step in the collages was to finger paint paper for the wings.  Students were given yellow, red, and orange finger paints to blend on their papers.  They were also encouraged to use unusual texture tools (bottle caps, tree gumballs, popsicle sticks, toothpicks, a wavy roller, and a leaf cookie cutter) to texture the painting (in the style of Eric Carle). Papers were set aside to dry until the next class.

The next class began with the reading of "The Seeds of the Milkweed".  We talked about symmetry in a butterfly's wings.  They were then given the choice of beginning their project with the collage and then creating the actual butterfly later or beginning with the butterfly and working towards the collage.  Trust me, a lot was happening in the Art Room!    The entire project took 3-4 weeks to complete.  As students would say they were finished we would look at the collage and talk about the stages represented.  Were ALL the stages represented?  What could be added?  The caterpillar was a challenge for most!  Many of the students went back to the books to discover what the caterpillar looked like (colors).  They also took a peek to see what color the milkweed should be.

The resulting collages are amazing!  A favorite touch on some?  The use of wax paper to create a translucent chrysalis.

2nd grade:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4th grade: