Painting on silk has a magic all its own. Versions of painting on silk can be found throughout the world from Japan and Europe to the United States. Themes for the paintings can be most any type of design or imagery. Applying the liquid dyes is exciting, as the vivid liquid colors flow and blend into the fabric. The process captures students'…

Inspired by a beautiful bookmark one of the author's students made for him as a gift, he began a lesson exploring the vibrant bark paintings popular all over Mexico. The majority of his students have Mexican ancestry, so exploring the arts of Mexico is always popular and well received. Amate paintings can also be a great way to introduce the…

Oil pastels offer many advantages. They come in a large range of hues, intensities and values, and they lend themselves to blending and shading in a unique way that no other art medium offers. They can be worked and reworked from day to day by the students without the large mess and cleanup time that oil paints require. An artist whose works are a…

Louise Nevelson, who is called the "architect of shadow," was a "dumpster diver" of her time, collecting found objects in the wee hours of the morning before trash pickup. Recognition evaded Nevelson until she created "Mood Garden + One" (1958), when she was almost 60 years old. In this article, students create their own assemblage using…

There's something irresistible about squeezing out lines and shapes with a bottle of glue. It's fun, yes. But, even better: it's tactile. The glue dries slightly raised on the surface, lending itself to several exciting treatments. In this article, the author describes some activities that confirm how a simple art material like glue can be…

An abstract art project can be challenging or not, depending on the objectives the teacher sets up. In this article, the author describes an abstract papier-mache project that is a success for all students, and is a versatile project easily manipulated to suit the classroom of any art teacher.

In this article, the author describes the design for her advanced oil-painting class. In this class, high-school students created a self-portrait painting and learned a glazing technique. The author also describes the students' evaluation of the class.

Describes an art project for beginning drawing students that focuses on abstraction and the work of abstract artists. Explains that the students draw a still-life portrait of a model, but are asked to exaggerate the foreshadowing in their pictures. (CMK)

Presents an art lesson for elementary students using painter Claude Monet as an introduction to Impressionism. Discusses Monet and his artwork. Explains that the students copy Monet's painting "The House of Parliament, Sunset" in order to draw the contour or outline of the buildings. (CMK)

Discusses an art project that focuses on fine arts prints. Uses three printmaking techniques: (1) stamping, (2) monotypes, and (3) intaglio (drypoint), with a focus on monotypes. Explains that the students created self-portraits using the monoprint technique by drawing their faces on a mirror and pulling the print off this surface. (CMK)

Describes an art project that integrated science and art education. Explains that students create ceramic bowls by using real leaves. Discusses the process of creating the ceramic bowls, including how to glaze the bowls. Includes a list of materials. (CMK)

Describes an art project in which students created close-up drawings of animals. Explains that they located photographs of animals, enlarged them with a copier, and completed research on the animals. States that the students used oversized black and white scratchboard. (CMK)

Presents an art lesson in which kindergarten and first-grade students learn about Henri Matisse and his art work. Explains that the students use "Model Magic" to create Matisse style face refrigerator magnets. Discusses in detail how to create the magnets. (CMK)

Discusses an art activity that has students create pictures in which they first trace a chameleon pattern and then add camouflage to conceal the chameleon. Explains that different materials and techniques are used for students in grades k-1 and 2-5. (CMK)

Describes a unit on clay casting that introduces students to relief sculpture. The unit takes three 45 to 50 minute class periods three weeks apart. Discusses each class session in detail: (1) creating the casting; (2) turning out and rinsing the casting; and (3) enriching the surface with color. (CMK)