When one creates an artwork, the "ingredients" are the elements of art: (1) line; (2) color; (3) shape/form; (4) texture; and (5) value. How they are used makes up the principles of art: (1) balance; (2) emphasis; (3) proportion; (4) movement; (5) rhythm, repetition and pattern; (6) variety; and (7) unity. Students will gain a better understanding…

Having a career in art is based on strong inner feelings that tell a person what it is he or she wants to be, regardless of one's age. By becoming familiar with the lives of artists and what has inspired them, with knowledge of their working processes, teachers can better plan activities for the students in their care. This article takes a look at…

Each year, the first-year high-school art students at Surry County High School in Dendron, Virginia, complete a three-dimensional project that attempts to re-create an artifact from the Old Kingdom. In this article, the author describes how the students made canopic jars from recycled 2-liter soda bottles and newspapers for this year's art…

Artworks are not produced in a vacuum, but by the interaction of experiences, and interrelationships of ideas, perceptions and feelings acknowledged and expressed in some form. Students, like mature artists, may be inspired and motivated by their memories and observations of their surroundings. Like adult artists, students may find that their own…

A field trip to an art museum is a very special occasion for students, one they will long remember and that will initiate an association with museums that will endure throughout their lives. When teachers plan ahead and schedule a date and time for their class to attend, the museum will probably provide some pertinent information. Some museums may…

Teachers can function more effectively in the lives of their students when they are aware of the divergent work habits students as individuals and professional artists encounter, share, and utilize. A study of the lives of artists often tells things they have said or written--or what has been written about them in regard to the way they create and…

When the author visits art museums, she always winds up in the children's section of the museum shop looking for appropriate books and games for her students. The games always intrigue her; however, they are rarely designed for more than two to four players, and the cost is often prohibitive. In light of this frustrating situation, she has spent a…

This article profiles Frank Woodberry Applebee (1902-1988) and features Applebee's painting called "Monday." Applebee was born in Boston and attended the Massachusetts College of Art. Throughout his career, Applebee continued his learning, and in the 1940s took a correspondence course in drawing from the Ralph M. Pearson Design Workshop. He…

The National Art Education Association (NAEA) has clearly defined the role of art with six content and achievement standards that are broad in coverage and designed specifically to ensure a thorough and comprehensive art program for K-4, 5-8 and 9-12. To meet the standards, students learn vocabularies and concepts associated with various types of…

In this article, the author describes an art project inspired by Henry Moore's sculptures. This project consists of two activities. In the first activity, students select, sand and stain a wood block that would become a base for their plaster sculpture. This activity would keep the students independently engaged (classroom management) while the…

The author is always on the lookout for new ideas, and found one with her state's new "grade-level expectations" in art. She had printed the expectations from the state department and bound them in book form for herself and other art teachers in her district. When the author was flipping through the booklet thinking, two things caught her eye:…

Three years ago, the author and Linda Arbuckle (University of Florida ceramic professor and internationally known majolica clay artist) were on the phone discussing how electric kilns just don't have any artistic design flair to them. The round kiln has basic properties that allow it to function properly, but its looks are far from exciting. They…

In this lesson, students learn about line, shape, color, mixed media and abstraction, while being introduced to Swiss artist, Paul Klee (1879-1940). This lesson works well with a variety of age levels and abilities and could also be used to teach analogous or triad color schemes.

This article discusses Al Souza's "Orlando City Maps," which was created not by adding colored ink to paper, but by cutting the printed paper away. Seven layers of pages are stacked upon one another and, except for the intact bottom layer, oval-shaped holes are cut through each page to reveal the layers below. When designing "Orlando City Maps,"…

Coming up with new projects for students is easy, but finding projects the majority of the children enjoy and do well with is quite another matter. In this article, the author describes how students made an advanced form of finger painting project. This project was inspired by Allen Montague, an artist from North Carolina, who was demonstrating…