Origami Sugar Skulls

            Origami Sugar Skulls

In Mexico during Dia de los Muertos sugar skulls are made as an offering to their dead loved ones.

Sugar skulls are decorated to look bright and colourful. To capture the personality and spirit of the deceased loved ones. Isn't that a lovely sentiment 😊

They decorations also give us an insight into the personality and likes of the person.

Follow the instructions to create an origami skull and decorate in the style of a sugar skull.

Enjoy 😊

Pom Pom Spiders & Colourful Webs 👾

I retweeted a picture of colourful webs adorned with Pom Pom spiders earlier this week. I have been asked how to make them so I've put together a short post on how I would do it. This is not my idea and so this is my interpretation of what I think is a great art lesson. 

As it is Maths week it would be nice to talk about fractions, angles, lines, or length if using this lesson. Integration all the way!! 😉

Spider Web

1. Rule an A4 page in half horizontally and vertically (page is now in quarters).

2. Draw two diagonal lines, one joining top left corner to bottom right, and the other from top right to bottom left.

3. Your page is now in 8 section. In each section draw lines to complete the web. 

4. Using crayons, pencils or markers colour in the web. As it is Maths week you can talk about patterns, children could use a different pattern for each section, or do one section in cool colours and the next in warm colours.

Pom Pom Spider

1. Using black wool, wrap it loosely around two fingers. The more times you wrap it around your fingers the bigger your spider will be.

2.Tie a length of wool securely around the middle, making a figure 8. 

3. Take a scissors and cut the wool to release both loops.

4. Fluff out to make your spider and add eyes!

Here's are some pictures which should explain better than I just have!

Vampire Spiders!

I have been asked for Hallowe'en art ideas for infants. So here is an easy yet effective idea for the paint and colour strand.

I have to say it is lovely when kids come home with handprint or footprint crafts. There are lots of ideas on Pinterest, just have a browse. One of my favourites is 'Trick or treat, smell my feet!'

I love the nail varnish on these feet! Unfortunately the link to the original site for this is a dead link but it's pinned on my Halloween Pinterest board. 

Something that allows for more creativity than handprints or footprints is painting! 

This idea uses coloured card and black paint. Sounds easy, well it is!

Vampire Spiders

It's Halloween after all!

1. Using black paint, paint two circles on coloured paper. Use a mix of colours for your paper, they will look lovely when they are on display. 

2. Add 8 legs.

3. Once the paint is dry glue on a nose (I like the kids to pick the shape and cut out the nose themselves)

4. Cut two circles from white paper, draw pupils and stick onto your spider. Add two triangle fangs! 

Tah Dah! A vampire spider!!

To infinity and beyond!!

World Space Week 4th - 10th October 

The theme this year is 'Discovery'. 

What might you discover on another plant? Aliens perhaps?!

These blow paint aliens are fun and fast.

1. Mix a little paint with water. 

2. Drop a teaspoon of the mixture on the page. 

3. Turn the page to create legs/arms. 

4. Gently blow the paint to make spikes etc. 

You can use straws to blow the paint around if you prefer. 

5. Add eyes (sticker eyes were used here) and a mouth once dry.

Or how about creating your own planets?!

Planet Printing

You need : Black paint and some found objects to print circles. 

When paint is dry fill in the circles with crayons or oil pastels. 

Mix a little paint with water and paint over the entire page. The crayons/oil pastels resist the paint. Add some silver or gold paint for a little sparkle 😊

Scary Pumpkins!!

Halloween costumes are out in all the shops so I figure it's ok to mention it now. 

I saw these scary pumpkins a few years ago and thought they were really eyecatching. 

I gave my kids some red and yellow paint and they mixed them on their page to make the Orange they wanted. They painted a pumpkin shape and we let them dry. 

The next part of the lesson takes a bit longer. They kids cut out their pumpkin and glued it onto a black page (A3). They then cut out a mouth, teeth, eyes, and grass from coloured paper. 

I try not to give a huge amount of instruction as I prefer the kids to be creative. However before they paint their pumpkin I ask them to make sure their pumpkin is big and fills the page! Nothing worse then having a tiny pumpkin!!! 

If you try this out let me know how your class get on. :)

World Animal Day - Cats & Dogs

Another idea for World Animal Day October 4th.

This is a variation of my very first post on here! 

Simply paint some newspaper in a variety of colours.

Have a chat about shapes, maybe use some 2D shapes to make some animals. 

Cut out the shapes and arrange on the page. 

Glue in place. 

Once dry, details can be added with markers. 

  

World Animal Week

I'm not a fan of pigeons, but with World Animal Week approaching I've decided to set aside my feelings and paint a pigeon (a picture of one as I'd never touch one).

 

Oh isn't he cute!

This is so easy.

1. Paint a circle of any size in whatever colour you choose. This will be the head. 

2. Paint a strip (this is the neck) from the circle down toward the bottom of the page. It can be as thin or fat as you like! Remember to leave room for the legs and body.

3. Paint a line from the bottom of the neck out to the side of the page (in one direction only).

4. Paint a semicircle from the line you have drawn back to meet the bottom of the neck. Fill in with paint ( this is the body)

5. Nearly done now! With a darker paint add legs and a wing. You can decide how your pigeon is standing or maybe he's flying! 

6. Cute and glue a white circle onto the head, draw on a black dot for a pupil. 

7. Add a beak and Tah Dah!!! 

Enjoy 😊