Painting wolves with watercolor @WBCL

Last night we painted wolves in the Arts & crafts session. I found a nice picture of a pack of wolves that were not all snarling and printed it on watercolor paper. We did something a bit different by enhancing the lines with scribbles of black or brown color pencil then doing the watercolor using internet photos as a color reference. I would love to try this with watercolor pencils sometime but it really got everyone thinking of where to put their darker and lighter colors. Of course there are a few wolves of a different color and several of the older kids decided that a colored sky was essential.

Mariachis for Diez y Seis @WBCL

We talked a bit about the holiday and celebrations including music from the bands of mariachis.  I precut the paper and used tubes that were thinner (nearer 1") than TP ones from my foodsaver rolls. The kids were really into this with 2 tables making members of the mariachi band complete with a dancer and a microphone to sing into. Even though each person was given the same basic pieces each one got a bit of a personalization as they added touches here and there.  

The mariachis turned out SO good!!

Labor Day illustrated @WBCL

Sometimes art is all about the story! We had a really fun drawing and coloring project Wed on Labor day. We talked about the day then used the copied page to accent the words and draw pictures of people working or activities for enjoying on labor day. We had fun drawing a pizza guy with a chef's hat and multiple swimming pools with tubes to ride in. Lots of sparkly starts to glue on too. — at Wells Branch Community Library.

Sand painted coral reefs

This class was one of the most fun ones I have done in a while. We had a small class but the results were amazing!! We started with a "draw with me" session using a book on reefs I got at the library. After we had drawn 4-5 coral and some fish the real fun began. 

We "drew" over our coral and fish one at a time with white glue then sprinkled on brightly colored sand, lots of sand to cover the glue well, tapped it off and did the next one and the next. Lots of parental help and help from us with the removal of the extra sand but the results were well worth it. 

 

Creating a super hero standout figure

With this week's theme of super heroes I thought we'd do something a bit different and create a 3D superhero launching itself out of a comic book page. We did not get real comics to cut up although I considered it. With this week's theme of super heroes I thought we'd do something a bit different and create a 3D superhero launching itself out of a comic book page. We did not get real comics to cut up although I considered it.

I found a coloring page with comic panes that we used as a base and colored it using markers and crayons. The kids then chose a super hero or two or three to color and cut out. I showed them how to make stands to make it look like the figure was popping out of the page.

One of the kids kept saying "it makes it come to life" and it really does. The photos do not do the projects justice.

Lots of batgirl and hackman figures, a couple  of batman too. One of the kids did 4 then did not want to tape them down.

Or take a look at our video/slideshow of the figures coming to life~

Wild & Wacky Science art for Juniors WOW

We took a new direction and did some experiments, some art process, added an architectural project and did a rolling waterfall of color as our exploding paint. We started with a crystal painting project using epsom salt in super solution. Once everyone understood that heaving painting was required it really worked well. RECIPE [ 1 cup very HOT water, 1 cup+ epsom salts, food color or tempera paints] 

We did a project experimenting with how to use oil pastels and talked about why they reactions occurred then created a small picture. we used baby oil as our medium as it is more kid friendly than mineral oil or some other solvents. 
Clay is always popular at camp and we used plain polymer clay to make medians then imprinted them using small pinecones, shells and other natural items. The camper made them into necklaces, mobile hangers and more by painting them after we baked them  and stringing them onto cording. 
We tried out the chemical reaction between permanent markers and alcohol on a CD and although the kids were pretty pleased, I felt it should have worked better. The marker ink does spread and is fun to watch the changes. 
We also got to use stretchy clay to make critters. It was a bit older and does not really work well to stretch and pose. the critters they made pleased them though. It is much smellier than regular polymer clay. 

Wednesday we looked at structural items made from crafts sticks and talked about and looked at ones like the Eiffel tower. The kids then created some pretty impressive projects using the sticks and some other small wood pieces. Some spent most of the day working on it, others finished early and went on to complete other projects or lend a hand on one of the projects still under construction. 

We spent some of the last day creating airplanes from clothes pins, crafts sticks and helicopters from folded construction paper helicopters so we could fly them. flying helicopter http://babbledabbledo.com/diy-toy-paper-helicopter/  

The junior councellors went all out to get a project working to explode the paint. We tried film canisters of two kinds with their own tops and with corks to no avail. Then they lined up all the canisters and had the kids put in baking soda and tempera powder and slowly went down the line pouring vinegar into all of them. It is between a colored rolling waterfall and a skittles fountain. skittles fountain The kids love the reaction between vinegar and baking soda but without a larger bottle to blow due to the gas nothing blows up. 

Our last 2 projects were to use the styrofoam eggs and balls with ping pong balls and create an alien and make bouncing balls from borax and glue. Not sure which one was more fun but getting the large amount of food dye off the kids requires baby oil, dishwashing detergent and lots  of scrubbing plus some color theory on complimentary colors and why that helped get the color off more quickly, i.e. red on green. 

We have an album on Facebook with many more pictures for you to view. 

Wild and Wacky science art for beginners better than ever

We really stretched out this time to include new and different things for the kids and let them do many experiments with artistic involvement. You have to think about art being more than drawing and painting as we usually do. We included all kinds of home made potions and still managed to create quite a number of projects to send home.
The beginners got to do food color and celery changing color and loved it. We mixed homemade salt clay then made creations from them. The kids loved adding in the color and kneading the dough until it was ready to use. They were less sure about sharing their clay even to get a second color.
 
 RECIPE [ 1cup flour, 1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup water, 1 tsp oil, a little tempera powder]  

We drew hot air balloons and colored them by layering on tissue paper and spraying it with rubbing  alcohol. Turns out nice too. 


I brought leaves from my Turks cap to paint on the veined side and do color stamping with. Once the kids got enough paint on it really took off as they could stamp repeatedly with one leaf. The erupting paint was much more fun to make as everyone got to stir some of it up and add colors to it. It only foams for a few seconds but those were good seconds. RECIPE [ 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup or so water, food coloring]  


Our crystal painting got mixed without their help as it involved very hot water. RECIPE [1 cup HOT water, 1 cup+ epsom salts, food color or tempera paints] 
We tried out hand at making our own crayon scratch-outs and did not get them dry before the end of camp but the kid learned how to do it: RECIPE [heavily applied crayon on paper, tempera paint with dish soap applied heavily and let dry] 

we also did a magic milk experiment but thinned it a bit too much so we could not take prints RECIPE [milk, drops of food color, toothpick with dish soap on it] and lastly we made kaleidoscopes and straw airplanes that flew very well. Wish I'd cut the helicopters for the younger kids that we did in the older kids' camp. 

Stars & stripes week gets us ready for the 4th

Kicking off the 4th with STYLE! 
Lots of drawing the first day and the kids were up to it. We did waving flags that involved drawing cones then the stripes. we then painted them with glitter paint. 


We turned paper plates and long paper into great Uncle Sam tophats with lots of construction paper and stars. 



Our last project was to draw and finish out an eagle. some painted their eagle, some used feathers and some did a combination. Great eagles every one. 

Great work on the float. We had the kids vote on what the float would be, then draw and make all the components. Feathers take some time to draw and cut out!  They added all kinds of little details like the talons on the feet, great feathers for the head using white cosmetic pads cut to shape. 



We did a bit of drawing today too, a bit of fun stuff making lanterns and bracelets and a starry guy. 

The lady liberty was a 2-part project to make the fireworks then do a pastel of her.










The final day was full of fun stuff and completing the float. I did the basic  structural box to box and box to wagon but the kids and counsellors did all the rest. The kids made straw rockets and confetti poppers with lots of decorations on them. We wisely did not test the rockets until the end or they'd have been shooting them all day.

lots of pictures at Stars & Stripes art camp

Planning for wild and wacky art camp gets complicated

I always want something new and different to excite and entice but keep getting asked "what about the volcano? are we doing a milk thing?" Guess there is a desire to do the familiar and fun too. We are going to try some new stuff this year like building a structure with crafts sticks to see how well we engineer and some old stuff like making a kaleidoscope, using materials in a new way painting with crystals in solution, and experimenting with the movement of color through materials. The younger set gets to explode paint and make a new kind of clay and everyone gets a try at luminescent paints. Just my thoughts.

Our planet our world is creative beyond what I expected!!

First day of camp was a smash hit. we did a lesson on symmetry. Did I say lesson?? project and it was fantastic. followed with a reading of The Lorax and an interpretive project. Our finally project was a denim and fabric appliqué one and several of the kids wanted to sew theirs together instead of glue the pieces on. What a real win. Our planet our world pictures

The cork and bead pendants really got everyone going. The campers
learned a bit of wire work with the beads, esp tiny beads and charms. the beaded windsocks let us use several techniques including painting and beading. We did yet another beading project drawing a design on berry containers and turning them into beaded pins and more. Our last design went back to some symmetry on a light bulb create hot air balloons. tomorrow we add the gondolas.




This was the most amazing day!! we finished our hot air balloons adding gondolas and occupants, made clay from cornstarch baking soda and tempera powder, and created coin holders from a class I took at Austin Creative Reuse, lastly we turned all kinds of plastic tubs into aliens or alien craft. Some were even peaking out or sticking out. I am having a hard time deciding which was the best project. We did get a lot of different ideas for using things that we might recycle or just toss. The kids were super creative and everyone put their own spin on the projects. What art camp is all about!