TRICIA TOONE | artist & teacher

What Can We Make With Shapes?

In Kindergarten, we have been looking around at all the shapes we can see in the world. Often when we draw or cut shapes  to create what we have in mind, it can be easy to remain stuck in old habits or cliches. (Circle heads, stick arms, corner sun with rays, etc)

In this project, we started with a pile of pre-cut shapes. "Using your imagination, what could that shape be? What could you make with that unusual shape?" 

Students played, trying many options first to see what they could make. They glued down their favorite picture. Afterwards, students created titles for their work.

Some results...

The Furious Superhero Kid by Joey

I love Joey's choice of the "boomerang" like shapes for arms and legs. It gives a feeling of action to his superhero kid.

A Storm by Jon

You can see the victim of this storm seeking shelter under a large brown shape, while "debris" is blowing past.

Rainy Days by Mackenzie 

Small shapes representing rain surround Mackenzie's female figure. I think it is fun to contrast the feel of Mackenzie's weather with the feel of Jon's storm. 

Group Weaving Center

I believe this is my new favorite blog. I love seeing the results of Nan's choice based art room. I would like to gradually work choice based into my art program. However, it requires becoming quite creative with space.

With some 8th grade help, we just began a group weaving center. It has just begun, but I will update the progress.

Art Shows Us Ourselves

This was our first day of school project. Each student, grades 1 through 8, "doodled" their way across their own puzzle piece.

Our emphasis was on using doodling as a form of visual brainstorming. The only rule: Black marker outside the bold lines, colored marker inside the bold lines.

I wanted the statement to set the tone for the school year, approaching art as self-exploration. The exercise also serves as a good initial assessment of students abilities and comfort with creativity. It's also fun to see the developmental progression from 1st grade to 8th, left to right.

Creature Self-Portraits

6th graders are creating symbolic self-portraits. Students are using animals to symbolize their personality traits. Their sculptures are a combination of those animals' traits.

Armatures are constructed from newspaper, masking tape, paper mache, clay, and wire. They sculpted the basic form from newspaper and tape. The wire provides the support. Clay allows for fine detail. Students realized that they need to distribute the weight so that the creature can stand. Some hid beans and rocks within the newspaper and tape to balance the weight.

After the "skeletons" are built, students will create the "skin" with paper mache. Finally, they will be painted.

Here's a teaser. There will be more images of all the sculptures as they develop.

Olivia's sculpture is a combination of a Llama, gazelle, and bird.