For the 1st graders' texture unit, they looked at the artist Jim Dine and saw how he used texture in his heart paintings. Although we couldn't touch his paintings, they looked like they would feel bumpy if we could touch them.
To begin, the students created textured paper by crinkling white tissue paper, tearing it into 5 large pieces, and placing them on paper that had been already covered in spray adhesive. This created a wrinkly texture for their paintings. Once ready, they chose several colors to paint in the background of their picture. The students were very eager to use tempera paint in class because it was a medium they do not get to use very often. I emphasized the importance of covering all their white spots and keeping the colors from mixing as much as possible in order for their project to look similar to Jim Dine's paintings. In another class period, after their paint has had time to dry, they were able to go overtop the painted layer with chalk pastels. This is another medium they were not yet used to using, which made this step exciting for everyone. Before using the pastels, they created heart shaped stencils out of paper. They were taught how to fold the paper in half, draw a hook along the folded edge of the paper, and cut out that hook for a heart that is even on both sides. The 1st graders were given an option of either using this method to create their heart stencils or drawing a heart on the paper without folding. This paper stencil was taped to the paper and they used chalk pastels to color in the area around the stencil. The stencil prevented the chalk pastel from coloring the area inside the heart. When the paper stencil is removed, the faint outline of the heart is visible on the colored paper. To finish, the students chose different colors to draw on the inside of the heart. This gave the heart an extra pop that helped it come off the paper. The students noticed that the textured paper worked with the chalk pastel to create an interesting effect. The chalk pastel would show up on the raised up wrinkles and not in the creases.
I think one of my most exciting teaching moments with this unit was when students started identifying textures in every day items. During work time, students would point out when they saw or worked with something that had a unique texture. Although students have always known what texture was, using the term "texture" and finding a context for this word in art appears to be something new and exciting for them.
To begin, the students created textured paper by crinkling white tissue paper, tearing it into 5 large pieces, and placing them on paper that had been already covered in spray adhesive. This created a wrinkly texture for their paintings. Once ready, they chose several colors to paint in the background of their picture. The students were very eager to use tempera paint in class because it was a medium they do not get to use very often. I emphasized the importance of covering all their white spots and keeping the colors from mixing as much as possible in order for their project to look similar to Jim Dine's paintings. In another class period, after their paint has had time to dry, they were able to go overtop the painted layer with chalk pastels. This is another medium they were not yet used to using, which made this step exciting for everyone. Before using the pastels, they created heart shaped stencils out of paper. They were taught how to fold the paper in half, draw a hook along the folded edge of the paper, and cut out that hook for a heart that is even on both sides. The 1st graders were given an option of either using this method to create their heart stencils or drawing a heart on the paper without folding. This paper stencil was taped to the paper and they used chalk pastels to color in the area around the stencil. The stencil prevented the chalk pastel from coloring the area inside the heart. When the paper stencil is removed, the faint outline of the heart is visible on the colored paper. To finish, the students chose different colors to draw on the inside of the heart. This gave the heart an extra pop that helped it come off the paper. The students noticed that the textured paper worked with the chalk pastel to create an interesting effect. The chalk pastel would show up on the raised up wrinkles and not in the creases.
I think one of my most exciting teaching moments with this unit was when students started identifying textures in every day items. During work time, students would point out when they saw or worked with something that had a unique texture. Although students have always known what texture was, using the term "texture" and finding a context for this word in art appears to be something new and exciting for them.