first grade tree portraits

The first grade artists have been sketching and observing many different kinds of tree branches and looking closely to see how those branches diverge. We have been enjoying our outside art time!

Students were then asked to create a self portrait with a twist. Imagine yourself as a tree! I was very much inspired by the lovely work over at Chesterbrook Academy Elementary.

There is something special about imagining yourself as someone or something else. It helps to build empathy and understanding. Feet become roots, arms become branches, and hair becomes a home to little nesting birds!

fifth grade blind contour portraits

I have a fifth grade advisory every morning with a small group of wonderful students. Each morning is spent cultivating our interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences. While the advisory class itself is not an art class, we take full advantage of the art room! For example, we recently did a blind contour drawing portrait project. It was really lovely to see each of them handle the intimacy of drawing their classmate- staring and drawing/following every contour line of their facial features!

Because these are blind contour drawings it took the pressure off of trying to make their portrait look realistic and we had so much fun with the expressive and free lines. The rules are: no looking at the paper, do not lift the pencil and try to use one continuous line, follow the contour lines of your subject slowly as you draw along, and have no fear!