Summer Art Camp

Week Three

Family Stories

For week three of pre-school art camp we created works of art based around the motif of family - the perfect theme for a group of young artists still in their early stages of creative development and for whom families are of deep importance. 

Project One

Clay Pottery Portraits

Once again we began the week by playing with clay which provides the young artists with an opportunity to investigate how this particular media feels and works.  Step one was to place a simple face shape on a slab of clay and cut the shape out by tracing around it and through the clay with a pencil.

The artists smoothed the edges of their clay faces then created facial features and hair with clay shapes which were placed on the face and smooshed down with wet fingers.

The faces were set aside to dry then fired in my kiln.  During our second class the artists drew facial details onto the bisque ware with pencil.

The bisque faces and hair were painted with colorful, non-toxic pottery glazes.  Which, when finished,

were carefully placed in my kiln, checked and double checked to make sure all were still smiling, all systems were declared go and the kiln was turned on for the last firing process.

The artists handmade and painted pottery faces fresh out of the kiln, still smiling, and ready for the art show.

Project Two
Faith Ringgold Family Quilts

Project 2 started off with the reading of and discussion about Faith Ringgold's storybook "Tar Beach"  Faith Ringgold is an artist best known for her painted story quilts - art that combines painting, quilted fabric and storytelling.  The perfect artist for this age group with their love of make believe and storytelling.

Since the theme of this camp was all about family, the girls imagined themselves and their families doing some sort of a family activity.

They sketched their family activity portraits into the center of a 12x18 inch sheet of watercolor paper.

A pattern of squares was added around the edges for a Faith Ringgold like "quilted border".  Once the pencil drawing was finished, the girls traced around their lines with a fine point black sharpie.

The artists painted over the entire sheet of paper with a coating of water to help the paint flow and the colors mix.

Before the painting process began, we talked about the proper way to use water colors.  The girls learned how to pick up paint by swiping their wet brush across the individual paint colors.  This process picks up just the right amount of paint and is much better than jamming and twirling a brush into the colors.

As the girls were painting they each told a little story about their family portrait.  The stories were typed onto a sheet of paper, cut and "sewn" onto the quilt with Mod Podge.

The Finished Story Quilts

My Family and I play outside together.

My whole family is having fun going to a restaurant.

My brothers like to play with cars.  My dad works with electrical.  I like to play with my brothers, sometimes they let me play with them.  My mom likes to cook because she has to.

My family and I are playing outside in the sunset.

My brothers and I went to school and we had lunch.  Now my family is going to play tennis.

My family and I went to the zoo and we fed a peacock.

Project three
Wood Block Houses

For our last project the artists designed their family home using two pre-cut wood blocks.

Windows, doors, flowers, trees and chimneys were drawn and outlined.

The artists painted their architectural designs with acrylic paint.

The houses were set aside to dry while we headed into the kitchen for...

Cupcake Time!!

Where everyone takes part in the adding, breaking, measuring, pouring and mixing of the batter.

It always seems to take forever for the cupcakes to bake and cool off before they can be frosted, decorated and...

Eaten - Yum!

Another group of happy artists on their last day of summer art camp.