During the past week, students FINALLY were able to use paint!! (I put a huge emphasis on finally because since entering the atelier, the children have been begging and pleading to use it!) The lessons were loaded with new vocabulary and concepts - and I have made sure to take my time to explicitly explain how to use new materials (which was a bit painful for some who were terribly eager to get their hands dirty!)
We focused on the idea of transparency this week- it is a concept that students will later explore in depth; however, I wanted to highlight the properties of various transparent paints. Students began exploring with watercolor paint, many pointing out how it begins as a solid and is "magically" turned into a liquid when water is added to it. Other students couldn't understand why it "melted" into a paint, but then later dried and returned back to a solid. I could see gears turning and sparks flying inside these young children's minds - and during each class, our conversations were rich and meaningful.
Students understood transparency as "something we can see through" - and materials that are transparent include some plastics, windows, jars, and even paint! While using watercolors, students were encouraged to use a very small bit of water mixed with the paint and gradually add more water. We discovered that the more water that was added, the more transparent a color became. If a student added just a small bit of water, the color turned out to be more bold and vibrant. Students learned that when the watercolor paint comes in solid pans, the paints are not meant to be mixed within the palette, but instead on their paper. Students practiced cleaning their brushes after each color was applied and everyone demonstrated the appropriate ways to use the watercolor paints and paint brushes.
After this very "controlled" way of painting, students moved from the table to the floor and were introduced to another transparent medium - finger paint! We know that a paintbrush is an excellent tool for applying paint, but our fingers are also a wonderful tool! Students were given primary colors of paint (red, blue and yellow) and were encouraged to "play" with the paints - mix, swirl, smooth and subtract the paint from the paper. We discussed that when one takes away paint from a surface to reveal lines and shapes, it creates a negative space and is called a subtractive process. While students discovered finger-painting, they noted that it is not as easy to make a picture. Many used their fingernails and fingertips to "write" in the paint (this was what we called subtractive), many were simply delighted to watch two colors turn into another new color, and everyone appeared to enjoy the soothing feeling of the wet, gelatinous paint!
During the past week, students FINALLY were able to use paint!! (I put a huge emphasis on finally because since entering the atelier, the children have been begging and pleading to use it!) The lessons were loaded with new vocabulary and concepts - and I have made sure to take my time to explicitly explain how to use new materials (which was a bit painful for some who were terribly eager to get their hands dirty!)
We focused on the idea of transparency this week- it is a concept that students will later explore in depth; however, I wanted to highlight the properties of various transparent paints. Students began exploring with watercolor paint, many pointing out how it begins as a solid and is "magically" turned into a liquid when water is added to it. Other students couldn't understand why it "melted" into a paint, but then later dried and returned back to a solid. I could see gears turning and sparks flying inside these young children's minds - and during each class, our conversations were rich and meaningful.
Students understood transparency as "something we can see through" - and materials that are transparent include some plastics, windows, jars, and even paint! While using watercolors, students were encouraged to use a very small bit of water mixed with the paint and gradually add more water. We discovered that the more water that was added, the more transparent a color became. If a student added just a small bit of water, the color turned out to be more bold and vibrant. Students learned that when the watercolor paint comes in solid pans, the paints are not meant to be mixed within the palette, but instead on their paper. Students practiced cleaning their brushes after each color was applied and everyone demonstrated the appropriate ways to use the watercolor paints and paint brushes.
After this very "controlled" way of painting, students moved from the table to the floor and were introduced to another transparent medium - finger paint! We know that a paintbrush is an excellent tool for applying paint, but our fingers are also a wonderful tool! Students were given primary colors of paint (red, blue and yellow) and were encouraged to "play" with the paints - mix, swirl, smooth and subtract the paint from the paper. We discussed that when one takes away paint from a surface to reveal lines and shapes, it creates a negative space and is called a subtractive process. While students discovered finger-painting, they noted that it is not as easy to make a picture. Many used their fingernails and fingertips to "write" in the paint (this was what we called subtractive), many were simply delighted to watch two colors turn into another new color, and everyone appeared to enjoy the soothing feeling of the wet, gelatinous paint!
During the past week, students FINALLY were able to use paint!! (I put a huge emphasis on finally because since entering the atelier, the children have been begging and pleading to use it!) The lessons were loaded with new vocabulary and concepts - and I have made sure to take my time to explicitly explain how to use new materials (which was a bit painful for some who were terribly eager to get their hands dirty!)
We focused on the idea of transparency this week- it is a concept that students will later explore in depth; however, I wanted to highlight the properties of various transparent paints. Students began exploring with watercolor paint, many pointing out how it begins as a solid and is "magically" turned into a liquid when water is added to it. Other students couldn't understand why it "melted" into a paint, but then later dried and returned back to a solid. I could see gears turning and sparks flying inside these young children's minds - and during each class, our conversations were rich and meaningful.
Students understood transparency as "something we can see through" - and materials that are transparent include some plastics, windows, jars, and even paint! While using watercolors, students were encouraged to use a very small bit of water mixed with the paint and gradually add more water. We discovered that the more water that was added, the more transparent a color became. If a student added just a small bit of water, the color turned out to be more bold and vibrant. Students learned that when the watercolor paint comes in solid pans, the paints are not meant to be mixed within the palette, but instead on their paper. Students practiced cleaning their brushes after each color was applied and everyone demonstrated the appropriate ways to use the watercolor paints and paint brushes.
After this very "controlled" way of painting, students moved from the table to the floor and were introduced to another transparent medium - finger paint! We know that a paintbrush is an excellent tool for applying paint, but our fingers are also a wonderful tool! Students were given primary colors of paint (red, blue and yellow) and were encouraged to "play" with the paints - mix, swirl, smooth and subtract the paint from the paper. We discussed that when one takes away paint from a surface to reveal lines and shapes, it creates a negative space and is called a subtractive process. While students discovered finger-painting, they noted that it is not as easy to make a picture. Many used their fingernails and fingertips to "write" in the paint (this was what we called subtractive), many were simply delighted to watch two colors turn into another new color, and everyone appeared to enjoy the soothing feeling of the wet, gelatinous paint!
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