Inside-Out Self-Portraits

Project Description: After listening to the read-aloud “Nico Draws a Feeling” by Bob Raczkya, students drew self-portraits that reflected the way they felt, not the way they looked.

Concepts explored: SEL, line, color psychology

Techniques used: Drawing, coloring

Materials: 8.5”x11” paper, markers, pencil

Grades: K-5th grade

Resources used

Click on image to download worksheet

Community felt quilt inspired by the Quilts of Gee's Bend

Project Description: Each student created a felt quilt block inspired by the quilts of Gee’s Bend and the read-aloud of the book “Belle, the last mule at Gee’s Bend” by Calvin Alexander and Bettye Stroud. The middle school Fiber Arts class assembled the community quilt together by sewing each of the blocks by hand.

Concepts explored: Civil Rights, Martin Luther King, voting rights, quilt, balance (symmetry and asymmetry), color

Techniques used: Drawing, coloring, glueing, cutting, sewing

Materials: 4”x4” felt squares, colored pencils, scissors, tacky glue, needles, thread

Grades: 1st-8th grade

Resources used

Click on images to download worksheets

Bisa Butler inspired Self-Portraits

Project Description: Students created proportional self-portraits using warm and cool colors inspired by Bisa Butler’s work.

Concepts explored: Warm and cool colors, proportion, self-portrait, identity

Techniques used: Drawing, coloring

Materials: 9”x12” paper, colored pencils, pencils

Grades: K-5th grade (modified for Kinder-1st grades)

4th-5th graders had the opportunity to listen to Bisa Butler speak live during a virtual presentation at the School of Human Ecology-UW Madison!

Resources used

Story Paper Quilt inspired by Faith Ringgold

Project Description: Students drew a personal story and used a variety of patterns to create a paper quilt inspired by Faith Ringgold.

Concepts explored: Pattern, civil rights

Techniques used: Glueing, cutting, drawing

Materials: Construction paper, glue sticks, thin tip sharpies, pencils, colored pencils

Grades: 2nd-5th grade

Resources used

Van Gogh inspired "Starry Night" Homes

Project Description: Students learned about Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” painting and created their own modified version inspired by their home.

Concepts explored: Implied and impasto texure, repetition

Techniques used: Drawing and painting

Materials: 9”x12” paper, tempera paint

Grades: 2nd-5th grade

Resources used

Mondrian Abstract Designs

Project Description: Students were inspired by Mondrian’s use of shape and primary colors to create an abstract design.

Concepts explored: Abstract, shape, color

Techniques used: Cutting and glueing

Materials: Card stock paper in primary colors, scissors, glue sticks

Grades: Kinder-2nd grade

Resources used

Joan Miró inspired Surreal Stories

Project Description: K-5 students were inspired by Joan Miro’s visual language to create personal surreal stories with lines and shapes.

Concepts explored: Surrealism, shape, line, storytelling

Techniques used: Watercolor, glue painting, drawing

Materials: Watercolor, black glue, pencils, brushes, water trays, 9”x12” paper

Grades: Kinder-5th grade

Resources used

Keith Haring Inspired Art Journal

Project Description: K-5 students were inspired by Keith Haring’s work to create an art journal using his drawing style and used symbols to explore their identity.

Concepts explored: Identity, line

Techniques used: Drawing, book making

Materials: Pencils, markers, paper, stapler, washi tape, 8.5”x11” paper

Grades: Kinder-5th grade

Resources used

Embroidered Self-portrait Project

Project Description: Middle school students learned how to create embroidered self-portraits using basic embroidery stitches.

Concepts explored: Identity, color, self-portraits

Techniques used: Embroidery, how to transfer an image onto fabric

Materials: Fabric, thread, embroidery needles, acrylic paint, 4'“ embroidery hoop

Grades: 6th-8th grade

Resources used

Balance Design Project

Project Description: Middle school students learned about the principles of design (balance, rhythm, and emphasis) and chose to create symmetrical or asymmetrical designs using shape and color. They had to think about how both squares complemented each other through the base color and design.

Concepts explored: Balance, asymmetry, symmetry, abstract, shape, color

Techniques used: Using acrylic paint and paint markers, sketching (planning)

Materials: acrylic paint and acrylic markers, 4”x4” wood canvases

Grades: 6th-8th grade

Resources used