A big portion of your child's day is spent in school. The
emphasis is on concrete and logical knowledge. At home, add
in the ability to delve into abstract thinking with the
following projects. You will have a meeting of the left and
right sides of the brain.
Art Olympics are activities that combine abstract art and
language. We make an abstract design and give it a title or a
name. A discussion may follow.
THE RORSCHACH BUTTERFLIES
Do you remember, in school, the blobs of multicolored tempera
paint on the piece of paper, that reminded us of butterflies
and odd faces? The Rorschach test was used as a form of free
association that was considered a test of personality. Not
considered so today, it remains an entertaining art activity.
Asking, "What does this blob look like to me?" opens up our
thinking.
Take a paper and fold it in half. Open paper, squeeze in
three colors: red, blue and yellow. Close paper, press and
open. We have before us a butterfly or a monster or a face.
We see according to our available modes of perception.
BLOW DRYER PAINTING
A very exciting activity using heat and air.
Prepare a covered table surface. On a nine-by-twelve inch
white paper squeeze out a row of blue, red, yellow and white
tempera (gouache) paint. Aim a flow of the dryer to the
paint, moving the blow dryer as necessary to keep the
movement of the rolling paint on the paper. The paint will
move across the paper in a similar fashion to waves meeting
and colliding and merging to make a new wave (or color, in
our case). Write a poem about the waves in the ocean.
ROLLING MARBLE PAINTING
Dip marbles in washable paint (3-5 colors) and roll on white
paper by tilting the surface until a complex image shows up.
Use a flat area with sides to hold in the marbles, such as a
large sifter or box without a top. Talk about what the
picture reminds you of.
YARN PAINTING OR PRINTS
Use several long strands of yarn. Dip yarn in thick washable
paint, one for each color. Drag or `paint' the yarn across
the paper for a yarn painting.
OR, for a yarn print, fold a sheet of paper in half. Open
paper. Dip yarn pieces in paint. Place yarn on one half of
paper. Close paper. Press and rub. Open. Take turns telling
what the final arrangement looks like to you.
SCRIBBLE WITHOUT LOOKING
Scribble without looking. Use a stopwatch or timer for two or
three minutes. Specify ten-twenty long lines, twenty short
lines and twenty to forty dots or dashes. A three- minute
session will allow for lots of contemplative close small
marks. Talk about what you see.
DRAW WITHOUT LOOKING
Draw without looking at your hand. This is a famous warm-up
excercise in drawing. The eye is trained, millimeter by
millimeter, to carefully observe the outline (contour) of an
object, i.e., a spoon, thereby getting to know the lines of
this object well. Don't worry about the outcome of the
drawing, just keep your eye on the outer lines of the spoon.
The result may not look like a spoon but it will be an object
of conversation.
BLINDFOLD WALL DRAWING
Attach a large sheet (mural size is best) of paper to wall.
Blindfold artist. Give a large marker with top removed and
station artist in front of paper. Instruct artist to make
five large circles, five small circles, ten short dots, ten
long dots, five straight lines, five squiggly lines and so
on. Everyone says what the finished picture reminds him/her
of.
OR - Ask artist/contestant to draw a house, a tree or person
on the wall paper while blindfolded. Prize goes to anyone who
comes close to a clear pictorial rendition.
GRAB BAG DRAWING
Put a few household objects: pliers, can opener, measuring
spoons, spatula, cellophane, tape dispenser etc. in a bag.
Put hand in bag and catch hold of one object. (No peeking.)
Describe this in four sentences. The other children guess
what it is from the verbal clues.
Go one step further and have the other children try to draw
on paper what the mystery object is according to the verbal
clues. The winner is the one who gave the clearest verbal
descriptions enabling the others to draw the object and
identify it.
DRAW AND FREEZE
Turn on music. Close eyes and draw to the rhythm. Stop music
and freeze from drawing. Continue drawing and freezing until
song is finished. Open eyes and say what you see in the
rhythmic scribbles. Ask what the lines remind you of.
PAINT TO THE MUSIC
Paint along to music. Open your ears and eyes and let the
music be your inspiration. Use large paper (several) and
large and small brushes. Dab the paint in dots and soft blobs
and do ice-skating figure-eights and curves with the brush.
Encouraging singing and imitation of sounds while
painting.
TISSUE PAPER COLLAGE
With your child, tear and cut several colors of tissue paper.
Arrange in groups according to size and color. Add a small
amount of water to white plastic glue in a non-spill cup.
Apply glue with a wide brush on white paper. Use the brush to
place tissue paper on white paper. Avoid using hands. They
will stick to the tissue paper. Once glued in place in
several overlapping layers, the tissue paper colors will
blend to create new colors and the inspiration for
conversation.
UPSIDE DOWN DRAWING
Select a few clear black and white line drawings. Hold up
drawing upside down or sideways. Ask child what he sees. Now
draw (copy) the image UPSIDE DOWN. Avoid naming parts of the
object and concentrate on lines and spatial relationships.
Look how lines are connected at certain angles and how curves
fit into spaces on the paper.
Note the edges of spaces and shapes within shapes. Put it
together as if it were a puzzle. When completed, turn it
right side up and be surprised at how nice it came out. After
all, you weren't trying to draw a realistic anything. You
were only assembling lines, shapes and spaces. This exercise
takes the emphasis from a copied picture to the joyful
process of the picture. Discuss the process versus the
perfect picture.
NOTE: SEVERAL OF THE ABOVE SUGGESTIONS WILL DOUBLE AS GREAT
PARTY GAMES.
You may also wish to try them out with your kids first and
then incorporate them in an extended Chanuka family gathering
of cousins etc.
Devora Piha offers private consultation or group classes
on "How to Teach Art to Children" -- concepts, projects and
class plans to teachers, gannanot and parents. Also
"Painting and Drawing" for women or groups including groups
with special needs. Also chuggim for children and
mothers.
02-9920501 in Ramat Beit Shemesh
