Taking over art class

[mafief]

I've been altering the art material the kid's have been assigned for distance learning. One of my alterations was to work with gel sticks. A friend gave them to me and I had no idea what they were or how to use them. To the internet! Apparently they are a love child between a crayon and watercolors. You draw on paper and use a wet brush to move the color around. Mr Five LOVES this activity. He has been super into taking dried up markers and dunking them in water to make colors. He calls it his color science and keeps him entertain for hours. Well, this activity makes colored water and he gets to play with a paintbrush; he really couldn't ask for more. The boys made rainbows and blended the colors together. Then Mr Five discovered black and I have multiple pages of black blob art.

I've been trying to work with the medium. The tulips were the first attempt and I didn't like the lines leftover from the crayon. So I was working on removing that with the other ones.
I found a water color pic of lemons online and tried to replicate the technique. I have vague memories of layering colors or something like that. The lemons were done by treating the gel sticks as water colors by smooshing them on a surface and adding water.

Comments

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Interesting! Minor's school closure has just been extended until May 15 so I am always looking for other things to entertain him. I often use the Eye for Art lessons on various artists on the National Gallery of Art web site, which include an activity, for his reading assignment. Thanks also for the earlier rec of National Theatre live. The boys watched Treasure Island last night and enjoyed it.

[mafief]

I’ll take a look at that! I’ll take any other useful resources that are kid centric.

I’m getting tired of the repeat lesson of find recycling and make an instrument. They made very loud percussion instruments. We are extending distance learning until June.

I’m glad the Rec’s are useful. :) I just realized that I never typed the reply to you with the Cirque comment. I said it in my head but didn’t follow through. It absolutely made my day that your boys liked it. :)
Do you think the Treasure Island is kid appropriate? I’m going to try it tonight with them.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Yes, it's ok. The boys are very, very sensitive and they only hid twice (during Treasure Island). They like Cirque du Soleil better.

[smallhobbit]

The lemons are particularly effective.

[mafief]

Thanks :)