Picasso Cubism Self Portraits

4th graders learned about Cubism and the founders of this art movement, Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque (just for the record I totally messed up the pronounciation when I talked about Georges Braque. How do you find proper pronounciations?! HERE!!!--->http://inogolo.com/  Amazing. We looked at a powerpoint all about Cubism (presentations.pppst.com/isms-cubism.ppt). It does a nice job of providing discussion and visual with the class and explains Picasso and his periods (blue and rose) and examples. It also does a nice job of explaing what Cubism really is- a way of making art by combining all different views of an object or person into a painting or a single drawing plane. We looked at painting within the power point and a lot of Picasso's portraits of people.

4th graders learned how to make a distorted Cubist self portrait using black glue to outline and then bright watercolor and pattern! We first traced a skinny rectangle that would become the distorted head/face. Then made a creative line down the middle, making sure to add the nose. We talked about characteristics of Picasso's portraits like the large noses and how the eyes were always uneven because of different views combined. We also talked about making funky creative ears, eye brows, and lashes.

The next classtime, we used our new double tray PRANG watercolors. I showed students how to use the cover with the compartments to mix colors of their own. We also learned a technique to do line work and pattern with watercolor. Pretty cool results!



PiCaSsO FrAnKeNsTeiNs!

2nd graders learned about Picasso's famous style of faces. We talked about how in Cubism, his faces actually combined more than one view. We got this wonderful idea from Mrs. Picasso's Art Room blog. Here's the amazing step by step tutorial!

http://mrspicassosartroom.blogspot.com/2011/09/picasso-monsters.html



2nd graders did such an amazing job! We only required head and mouth tracers and the students cut the rest! First each student, one quiet table at a time, would come up to get 2 colors of green paper and a pencil, then trace the head on each piece. Cut both out. Then taking a pencil on ONE of the heads, draw a line half down, make a nose (we talked about making all different kinds, long, pointy, short, round ), and then draw the line straight down to divide the face. Cut on the line. Save the side with the nose sticking out. Glue on top of the full head lining it up with the edge. Use a purple piece of paper to make the shoulders. Just make an arch and use the bottom straight edge of the paper (make sure your paper is hamburge way, nice and tall). With a scrap of the green, cut a rectangle for the neck.

Now glue the shoulders down and line the purple edge up with edge of the background paper. Then the neck on top, and then the head. I told students go to the basket station and take their paper with them after they have the head, neck and shoulders glued on. At this station, I had Fall baskets that had white paper strips (to draw and cut the eyes out of) and black strips (to trace the mouth). Then cut and glue down the mouth. For the eyes, cut out (football like) the eyes. Use markers or colored pencil to color the inside pupil. Then glue on, in a "Picasso style" with one eye higher than the other. Use the the scrap of white paper to cut out and glue teeth in the mouth.  Then use black marker for hair, outlining if desired, stitches, and bats/spiders!



Girl Frankenstein! Isn't she a beauty.



Picasso's 3 Musicians...with our own twist!

Miss Oetken's own "3 Musicians": The Punk Rock "Picasso's". They're so emo.:)

I am a huge advocate of the arts and firmly believe that art, dance and music form a strong bond and work hand in hand. I for one was involved in everything music (vice president of music and band) and everything art in high school. Kandinsky proves this point, not only was a he a successful musician but his music inspired his art and vice versa. They're both cohesive in the fact that creativity, emotion, and personality mold the product. They also evoke emotion. There is an evident connection between these art forms. It's also something very relateable for young people.....and not to mention, FUN! We were already studying Picasso and cubism, so it brought me to his "3 Musicians".

 

Picasso's cubist "3 Musicians"



5th grade talked about 1st what they saw in the cubist compostion, 3 Musicians. I made them guess what the title was and we explained what we saw and why it looked the way it did. We looked for clues and then revealed the title! We then went into discussion about what are your favorite bands/ music groups? We talked about different genre's of music. What type of instruments are out there? What is a musician? Are singer's musicians? What can be a trio? What kind of look do certain genre's of bands create?





Students then began to design a stage with model magic and use markers to design lights and the 'vibe' they wanted to set for the type of genre of band. Then they stuck in their 3 popcicle sticks that represented the 3 musicians. They used google eyes and construction paper to create hair, costume, microphones and instruments for their band. Let the bands take center stage! Enjoy the wonderful student work!