Green Stencils

Was asked about the results of a green stencil project we tried out last year and since there weren't any photos of it on the blog, I thought I would show the process all the way through.

Above, you see a frame that we used when we made our spray paint stencils. The green border is 2x2 wood with a cardboard box stapled to the back. Instead of using this frame for spray paint, we filled it with top soil. The little bag on the left is birdseed

To test out our green stencils a student volunteered this alien stencil. I will say, this stencil is much better suited for spray paint. For birdseed, you need something simpler.  You don't get the same detail with birdseed as you do spray paint. Still, we had the stencil so we gave it a go..

Next, we sprinkled the birdseed onto the stencil. The birdseed that lands on the dirt will grow. Where there is poster board, nothing will grow. We sprayed the project everyday with water from a squirt bottle to keep the dirt moist.

In a few day the birdseed began to grow. 

    

The last step was to take away the tag board to reveal the dirt below. I think this would be a fun project to do on a much larger surface area outside.

Zentangles of Mud!

So we had this idea... make Zentangles. Not just make Zentangles on paper, that would be easy. Make Zentangles on the walls of the school using mud.

We started on paper. Each student created their own personal Zentangle. Then, after a bit, the students teamed up to create group Zentangles on paper.

Then I thought, we should probably practice on the sidewalk. So we did. For the "mud" we made slip using both red and white clay. We also experimented with adding printing ink to the white clay for a little color.

Next, we went the courtyard. The interactive chalk murals created last semester were getting a little tired so we went right over them with the Zentangles.

Here are more of the results...

Mud Art: Part 2

Remember this morning when I posted those photos of people painting pictures out of mud? Well, here are some more...

Muda Lisa: Value Scales in Mud part 1

One large bag of topsoil... some white clay mixed in to lighten the value.. Let the mudslinging begin!

Along with exploring value scale though an interesting, if not difficult to work with medium, students also learned a little art history and gained a few PhotoShop skills.









Mudilyn Monroe














Mudelangelo

Muda Lisa: The Prototype

So we got this idea to explore value scale through different shades of mud. Before we decided to make it a class project we thought we might test it out once. This is the story of a few artists trying to figure out the best process for creating a value painting using mud...



First, we brought an image of the Mona Lisa into PhotoShop, converted her to black and white and broke her down into 4 shades.



Just like Leonardo would have done, we transferred the image by first poking holes in the drawing with a toothpick...



And then, applying chalk dust to the back...



so the image transferred to the sidewalk.




We created four different mud values from light to dark and applied it to the sidewalk.



The project was relatively successful and received a thumbs up to proceed as a class project.

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