Her teacher smiled. “Just make a mark and see where it takes you.” These are words to live by from The Dot, by Peter H. Reynolds. In celebration of International Dot Day, dots have been the focus of our recent artwork in three types of media.
If you are not familiar with the book, you can watch an animated version here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5mGeR4AQdM&list=PLsf8L9tkxGLfwT5PfS3qN9wuzXaH9MNGb&index=1.
Which is the same animated version we watched in class. After watching the video, art students used marker to draw Dot drawings. These drawings have been uploaded to Artsonia, and you can see them in our gallery at: http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=677517
We used the great video-making web tool, Animoto, to make a video, which we posted on the International Dot Day Facebook page. Here it is for your enjoyment:
The next Dot Day inspired project was collaborative painting using tempera cakes. For this project we looked at the “circle kites” artwork of Wassily Kandinsky and the “lollipop trees” of Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Students worked in table groups to fold a large sheet of paper (22 x 35) into 8ths. Within each section, they created dots. I love the way these came out. Next time you stop by school, look for them on the boards beside the auditorium – they are there brightening up the space.
Last, but certainly not least, we integrated technology into our Dot exploration. Using iPads, students created circle drawings using Sketchbook X. Fifth grade students used the paintbrush tool and experimented with radius, opacity, and the color picker to create their art. Sixth grade students used the circle tool and the flood fill tool to create theirs. This work is awesome. In fact, I think many of the designs would make beautiful patterns for fabrics. These iPad drawings can be seen online in our International Dot Day on iPads gallery on Artsonia: http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=680896 and here are some examples:
Needless to say, we have had a fun time investigating “Dots”. Looking at the work of famous artists was helpful in modeling “dots for dots sake”. It has been a challenge for the kids to stay abstract with this project. Most are naturally compelled to “make something” with the dots. In the end, I am satisfied with the results and I think you will be, too.
Artsonia now offers phone cases with your child’s art printed on them as well as many other items that you can buy with her/his artwork. If you haven’t yet registered your child, their art is ready and waiting for you to do so. Here is the link to our school page: http://www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=66276, where you may create an account. If you need help, please ask. I am happy to assist you!
Speaking of Artsonia, we won 4 awards last year – this is what active parent involvement looks like:
Way to go, active parents!