Fathers Day, Lesson IV Re-cap, and Dino Cages

I waited until today, Fathers Day, to recap the last day of Session I, due to the Fathers Day gifts that the kids made. It's safe now to post them as I'm assuming all the dads have received them by now. We took a little detour from true "art" and went a little in the "craft" mode and made dads this desk organizer!

Fathers Day Gift in Progress!

Christian making one for his Daddy that night!

I wasn't able to take pictures of all the organizers because I got ahead of myself and wrapped them in tissue paper and ribbon before remembering the take a picture of them!

Christian's Desktop Organizer for Dad!

Along with the organizers, here is a finished Super Cool Cityscape Hot/Cold Contrast painting.

City Hot/Cold Contrast Painting Completed!

Because a couple students were finishing projects from the previous days that were leftover, I didn't want to have a new project go unfinished by the time to class was over, as it was the end of the session.

 However, I wanted them to see two more techniques with watercolor! Therefore, I sketched out a "sea picture" and showed them the application of masking fluid. Masking fluid is a temporary rubberish type of application that can be pulled off later. It's like "painters tape". I applied the fluid in all the areas you see the white lines. That way, if watercolor paint got on the area with the fluid, it would just be pulled off later with the fluid (which is fun in of itself if you're like me and like to "pick" at things and enjoy such things like bubble wrap and other annoying things...) 

Salt and Masking Fluid Technique Painting Completed

Then, students would use watercolors to paint the picture. More fun begins with this step as  SALT is added to the paint. The salt absorbs the moisture and this is the kind of effect you end up with:

Salt and Masking Fluid Technique Painting in Progress

Salt and Masking Fluid Technique Painting in Progress

Salt and Masking Fluid Technique Painting Completed

Salt and Masking Fluid Technique Painting Completed

Here are the rest of the Sea Painting with Salt paintings (using masking fluid). Now that they've seen the techniques, they'll be able to draw their own ideas on subsequent paintings and try the techniques (alone or together) if they choose to.

I'm a little sad to see this Session end! But exciting things await in the next two! 

Phoenix Art Museum

Yesterday, we took the kids to the Phoenix Art Museum. Chris has a perk from now until a specific date in August for us to get in free (through work) and yesterday was a kids day. Here are Mikelle and Christian making boats out of maps and newspaper. We then explored the Modern/Contemporary section of the museum.

Christian's Map Boat

Our X-man (almost 18 months) on Daddy's Shoulders! This is before the anal museum people said that he couldn't ride on shoulders near the artwork.

The strange things called "art" in the Modern/Contemporary Section.

Afterwards, as we were waiting for Chris to go out to our shady (but far away) parking spot and bring the car around, the kids were "caged" on the toy dinosaur giant art outside. It was *only* 108 degrees! (cough-choke-cough)

That night, Mikelle and Alexander sacked out on the couch. The heat and all the running around will really wear you out!

Happy Fathers Day to my husband of over 17 years, Chris! And Happy Fathers Day to all the good Dads out there! Remember, anyone can be a Father, but it takes someone special to be a DAD.

 

 Hard to believe, isn't it? Mikelle (age 1) and Chris. August 2001.