First graders loved "drawing with scissors", a la Matisse, using rectangles of black and white paper on top of paper they painted with color blocks in their prior art class. They had to glue both the insides and outsides (positive and negative shapes) onto their painted paper. They were really into it!
If you look close up at the white paper, you'll notice the cool dotted texture. It's actually Braille paper! It seems that some state test papers were delivered to our school last year in Braille. We have just one blind student, an elementary student, in a school of about 600 kids K-12, so why a pile of high school tests were delivered in Braille is anyone's guess. Somebody made a big boo-boo! Anyhow, rather than discard the mistaken tests, they were given to the high school art teacher, who in turn gave some to me. I've got tons, so if you have any great ideas how to use it (yes, I've already thought of texture rubbings), let me know!
That is such a funny story Phyl. Thanks for showing me that I shouldn't avoid Matisse cut-out projects with my younger students (as I have been). I love the vibrant background color designs with the black and white cut outs.
ReplyDeleteHi Mary,
ReplyDeleteBasically my only directions were to "cut into the paper, wiggle the paper around a bit,and cut back out. Save the inside and the outside. The kids proudly held up these strange little cut shapes and said "look! a dinosaur!" "a mountain!" "a shoe!". So funny.
Love them all put together! Great story too :)
ReplyDeleteYou know I love it... Anyone with a blog titled MiniMatisse would:)
ReplyDeleteWow it really looks like they used tons of different color papers at first glance! The intricate scissor work looks like fun. Kids love the negative shapes as much as the positive and usually end up making some mask or eyepatch with the negative paper scraps!
ReplyDeleteCame across your blog purely by accident...or maybe not! On Monday I begin teaching a free art class for kids at a local housing project. For some reason, I had it in my mind from the get-go to start with a unit on Matisse. You have provided me with so much wisdom and inspiration. Thank the universe art teachers with your experience, creativity, passion, and whimsy are out there, and thank YOU for sharing it with the rest of us!
ReplyDeleteHey, Phyl.........I linked to this post also. http://bulletinboardstoremember.blogspot.com/2011/03/drawing-with-scissors.html It's my bulletin board blog. jan
ReplyDeleteHi Phyl - I loved this project so I gave it a go. Have linked back to you. Thanks again :)
ReplyDeletehttp://useyourcolouredpencils.blogspot.com/2011/08/more-drawing-with-scissors.html
Ha. I forgot I already posted a link to this one. Oh well. I reposted a link. http://bulletinboardstoremember.blogspot.com/2014/03/drawing-with-scissors.html
ReplyDeletejan