Week 1: Urban Art
Architecture project:
The point if this project is to experience (roughly) the process of being an architect. You start by having them draw several designs from all angles. Show them pictures of interestingly designed buildings, and discuss materials. Collect lots of different materials and have them select a few to work with. Have them work with the materials and see what works where and what doesn't work.
Keith Haring sketches:
Keith Haring was/is an important figure in Urban art and expression. While some information about him (he died of AIDS in the early '90s) is a bit difficult to go over with kids, his art has strong messages about peace and love. Show them pictures of his images, have them practice drawing in his style. Give them colorful thick paper and pastels. Make sure they are using thick dark lines with brightly colored in people.
Graffiti/tagging project:
**Necessary to discuss that it is illegal to do without permission.
Discuss and show different types of graffiti and what a tag is. Give them scrap paper and different materials and have them test out different tags that they like. Make sure that they understand that a tag should be short, repeatable, and should mean something to or about them. When they have selected the material and tag that they like give them card stock paper and have them make it big. You can also take them outside and have them graffiti places in chalk.
Found art mobiles:
Found art is fun because kids can make anything they want into art. Have them look around the house for things that they wanna use. Give them a wire hanger, and have them attach the objects using string, yarn, guitar strings, etc. Use a hot glue gun to keep things in the place that they want them on the hanger.
Week 2: Greek Mythology
Amphora clay pots:
Get some clay that air dries(preferably red clay). Make a coil pot of medium size. Make a top separate, but make sure that it fits. Make handles and attach them to the pot. Let dry for 2 days. Using black paint have them make designs on the pot of images of Greek mythology.
Dionysus masks:
Cut strips of plaster gauze. Cover the child's face in Vaseline especially in their eyebrows. Have them make the theatrical happy or sad face. Dip strips of plaster gauze in water and place them on the child's face. Don't get the gauze anywhere that the Vaseline is not because it will hurt to take off. Start with the top of their face that way they do not have to hold the happy/sad expression too long. Do several layers criss-crossing the strips. Leave the mask to dry for 10 mins. Peel the mask off of their face and leave to dry overnight. Give them paints, and have them decorate it however they want.
Arachne web dream catchers:
Using wire cutters, cut the hanger in half and twist it into a circle. Duct tape where the circle connects. Have the child pick out some yarn, and wrap the circle in yarn. Have them pick another color and tie it across in an x. Take another string and tie it so that it looks like a pie with 6 slices. If you want you can tie strings connecting the slices to make it look like a real spider web. Use beads, feathers, and anything else you can find and attach with yarn.
Mythical creatures:
Give each kid a few pipe cleaners. Have them form a rough version of a mythical creature that are in the stories, or one of their own imagination. Have them cover the pipe cleaners in tinfoil, then cover the tinfoil in masking tape. Give them strips of news paper and glue mixed with water (2 parts glue, 1 part water). Have them dip the newspaper into the glue mixture and smooth onto the tape animal. Have them cover it completely making sure to smooth after each one. After they are done with the first layer have them do it AT LEAST 2 more times making a total of at least 3 layers.
Week 3: Space
3D space ships:
Have each child draw the spaceship that they want to make. Since it will be 3D make sure that they draw from all angles. Collect all sorts of materials (large bottles, toilet paper/paper towel rolls are the best). Have them construct the spaceship. Use duct tape to attach things. Give them paint and have them paint the whole thing. Let the paint dry and have them put details onto the ship in paint, markers, buttons, etc.
SciFi posters:
Show the kids pictures of old hokey SciFi posters from old movies or books. Let them draw a few different posters and different names for their SciFi poster. Have them use water colors and pastels to Create the poster on big watercolor paper.
Plaster gauze aliens:
This was a favorite of all of the campers. Get old Barbie dolls either from an old collection or from somewhere like Value Village or Good Will. Have the kids attach tin foil to make extra limbs, tentacles, a cone head, etc. Cover that tinfoil and the entire Barbie in masking tape. Give the kids strips of plaster gauze and bowls of water. Dip the strips into the water and wrap the Barbie and extra limbs in the plaster gauze. Let dry for at least a day. Give them paint the aliens. Let dry then paint details.
Planets:
Ball up newspaper loosely. Cover in masking tape. Give them newspaper strips and glue/water mixture (2 parts glue 1 part water). Dip the strips into the glue/water and cover the tape with newspaper. Make sure that there are AT LEAST 3 layers of news paper and make sure that they are smooth. Let them dry for 1 day. Paint them like plants.
VanGogh Hubble telescope paintings:
Show lots of pictures from the Hubble telescope. Give them paint pad paper, watercolors, and pastels. Have them do the general outline of the constellation with watercolors, but the details with pastels.
Night constellations:
Show pictures of different constellations. Have them pick one. Give them a large piece of black paper. With pencil, have them mark where they are going to make holes to create the constellation. Give them a large dull needle. Have them poke holes in the paper where the pencil marks are. Give them pastels to connect the dots and write the name of the constellation. Hold up to the light.
Week 4: Art in Rural America
American Gothic self portrait:
Show them pictures of the famous American Gothic image. Give them a mirror and pencil. Have them sketch themselves as a farmer with a very basic landscape. Give them a choice of things to use (colored pencils, pastels, paint, crayon, etc.) and have them fill in their portrait.
Grandma Moses collage:
Show them examples of collages and of the paintings that Grandma Moses did (landscapes, small villages, family scenes). Give them many magazines and different colors of paper. Have them cut the pieces up and glue them down onto a large piece of construction paper to make a Grandma Moses scene.
Quilt squares:
Bring lots of different kinds of fabric. Show the different designs of quilt squares. Have them draw the design on card-stock paper. Have them pick out fabric, cut it and glue it down (make sure there is NO excess glue). Flatten the fabric down under a book as it dries.
Farm animals:
Give the kids pipe cleaners and have them make the rough shape of a farm animal. Squeeze tinfoil around the pipe cleaners and wrap them in tape. Give them plaster gauze strips and water. Have them cover the animals in plaster gauze. Let dry overnight and paint the next day.
Corn husk dolls:
I'm not even going to begin to try and explain corn husk dolls because I don't have pictures to go along with making it, and that would be insanely confusing for you guys, so here is a website that shows you exactly how to do it. How to make a cornhusk doll (video).
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