Spooky Halloween Trees: Art for Primary Children

Here is a quick halloween activity

 for primary students.

Firstly, grab some A3 paper in white or yellow. 

Blue could work nicely too.

Find a circular object and trace around it to make the moon.

We discussed that a centred moon

 does not make a terribly interesting composition.

Now for the fun... charcoal experimentation!

Students were challenged to try using their charcoal sticks

from all angles and create all manner of marks.

This gets a lot of their system as well as being fruitful.

Then I demonstrated how to create variety of tone

 by varying the pressure, using smudging etc. 

They filled in the background, except the moon.

Ink time!

Brushes, nibs, sticks.

More experimentation time.

When it was time to move on,

they used ink to create a tree.

Trees always look easy peasy,

 but actually can be quite challenging for some.

Its important to discuss overlapping,

and the change in the thickness as the tree branches out.

 Many students just put the tree to one side,

 but I like the way this student is playing with position and composition.

Finally, an introduction into light sources.

Turning the fluros on and off in the classroom

and noting how it changes the light on our faces and the objects around us.

We noted that in our spooky pictures

the moon was our light source.

We used a waxy white pencil and simple lines to highlight the branches and trunk of the tree.

A simple line on the underside or top side of the branch

 was all that was required to make the trees extra spooky.

What else?

Add a eerie bird. 

Take a photo of the image and play with filters.

Create a new foreground.

Or, simply put it up for halloween!

Boo everybody!

Vintage Tea-towel Table Cloth

A recent thrift score find

resulted in the acquisition

of 15 (ok, actually it was 17)

vintage tea towels.

The tea towels were a large chunk

 of someone's well looked after collection

 As they travelled around Australia and abroad, 

she (must be a lovely woman don't you think)

purchased a linen tea-towel.

I have great plans for my tea-towels (insert evil laugh).

Today I embarked on a desperate quest

 to rid my house of  TACKY, CHEAP

 Disney placemats given to my children by relatives.

Bloody princesses and #$*!ing BEN 10

I really hate, hate, hate

marketing to kids!

So,TA-DA

I made a tablecloth.

Here it is unironed.

Not so amazing its true,

but I'm loving the colour and the kids

can learn some geography while they

scoff their bangers and mash.

All the tea-towels feature Queensland destinations.

My all time favourite though is 

pineapple laden 

"Sunshine Plantation"

Does it get any better than the Big Pineapple I ask you?

I know what you are thinking...

a table cloth doesn't solve the need for a

 wipeable surface.

And so, the final touch....

the plastic cover.

I love how the plastic reminds me of those granny sofas protected by plastic.

Can it get more kitsch?

Well, yes I'm think of adding a red pom-pom trim.

What do you think?

Now onto the cushion.

My Embroidery Learning curve

I have been teaching myself 

free-motion machine embroidery

and really enjoying the process.

This is my chronological embroidery journey.....

So that's is it in a nutshell.
Some of it is on Etsy and some I am putting in
Reverse Garbage's upcoming exhibition
"Thread Count".

If you want to keep up I post much more regularly on Facebook and instagram (elle and lou).

Free Motion Embroidery: 1st timer

I've had a hankering to try my hand at something different.

So I purchased a new foot for my machine

and began to have a small play

 with some fabric sample discards.

 Not to sure where this was going,

I glued it onto some more sample fabric

from Reverse Garbage.

Working over the print with some more

stitching added some much needed detailing.

Time for framing in the hoop.

Finishing the edges.

Fabric glued.

(Note to self- but some more bull dog clips)

Amazing stories:

I'm actually happy with it!

(I might even put it on my wall)

I'm

Teacher Aides: Super-workmates

I hear a lot of people grumble and bitch

 about the people they work with.

This makes me feel sad for them,

and all the more appreciative of what I have.

There is one person in particular 

who enables my workplace

 to function smoothly and happily.

Maybe you are lucky enough

 to have one of those people in your work place?

 They are always happy.

They will always to do what ever is needed.

They find the time for everyone.

They are supportive.

They are generous and graceful.

My super-workmate and friend

is the art assistant / teacher aide at our college.

She works tirelessly and is always positive.

Teacher aides are the backbone of our schools

and so often unrecognised for their efforts.

I love our chats about creativity, family.. whatever!

Teacher aides are the backbone of our schools

and so often unrecognised for their efforts.

So today I made her a little thank-you gift.

A metrocard wallet with one of her favourite singers-Pink.

Its not much but I hope it gives her a smile.

Here's cheers to 2013 -cherishing this time

Welcome to the New Year!

(even though we are already 8 days into it)

In Australia it is school holidays .

We have been catching up with many family and friends with afternoon barbies and long lunches.

To not be concerned with time and dates

 is indeed a rare treat and to be cherished.

My studio has been neglected,
my sewing machine abandoned,

my creative life paused.

This afternoon, 

I ventured into my studio and

 opened a shoebox.

 I found some bunting I began roughly six months ago.

I think I have forgotten how to stick to a task,

or perhaps I never quite got the hang of it.

 Today I made another 4 triangles

 and so I am a step closer to the end

of this project.

I will finish this bunting before my holidays end,

 but I intend to cherish my

freedom from the clock for as long as possible.

Reindeers and Elves: Handmade Cards

Well, there is a reason for my blogging absence...

Work.

Life.

Family.

and Instagram is faster and more immediate :)

Another reason is my commitment

 to making and gifting handmade this year.

No "Made in China" for me this year.

Oh,  one exception:

 I can't handmake a trampoline for the kids.

Here is a card I made tonight from

a vintage 1976 Golden Book 

 "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer"

Are you into Christmas this year?

Or maybe you just couldn't be christmarsed!

(got to love the Urban Dictionary)

Halloween Bunting Winner

Thanks to everyone who entered my halloween giveaway, Steph took it out!

Thanks too to my likers on Facebook 

and supporting me here too of course. 

Since I have been blogging etc

 I have met some great people,

 and been inspired by many more. 

so,thanks!

Spooky Halloween Bunting Giveaway

Halloween is in 13 days -spooky.

We don't have much time...

So I'll cut to the chase.

I'm giving a way some handmade

Book Bunting.

The book is vintage 1981,

"The Great Bear Scare"

There is a tag...

the giveaway is only for
Elle and Lou Facebook supporters.

So pop over, hit 'like' & this handmade bunting maybe heading your way next week. 

The competition closes on Wednesday morning at 10am and is only open to Australian and New Zealand residents.

ipad drawing lesson for students and adults

The Background:

 ipad drawing apps are plentiful.

They interest me for both my personal work and my high school teaching.

This is what I have been doing and am now teaching to my Yr 8 classes.

I use Sketch Book Express with the students- but Sketch Book Pro is worth the $1.

To Begin:

It is pretty simple to begin with a line drawing like Twiggy.

In the first lesson or two I get the students to use a specific pencil (no 4) 

and then they practice brush shortcuts.

"Just play with variation of thickness and opacity".

App + App = image development:

Filter Apps like Instagram, Camera Bag and my favourite BeFunky allow students to manipulate their saved image. Through these simple apps they make visual choices regarding cropping, saturation, frames, filters and more.

The students now have two images and are building up a portfolio.

A Step Further - Using screen shots and Layers:

Once you have a basic line drawing - you can add a layer.

Here I simply took a screen shot of a 1960s fabric and imported the photo as a new layer.

I erased parts of the fabric layer so that my 1960s woman was visible underneath.

A Third Layer- Colour:

SB Express is limited to 3 layers- SB Pro has 5 layers- much better!

So now with the hair I have added a third layer on the bottom for my colour.

 Having the drawing layer, the screen shot layer and colour layer separate is really important.

 When teaching this to a class, the students need to be aware all the time WHICH layer they are working on.

 The benefit of adding colour onto a separate layer?

Students can delete the layer if it isn't working.

So here we are - almost finished.

Once again, export the image to the photo library

 and extend the image by employing filter apps to manipulate the image. 

When teaching this is a great opportunity to have discussions

 about what is successful and why?

In the classroom- some points:

• Get the students to 'save a copy' regularly during the process as Sketch Book doesn't have this feature in built. 
• For younger classes and classes lacking confidence begin with a screen shot of an image and trace over the image on a second layer. One class I am working with began with screen shots and photos of a still life. Then they traced over these images - this engages all students extremely well, they don't fail and their confidence improves- BAM!

This is all pretty new to me and I am learning still.

What I do know is that ipads and tablets are now part of education

and the way I see it they are extremely applicable in Art.

 I love the potential, it is exciting don't you think?

It is also an addictive introduction for students into the power of digital apps and the further potential of more powerful software such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.

I am so interested to hear what anyone else is doing in this area.

Do you have a favourite drawing app?

What is your favourite filter app?

My user name on Instagram is elleandlou. 

Tissue BoxCover

I'm not overly emotional

 (well, you only have MY word on that one)

But when I go to the shops

 I don't by one box of tissues,

 I buy six!

 I am actually from loud sneezing, 

allergic rhinitis royalty.

 My tissue use is prolific.

Now while my nose likes to get a littler hyper,

my eyes work perfectly.

So this week I set out to create a tissue box cover

 that would mask the ugly boxes that decorate my bench tops.

I punched out some circles from origami paper

and mod-podged them randomly onto a mdf blank.

Finally, I sealed them with a few coats of Mod-Podge.

It was ridiculously easy, relaxing and I kind of like it-

 it certainly beats the cactus barcode design.

 I hope your nose is kind to you this week :)

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