Kaleidoscope Names- Radial Symmetry Designs

Can you see the name?  MEG 

 
My 5th & 6th grade students are creating Kaleidoscope Names.  This is a simple project but it looks really complex when it is done. We discussed radial symmetry.  The students had fun trying to discover what name was in each design when we were finished.  Some were easier than others.

Step by step:
1. Start with a 12" x 12" piece of white drawing paper.  You can make it smaller or larger but make sure it is square.

2. Fold the paper in half to create 8 equal triangles.

8 equal triangles

3. Now, in one of the triangles write your name or a word in bubble letters.  Make sure your letters touch the top and the bottom of the triangle or the words will not join together.  Leave the top and the bottom of each letter open.  Press hard with your pencil. (The name in this design is Lola.)

Make sure your word/name touches the top & bottom of the triangle.

4. Next, fold the paper in half and rub the back to transfer the words to the next triangle.  The words will be backwards and light.  I use a marker to rub the paper but a bone folder would work better if you have one.

Rubbing the image with the marker.

Lola appears in the next triangle very light. 

5. Trace over the word to make it darker.

6. Fold in half again and rub.  Then trace again.  Repeat until the entire page is covered.

Lola completed and ready for markers.

Lola completed!

A Simple Way to Draw a Person-- "Do Job" Person

This is compliments of my friend, Miss Jackie Jones.

A clever way for kids to draw a simple person in 3 easy steps using words/letters.

Thiebaud Inspired Cupcakes

By Kailei, 1st Grade

 

Wayne Thiebaud is one of my favorite artists.  I have a 3 x 4 foot replica of his cakes in my classroom.  The students see it every time they come in and we always comment on how yummy they look.  Inspired by his cakes my 1st grade students made cupcakes.  This is the original cake painting by Wayne Thiebaud that I have replicated in my classroom.  (The original is located in the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.)

Wayne Thiebaud, Cakes 1963

We started by looking at and talking about Thiebaud's work.  We looked at the textures that the brush strokes make to help make the cakes look like they have real icing on them.

This is an example of Wayne Thiebaud's cupcakes.  Yum!

Here is how we made our cupcakes:

To begin our project the students drew their cupcakes. Some students wanted to draw their own and some needed a little help.  I made some cupcake patterns for the kids who were having difficulty with the drawing.  I demonstrated how to draw the cupcakes without a pattern.  Then we created a table for the cupcakes to sit on.  Next, we added yummy things like sprinkles and cherries.  We drew in pencil first and then outlined in oil pastel.

During our next class we painted using watercolors. Here are their beautiful paintings:

By Josh

By Hadley

By Fletcher

By Gavin

By Maylee