Tag Archives: Middle School Art
Shopkeeper Signs
Students learned about the crafts and trades during Colonial times, and they created “signs” that might have hung outside of places of business in the 1700s. They were asked to include a picture of their service or type of business … Continue reading
Imaginative Silhouettes
After students had become familiar with self-portrait and figure silhouettes–and to continue to develop their skills with contour drawing–they looked around the room to find objects that had interesting shapes. Pliers, tape dispensers, paint pump dispensers, bolts, and blenders were … Continue reading
Figure Silhouettes
Students did contour drawings of each other in a variety of “action” poses. Students modeled for approximately 1-2 minutes as their classmates drew them, and everyone wanted a turn to model! Each figure drawing was at least 3″ tall, and … Continue reading
Self-Portrait Silhouettes
Digital photos were taken of each student in profile. The pictures were sized to 4″ x 5″ and printed. Students drew a 1/2 inch grid directly on the picture. They drew a 1-inch grid on a separate piece of paper, … Continue reading
Plaster Gauze Masks
Plaster gauze mask-making was a project I offered every couple of years for many, many years as an art teacher. These were always SO much fun, and every time I was delighted with my students’ creativity, humor, problem-solving ability, insights, … Continue reading
Wire and Hose Creations
These free-form sculptures were made from wire, pantyhose, and acrylic or latex paint. I got this lesson plan from a newsgroup for art teachers, and I was amazed at how easy and yet how dramatic these sculptures can be! Materials:Wire … Continue reading
Sculpey and Water Bottle Caricatures
Many art projects involve the use of recycled materials. Students collected and used discarded plastic water bottles to create these fun figure sculptures. These examples were created by middle school students, but this project is appropriate for high school students, … Continue reading
How to Make a MUMMY MASK
This was one of the very first projects I posted when the original Art-Rageous website was launched in 1999, and at the time mask-making was geared for students in grades 5-8. We started out using medical grade plaster gauze, but … Continue reading
Oaxacan-Style Paintings
At the conclusion of the Art 1 unit on Color Theory, students were introduced to the colorful and whimsical sculptures of Oaxaca, Mexico. In response, they created acrylic paintings in the style of the sculptures.
Oldenburg-Inspired Sculptures
Students (middle school and later high school) were introduced to the monumental sculptural works of Claes Oldenburg. Excited by the prospect of “supersizing” an ordinary object, students brainstormed to come up with ideas. Once they’d made a decision on which object … Continue reading