The Battyeford Angels

Here in the Art-room we have been working away, (with our Yr.5 pupils) in and amongst our regular curriculum projects, to create two large scale Angel Lanterns. These have been produced especially for Christ the King Church as decorations for Christmas. Many of our Yr 5 pupils have had a turn, constructing with willow, papering the willow frame and adding decorations. They have taken approximately 20 hrs to construct! We have even had a few lunchtime sessions with pupils to ensure that they are ready for church in time for the Christmas services. I had this idea last year and think it has worked really well. I hope they look brilliant in situ, we are all excited to see them at Christ the King. 

Reverend Maggie now has the delightful job of trying to get them down to church using a trailer! We were considering putting someone in each one and walking them down, but we might get blown away! We hope all our parents and visitors to the church over this period  will enjoy our work.   

Constructing the frame with willow and brown tape and thinking about size.

First layers of wet strength tissue and pva glue. 

 

The first angel takes shape.

Onto the second frame...

Finally adding decoration.

Ta daaaaaaaaa!

Year 4 Rome Landscapes 

A mixed media project inspired by artist 

Emmie Van Biervliet

This new scheme has proved to be a hit. The pupils have really loved the comfort of working in small sections of card, focusing on individual architectural details. No one has felt they cannot achieve. The stimulus of a new material each week and an approach to drawing after painting, has freed the pupils up to experiment fully. We have all been thrilled with the result. 

Emmie Van Biervliet is an exciting young British artist who is inspired by travelling. She creates magical environments, mixing up a pictures surface and laying unconventional materials alongside traditional ones. The surface textures are intriguing as is her use of a limited colour palette. These are all things we have aspired to put in to our own work in class.

Every child has encountered a new material for drawing and painting, mixing ideas to produce a paneled individual artwork, with details of the atmosphere or features from the magnificent city of Rome.

Initially we worked in colour using acrylic paints, inks and powder paints (sometimes in powder form, not mixed but applied directly to the surface to give interest). After painting we added drawn features with pencil over the top of our works. Below are our initial pieces.

 At the end of each session we would come together as a class to place all our pieces on the table and make a new landscape to view. We enjoyed the thrill of seeing everyone's work together, as a whole we were stronger than individually.  

Next came working in black and white. First we collaged newspaper sections on to the cardboard and then began to explore paint and tonal drawing materials to bring our works to life.

A beautiful detail of a pupils work.

Again we placed them in a group at the end of the session. Exciting!

After the black and white works we took a new approach! Drawing with plaster! We worked with mod roc to form it into shapes that represented our architectural forms. We had to work quite quickly, however we did really well. The children loved working with this tactile material and were challenged too by the nature of it. When we added drawing and paint in powder form on to the surface of this material, these pieces began to look truly amazing. 

Hows this for a detail?!

Finally we completed our individual works by placing them in a layered composition, they look awesome! Every child's work from Year 4 is represented here in this blog. We hope your enjoy our work!

Mrs Deane even has a sneaky little piece in here...can you spot it?

   

Now it is time for the Teacher to get creative!

Most of my creative energy is used up by teaching during term times but during the summer my fingers get restless and my urge to 'draw' intensifies. Last year I participated in a national project entitled #drawingaugust on Twitter. This was great fun, adding a drawing a day (if possible) to the twitter feed with artists, teachers and others from across the country all using the hash tag to collectively showcase their doodlings... 

I have begun early and have enjoyed submitting some of my sketches to the site today the 1st of August. You can go on Twitter and search the hashtag #drawing august to find out more. 

I lived on a farm for six years and never drew a animal! I found out during last years project that I actually love drawing livestock...more to follow.  

The dancing cow!

Friends of mine from near Ellesmere Port are breeding British Lop pigs at Oakbank Farm, pigs are a great subject for drawing. I am hoping to visit their farm and draw some pigs this week!

The school holiday started for me with a trip to Robin Hoods Bay. This was a fascinating scene to sketch, lots of lovely layers. I have only used a berol fine line pen in order to sketch this piece.

Day 2 of Creative Action! The 'Drawing Machine' Family Event

'Drawing Machines' an extravaganza of family fun, learning and cooperation...YUM

On Saturday the 4th of July Battyeford Primary School hosted a family event,funded kindly by Creative Scene, through their DO IT fund. 

We saw many families from our community come through the door to get stuck in to making a range of incredible 'Mark Making Machines', we let our imaginations run riot and most of all we learnt, shared and had terrific enjoyment! We laughed a lot too! Don't they say laughter is the best tonic?! During the day we hosted two events.

With our funding I was able to ask Susan M Coles, National Consultant (based in the North East), to help host the event. She started us off by introducing us to the inventions of Leonardo Da Vinci. Leonardo was one of the most prolific inventors of all times, a scientist, artist, architect, engineer and more, he was never afraid to take risks and test out his ideas. Susan with the NEATEN teachers group and the Baltic in Newcastle won the Big Draw Awards 2014, for a similar project to ours. We were in good hands!

Susan set us off with the task of creating a machine (we only had two hours, to design, make and perform our machine), that could simply make a mark. 

Fabric Lenny also came to help out with delivery on the day (following on from his prior RABBBOT workshop the weekend before)...he helped us add extra features to our machines.

   

The elephant - just in development! We had a brilliant moment when one of the little boys attending thought it was real...so lovely!

Front and back views of a partial machine!  

Is this the back or the front of the Mean Machine?????

This skeleton drawing machine was brilliant in performance! All its limbs dragging across the paper catwalk! 

 

The 'Mean Machine' in action! This family of four (Mum and Dad are not performing) created a brilliant wheelbarrow machine. Fantastic!

 A Reptilian Drawing Machine with amazing proboscis, created cool swirls across the hall floor (best not tell the Caretaker)! 

Above ...The Mischievous Minion Machine! 

 

The 'Human Spirograph' below was a piece of engineering genius! Also the whole family were really brave and choreographed a routine that took them up, down and around the catwalk...what superstars they were!  Love it! 

We were all in awe of this little one (Just 2 yrs old) and not yet a member of the school community, but living locally. After seeing what she could achieve aged 2, I so hope I get this one in my art class in a few years time! The brilliant 'Little Elephant' Drawing Machine...and so, so brave...she performed as well !

Here is Susan assisting one of our Yr 1 pupils who is attending with his family. 

Before and after!    

Moving swiftly...too fast for my camera!

Brilliant team work from two sisters and a cousin!  

 

More fast movers! The 'Raptor' and 'Funky Feet'! I am afraid I didn't manage to get the feet in! However we had a moment of madness when those feet got stuck! 

 'Those boots (and claws) are made for drawing, and that's just what they'll do...one of these days those boots (and claws) are gonna draw all over you!"

The fabulous 'Wolverine Drawing Machine'.

The 'Princess Drawing Machine' - that corset hurts! 

What a great day of togetherness. Experimental, inventive extreme mark making! Thanks to all who attended, I know you all really enjoyed the activity. FUN!