Art with Mrs. O'Neill

 My students LOVE to work with Crayola model magic clay but I always struggled with using it to teach certain concepts. However, in recent years, I discovered a lot of great and low-stress ways to use the model magic in my classroom to teach color mixing!  I cut packs of primary colors into 1/4 and distributed them to each student. Instructing them not to mix colors all together, etc.  Students then break each primary color into 3 pieces and mix 2 together to get their secondary color. It's a super simple but effective way to get students to understand color mixing.  There are some great books like "Mouse Paint" which can go along with the lesson. Also, White model magic can be colored with marker and the ink mixed in to create colors if you do not have colored model magic.  It can also be used to teach mixing tints! 

 I love the vibrancy that art tissue gives to artwork and this is one of my favorite projects to do using bleeding art tissue.  I precut squares of tissue and have students apply it to their papers with water (the more water the better) I tell them. I encourage them to think about color choices or even have them choose to work with warm or cool colors, etc.  We leave it and allow the tissue to dry on the paper. The next class we use the paper we created to make a Notan or other collage on black paper. The bright  colors are very striking against the black background!   

 We have been drawing pumpkins with a pattern twist! I gave students a directed drawing to help them get a pumpkin base and then we added our own pattern creations. I am so proud of how focused they were while creating their pattern pumpkins!  Teacher Example

​5th graders have been working on drawing and filling their composition fully in the style of Georgia OKeeffe. We also discuss the importance of her artwork during the womens rights movement.  They did a great job drawing and most students outlined in liquid glue (tinted with liquid watercolor) then the next class period students used pastels.  I encouraged them to work on construction paper that was the opposite color of their final piece so they would have strong contrasts.  I am so proud of my 5th graders hard work! 

It’s  always fun coming up with a good back to school bulletin board to welcome our students. Just finished this cute Cactus themed board! 

​Earlier in the year students created beautiful self portraits. Everyone had a mirror and we learned about proportions and adding detail. I loved seeing their personalities shine through their portraits!