Paper Cut Patterns

Paper cut patterns from way back at the start of the year with year 4. I've been holding off posting them because I've posted this lesson a few times already during this blog's short life! Simple and effective = great for casual teaching days... and I think the results definitely speak for themselves : ) The previous examples are here, here and here. 

Rosalie Gascoigne Inspired Collage

A talented and patient year 3 class are responsible for these great collages. They are inspired by Rosalie Gascoigne's Tiger Tiger. I first tried this lesson with a combined year 5 and 6 class last year. Both times the students and myself have been really happy with the results. There's quite a bit of work involved and there are some very thoughtful responses from these young artists. You can read more about the process involved and see the work of the 5/6 class on this previous post.

I like the variety of themes the students have chosen, from single and varied colours, to typography, people, transport, hairstyles and more. I commented to one young student that I really liked his collection of colours to which he replied "it's not a colour collection, they're all different dress fabrics..." I was even more impressed! Some might find it a little creepy, but I was also really impressed with the student who amassed a collage of different skin tones. As I mentioned the students were very patient, mostly I think students of all ages like fairly fast paced art lessons but this process is fiddly and laborious. Year 3 is definitely the youngest I'll repeat this lesson with : )

Abstract Mosaic Collage II

These eye-catching collages were created by a recent year 5 class. I first trialled this lesson last year with year 2. I've been really pleased with the results both times. As a relief teacher it's great to have ready-to-go lessons that work well across multiple age groups (and are even more engaging than colouring-in stencils!). You can see the original year 2 results and read more about the lesson process here.

I was really impressed with some of these colour combinations and especially with the student on the very top left who opted to use only blue and black while most used their full "allowance" of four colours!

If you're too stretched for time to visit my previous post and instructions, here's a short overview : ) Students choose between 1 and 4 colours, then free-cut and paste pieces of these coloured papers down, covering the white paper without the pieces touching each other.

Paper Cutting + The Winner Is... + Your Opinion Please

This is a great lesson for those in-between times. Paper cutting is quick, easy and effective. Plus the students love it – one recent class literally broke into applause as I unfolded my example before their enraptured eyes! No kidding : ) Click here for some previous examples and the instructions on my first such post. These particular ones were created by an enthusiastic year 3 class.

I've found the children learn more and are frustrated less when they begin with some practice attempts on scrap paper before using this research and development to make their deliberate final cuts on their coloured square. 

I'd love your opinion on the display of this artwork. Please let me know which is your favourite method? The top grid of 4 is the way I most commonly display art here on the blog, but it's a looong scroll for some viewers to take them all in. I like to include every student's art as an indication of the success of the lesson across the varied levels of ability and enthusiasm within any given class. 

The second way is the patchwork you see above with every student's art pasted together in one image (including one artwork repeated twice to make a rectangular number). The individual artworks are seen on a smaller scale but look really neat altogether.

The third and newest way is the potentially seizure-inducing 'gif' below! It briefly flashes through every child's artwork and runs on a continual loop. The image quality and colour is not as high as the previous jpgs, but every student's art is potentially right there near the top of the post. Gifs are not widely loved, but I thought I'd at least give it a try... It's also possible to adjust the amount of time that each image is shown for.

Realistically I'll try and keep using a variety of ways to present the artwork. But I really would appreciate any comments, feedback, preferences etc. I've got big shoulders and thick skin : )

And finally, the Win a Joe Hall & The Treehouse Band CD competition has now closed. My wife Katherine was the band's drummer and I gave her the unenviable task of choosing a favourite as the winner. We were both really impressed with all the contributions and really enjoyed reading them. If you haven't read them, it's well worth clicking here! Those childhood experiences and the memories of them, really are so special.

Insert drumroll here... With all her wifely wisdom, Katherine has declared that everyone's a winner! From North America to New Zealand, congratulations Don, Phyl, Mrs Hahn, Mary, Jen and Gretchen. I'll catch up over email and get some postal addresses to send the cds to. Thanks a bunch for sharing : ) The competition's over but if you feel inspired to add your own childhood memory please do.

"Notanarama"

Each year 5/6 student began with a black square, triangle, rectangle or circle. Most of the class chose to cut more abstract rather than representational shapes, and then derived great pleasure from recognising incidental objects within their work. We were limited to using black paper (all the available coloured paper was single-sided), but black and white turned out to be very effective.

This was the first time I'd taught about—much less made—Notans (a Japanese design concept focussing on the relative placement of light and dark within a composition), and both myself and the students enjoyed the process. I hope I can make them with another class soon. I'd seen a number of Notan posts floating around the blogosphere, but the most recent one I recalled and studied up with was by Rina from the K-6 Art blog.

While you're here, have you entered the "Win a Joe Hall and The Treehouse Band CD" competition yet? It's as easy as pie, just recall a favourite childhood memory or pastime here. One week left to enter...

Abstract Mosaic Collage

Collage and/or Mosaic. I'm not sure if these artworks are the result of one or the other, or both? Your learned opinions are always welcome!

This year 2 class was asked to choose 3 coloured papers to free-cut various shapes from (no pre-drawing or planning). Each piece was glued down immediately, ideally starting at one corner or end and working their way across the paper sticking more pieces side by side. The goal was that each piece would not be touching another.

The children were encouraged to make deliberate decisions about what colour should go next to another. The process of cutting and sticking one piece at a time also helped them to consider what new shape would compliment the existing shapes. The art was intended to be non representational, but also not be a repetitive or obvious pattern. Of course with their vivid imaginations they still managed to see all kinds of interesting things!

So my rules/suggestions/guidelines weren't always adhered to, but I didn't really remind them too much. Some students only ever need to hear something once, others may never hear! Some students wanted more colours which was fine and one or two ended up pre-drawing some of their shapes which was fine too. As with all abstract art, these won't be everyone's ‘cup of tea’, but both the students and myself were really happy with the results — mission accomplished.

Paper Cuts II

A second installment of patterned Paper Cuts as posted back in August. These are courtesy of a year 4 class and happened as another spontaneous gap filler for 15-20 minutes. The class had some small (maybe 15cm) coloured paper squares that seemed to be left over from something else. I think having larger paper would have given the students more design scope and room to navigate their scissors, but it is nice to find ways of using up left over odds and ends.

Paper Cuts

I call this kind of lesson "in-between art" because it's quick, fairly clean and can fit neatly between other parts of the school day. However I don't consider it to be a poor cousin to other more involved or elaborate art making because not only do they look great, but the children thoroughly enjoy making them. This is not an original idea or technique of mine but something I recall seeing in (I think from memory) a year 2 class a few years ago now. I'm sorry I can't be more specific with a source, please add a comment if you know where this idea may have originated from. These designs are courtesy of a 5/6 composite class — but I'm sure this process would work well with any primary year group.

The children began by choosing two (usually) opposing coloured pieces of square paper. The first piece of paper is neatly folded a number of times until it finishes as a square, triangle or rectangle. While it is still folded, the children then cut some pieces out. Unfolding the paper to its flattened state reveals a "holey" pattern which is then carefully glued to the other piece of paper.

As an improvement I'd like to try having the children first use some newspaper squares as practice pieces so they can plan and adjust their cuts and resulting patterns before making a final pre-planned cut on their "good" coloured paper. I think this would also be a great opportunity to link in with some appreciation of the cutouts that famously adorn many Mexican homes, streets and other public places – it could easily be adapted to more closely emulate the paper cut flags made there.