Fourth grade studied the flag artwork of Jasper Johns and created their own version of encaustic artwork with a sense of identity.
This project was done in two parts:
Step 1
The students cut out words from magazines that described themselves and collaged them onto white paper. They then added a white wash over the collage so that we could still read the words, but everything was unified by the white.
Step 2
Next, the students used a sheet of fine grit sandpaper and drew a flag in reverse. They were to leave the white stripes uncolored. I didn't require them to draw stars because of the melting process in the next step.
Once the students layered up enough color on the newspaper, I flipped their sandpaper upside down on top of their white-washed collages and pressed a hot iron to the back of the sandpaper. The crayon melted onto the collage to create a very textured flag.
Make sure that you use a fine grit sandpaper because we found the a courser grit won't release the melted crayon when heated.
I love this idea!
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome. I wish you can demonstrate on a YOUTUBE vid so we can see it in action. My blog is www.unseasonably.blogspot.com and I taught art for 4 years. I'm currently at home on a break with our last baby, but I teach lessons at home especially in the summer. We're doing the 3-layered Jasper John flags next week.
ReplyDeleteWhat size paper did you use? These are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! My 2nd graders are working on a JJ-inspired painting using numbers and letters right now. This would be a great follow-up next year as 3rd graders! Thanks for sharing...
ReplyDeleteSorry for the delayed response. We used 9x12" white tag board. A sheet of regular sandpaper is just slightly smaller than that.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind words!
Love this project! I also love the idea of exploring the encaustic technique without using hot wax.
ReplyDeleteI have one follow up question...you mentioned "once students layered up enough color on the newspaper"..how does the newspaper come into play? I thought the students drew the flag with crayon directly on the sandpaper?
Thanks in advance for your help! Can't wait to try this with my students!!
I just wanted to let you know that I tried this lesson with my third and fourth graders and it was a HUGE success!!!
ReplyDeleteA couple things I did differently:
1. I had the students write words on a piece of paper instead of clipping them out of newspapers/magazines. They were to write words that reminded them of America and they wrote their words in bubble/block letters. They painted over their words as you explained in your plans.
2. Instead of them coloring the stripes and the blue "star area" of the flag on a whole piece of sandpaper, I cut up strips of sandpaper and larger/wider rectangles to color on and then arrange accordingly over their papers. I did this to try to get more use out of each sheet of sandpaper that I purchased. To some degree, the sandpaper could be re-colored/re-used by other students.
Thanks for sharing this awesome lesson idea!!!