The Arts

Have a look at this art activity from the Christchurch Art Gallery on Pacific Printmaking inspired by tapa.

Colour Wheel

Benjamin made his own colour wheel by mixing paints to create primary and secondary colours. He was wondering whether anybody else likes mixing colours?

Picasso Art

Adele was inspired by a Picasso book she had at home. She then used magazines to create her own artwork.

French Knitting Fun Lesson

French Knitting Time Lapse

Cat's Eye Craft

Cat's Eye Craft Time Lapse

Observational Drawing

For this activity you need some coloured Sharpies or permanent markers and a piece of tin foil.

Paper Weaving

Materials

o   Coloured Paper

o   Old Magazines, crepe paper, newspaper cut into strips

o   Craft knife and Ruler or scissors

Instructions

o   Step One  Prepare the base by cutting slots with a craft knife, or fold the paper in half and cut slots with a pair of scissors. Be sure to stop cutting 3cm from the top and bottom of the paper.

o   Step Two Cut paper strips that are at a minimum the width of the paper base. I recommend longer strips and trimming them later.

o   Step Three Use the base and a collection of paper strips. Weave the strips through the base. Make sure to pull the paper over and under alternate slots with each new layer to create a woven texture.

o   Step Four Continue until the slots are filled.

o   Step Five If desired trim edges of paper strips to match the paper base.

Shadow art

Shadow art can be a lot of fun to create, because sometimes the shadow of something looks exactly like the object casting the shadow, and sometimes it looks completely different! 

Here are some ideas to use shadows in art:

·      Combine objects to cast a shadow picture

·      Practice making shadows in a circle of torchlight

·      Draw around a shadow of something to make a silhouette

We would love to see what you can come up with when you play with shadows!

In the Hall of the Mountain King

In 1875, a Norwegian composer named Edvard Grieg composed this piece of music. It's a very lively piece! In the story told by the music, a young man named Peer Gynt enters the Troll King's castle. The music starts slowly, then then becomes louder and faster...Have a listen:

Music inspires people in different ways. This piece of music, In the hall of the Mountain King, inspired one artist to make a cartoon of a little robot riding a sleigh (or sled) over lines, all in time to the music. Have a look, it's pretty fantastic:

For your follow-up, you are invited to draw or paint the Troll King's castle, high in the mountains of Norway. What picture does the music make in your mind? Can you see the Troll King stamping around? Maybe sitting on his throne? What do his servants look like? 

Please share your artwork with us - we'd love to see your imagination.

ANZAC Poppies

The poppy has, for a long time, been the international symbol to remember and honour those who have served and sacrificed so much for our nation and way of life. Wearing a poppy is a way to signify your respect, acknowledge our history, appreciate the efforts of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and women of our armed forces and the freedom they fought to preserve for us and the generations to come.

Here's a lesson on how to make your own poppies:

String art (without string)

Use just paper and coloured pencils to create geometric designs. Remember to use a ruler!

Autumn Leaf Art

Thanks Gryff for sharing this idea!

Tape Art

Thank you Marcus for sharing this idea with us!
All you need is masking tape and crayons. And your imagination...

Play dough

Here is an excellent play dough recipe.  You could use it to practise spelling words, or to create characters for a story, or make the "Inside the Earth" model...or any number of other creative ideas!
No-cook play dough recipe

Make a mosaic picture. You could make any design you choose. Ways to do this:

·      Coloured bits of paper, glued on card

·      Use what you can find to cut and glue down: cereal box, magazines, packaging, wrappers, material scraps...

·      Do a version which is not glued down, using things you find in the garden or house. Take a photo for a permanent record, then put everything back again.

Try other non-permanent art ideas:
·   Balancing rocks

·      Sculpture of things found in the garden

·     Drawing in sand