Koi Fish

The inspiration for this painting came from the artist Aleah Koury "Floating Motion".  The students work came out great.  Their biggest challenge was drawing the koi fish to look like they were moving.  I showed them how I started with a slight S curve in pencil.  We used contrasting color outlines for the fish and the water lilies.  We colored in the fish with warm color crayons.  Then we went over the fish bodies with white crayon to make sure the water colors would not cover them.  Also in crayon, a white spiral or three.

Last we painted the water and the lillies. 

Not a Stick

I read my third graders Not A Stick by Antoinette Portis.  The main character finds many uses for an ordinary stick. ( Brings back fond memories of when my boys were small.)  I then supplied them with a tooth pick, a small paper, pencil with eraser and black marker.  I showed them how easy it is to draw a person in marker, if you draw a stick figure in pencil first.  Some kids had so many ideas they did two.  We mounted them on a piece of black poster paper to hang in the hall.  They were the topic of many water fountain conversations.