Second
Grade classes are observing International Dot Day in the EES art room, a “global
celebration of creativity, courage, and collaboration” based on the book The Dot by Peter Reynolds.
International Dot Day is TODAY, and every year on
September 15, and is a holiday that honors the creative process in all of its
ups and downs- the fear of mistakes, the flexible thinking, and the daring of simply
trying to make your mark on paper.
These
exploratory paper dots are full of our mistakes and fixes- the flexible approach
Second graders will take this year in Art class. Students began by reading the book in art and reflecting on the courage it takes to try something you think will be difficult or stressful. We used coffee filters, watercolors, temperas, dot markers, and water to create these beauties.
After folding the circles into halves, then quarters, then eighths, the students used their supplies to soak the whole paper with colors. In the event that a color did not travel through all of the layers, we opened the circles, wet them, and continued painting.
The entire second grade made a dot, which are hung in the sunlit walkway that leads to our cafeteria, where they wave in the breeze.
First graders also have been reading The Dot in Art class, and have been making monoprint sketchbook covers inspired by Vashti's paintings in the book.
I know that you must have done this in school- paint on half of a page, close it up, and voila! Symmetry. Instead of the typical "butterfly" paintings, we are focusing on geometric shapes, dots, and lines, and will be using these papers as the cover to the sketchbooks we will bind later this week.
These sketchbooks stay in the art room all year where they are used for free draw time, writing, and sketching plans for projects.
The artists had a terrific time making them, one proclaiming "this is the best day of my life!" It's true, people, art has that effect, especially when you are making art on International Dot Day!
So, celebrate! Go loosen your mental constraints and do something boldly creative today. Doodle, snap some photos, bedazzle your tee shirt, buy a pair of Keds and jazz them up with some puffy paint. Don't worry about messing up- have confidence! You'll find a way to make it beautiful!
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| Grade 2 dot display! |
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| Dot dot! |
The entire second grade made a dot, which are hung in the sunlit walkway that leads to our cafeteria, where they wave in the breeze.
First graders also have been reading The Dot in Art class, and have been making monoprint sketchbook covers inspired by Vashti's paintings in the book.
I know that you must have done this in school- paint on half of a page, close it up, and voila! Symmetry. Instead of the typical "butterfly" paintings, we are focusing on geometric shapes, dots, and lines, and will be using these papers as the cover to the sketchbooks we will bind later this week.
These sketchbooks stay in the art room all year where they are used for free draw time, writing, and sketching plans for projects.
The artists had a terrific time making them, one proclaiming "this is the best day of my life!" It's true, people, art has that effect, especially when you are making art on International Dot Day!
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| Some of the fabulous finished covers! |
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