Div I MakeItMessyArt - KSedits

Make It Messy Art
Program Plan for Ages 6-9 (Division I)

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Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................ 2
What does a typical program look like? ................................................................................................................. 2
Tips for Artmaking with Children..................................................................................................................................... 3
Visual Literacy.......................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Supplies ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Activities ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Colour Theory Cars & Car Wash............................................................................................................................... 8
Painting with Marbles .................................................................................................................................................... 10
Folded Paper Monoprints ............................................................................................................................................ 12
Salad Spinner Splatter Art .......................................................................................................................................... 14
Planets Collograph ......................................................................................................................................................... 20
Drip-Drop Painting .......................................................................................................................................................... 23
Stained Glass without Glass ...................................................................................................................................... 26
Continuous Musical Scribbles ................................................................................................................................... 30
Mixed up Monster ............................................................................................................................................................ 33
Body Shapes (Collaborative Drawing) .................................................................................................................. 37
Glossary .................................................................................................................................................................................... 40
Art and Inquiry........................................................................................................................................................................ 41
Suggested Inquiry Question Prompts ................................................................................................................... 42
Resources ................................................................................................................................................................................ 43
Contact Information for Make It Messy Art:............................................................................................................. 44
Appendix A: Looking at Art: An Introduction ........................................................................................................... 45
Why look at art? .......................................................................................................................................................... 45
Thinking Routines....................................................................................................................................................... 45
Appendix B: The Ten Lesson the Arts Teach by Elliot Eisner ....................................................................... 49
Appendix C: Gallery Games ........................................................................................................................................... 50
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Introduction
Please use this document to guide you through the planning and delivery of our, Make it Messy:
Art program for children ages 6-9. Inspired by the Library’s successful Make It Messy Science
program, Make it Messy Art integrates inquiry-based practices around artmaking.
What does a typical program look like?
Every activity in the program is connected to at least one of the elements of visual art: colour,
form/line, shape/space, texture and value. All activities incorporate hands-on open-ended
exploration of art mediums, processes and in some cases, art historical techniques. There are
10 activities to choose from; one activity is offered each session in the following format:
Every session has the same four components. These can take place in any order, depending on
the activity, the children you are working with and their needs:
• Looking at Art
Suggestions: Look at artwork related to your activity in books or online via
projector in program room; look at art in a Library exhibit and play a
gallery game or do a thinking routine; use a Storytime as an entry point
for your activity.
MOMA’s Top 5 Tips for Looking at Art with Students:

https://www.khanacademy.org/partner-content/moma/moma-
learning/v/tips-for-teaching
• Big Idea
Share with the artists: What is the activity all about? Which artists have
worked this way in the past? What materials are used and how? What
does the activity teach us or help us explore?
• Making
Staff introduce how to use materials and tools, how the activity works,
and demonstrate key techniques, but avoid creating exemplars. Every
activity ensures open-ended exploration of materials with a focus on
process and exploration of materials and techniques, rather than a focus
on creating an art product. Artists help with clean-up to learn importance
of proper care for tools and materials.
• Sharing
Suggestions for sharing: hang up the work on the wall for a gallery walk;
everyone sits in a circle with their work on the floor in front of them facing
out, so it can be seen by everyone at once; invite one or two artists to
share what they did/what they tried/what went well/what was a challenge
etc.. as a starting point for a group conversation
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Make it Messy Art is designed to help learners to come to an understanding of artistic ideas that
may be new to them. This program is driven by the learner’s curiosity and sustained by his or
her sense of ownership of the process. But curiosity and ownership alone are not enough to
ensure that learners have productive experiences that lead to the deeper understanding of
artistic ideas. Your guidance gives shape and direction to curiosity within the context of the
artmaking and the art concepts being explored.
“... Facilitator[s] often think they are 'doing inquiry' because they are out at the front of the
classroom directing the inquiry or investigation or demonstrating how to do it. This is not inquiry.
Inquiry (artmaking) requires facilitators to be able to excite the students' interest in a topic and
then provide them with opportunities to undertake the investigation either by themselves or
preferably in collaboration with others. The facilitator, though, needs to remain active in the
lesson, guiding the (artists) and asking questions to help them consolidate their understandings.
Providing feedback is critically important to helping students understand how they are
progressing.”
---Dr. Robyn M. Gillies, Science Education Professor

(terms in parentheses changed from “science” and “scientists” to “artmaking” and “artists”, for this context)
Tips for Artmaking with Children

• The Fine Arts (with a capital A for added formality) as well as the outdated idea of “arts
and crafts” can sometimes focus too much on making a product. Make It Messy Art uses
Elliot Eisner’s term “artmaking” intentionally, to emphasize the process behind making:
“the arts are, in the end, a special form of experience, but if there is any point I wish to
emphasize it is that the experience the arts make possible is not restricted to what we
call the fine arts. The sense of vitality and the surge of emotion we feel when touched by
one of the arts can also be secured in the ideas we explore with students, in the
challenges we encounter in doing critical inquiry, and in the appetite for learning we
stimulate. In the long run these are the satisfactions that matter most because they are
the only ones that insure, if it can be insured at all, that what we teach students will want
to pursue voluntarily after the artificial incentives so ubiquitous in our schools are long
forgotten.” (Eisner, 2002)
• We are all born creative. It is an innate part of humanity to want to create and express
ourselves and don’t let anyone tell you (or the learners) otherwise. Every culture creates
and makes art. Artmaking is not reserved for geniuses or those with special talent. The
joy of the process is accessible to all. Have fun with the artistic part of yourself and it will
shine through to the learners you meet.
• Referring to kids as “artists” reinforces their own belief in their artistic abilities. This
document uses the term “artists” instead of “students”, “kids” or “children”, as much as
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possible. Call the students you are working with “artists” and call yourself one too! Call
the program room “the studio”.
• Be mindful of taking over a child’s art project to show them something or make a
correction on their work. Although the program emphasizes the process of making, our
culture values products and artwork as highly personal expressions of self. The artist,
especially in beginning stages, can be very attached and proud of their artistic product.
Offer to help or show them something on your own example or scrap paper etc..
• Always encourage experimentation beyond first idea. “I’m done!” can be a common
refrain in students who are less inclined to push themselves and explore ideas. Ask
some inquiry questions “What if you tried...” or “If you did it again, what would you
change?” Have extra materials whenever possible so learners are encouraged to ideate
and have multiple attempts.
• Speak aloud about your process as you demonstrate: “I think I will make a moon. The
moon has lots of craters so this tinfoil might make a cool crater etc..”
• Artist’s often sign and date their work. Encourage kids to sign and date their artwork in
keeping with a long artistic tradition, but also to prevent mix-ups and lost masterpieces
later!
• Try it yourself first. This helps you learn the process and materials and develop empathy
with the learner’s process. Where you struggle, they will too.
• How can you plan to make the process of artmaking smoother? Pre-cutting materials,
dividing paint up into trays to allow learners to work in small groups etc.. Preparing
materials in advance leaves more time for artmaking later and more time for you to enjoy
the facilitation process.
• Use children and their families in the clean-up. This teaches respect for the materials
and saves you lots of time. All artists take care of their tools and materials and leave
them in a state where they can easily start the next time.
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Visual Literacy
We live in an increasingly visual culture. From art to photographs to the Internet and social
media, we are surrounded by images as a form of communication. The ability to understand and
interpret these images helps us better understand the complexities of our world.
Visual literacy is defined as not only the ability to understand communications composed of
visual images, but the ability to create and use imagery in ways that advance thinking, decision
making, communication and learning. We become visually literate by expressing our thoughts
and ideas in visual form and by translating and understanding the meaning of visual imagery
from others.
Experiencing contemporary art is a personal experience and it is important to emphasize there

is no wrong way to interpret the artworks. Alberta Learning’s Fine Arts curriculum outlines four
components for responding to art.
Reflection:
Developing the ability to observe and respond to visual imagery: natural forms, designed
objects and art.
In this program, responding to art via observation, questioning and interactive discussions
addresses this component.
Depiction:
Using observations from the visual world to influence the development of personal imagery.
By looking at art in books and in the Library and by drawing on their personal observations and
experiences, artists will create their own original artworks.
Composition:
Organizing the basic elements of design to create a unified artwork.
The art-based activities in this program addresses this component.
Expression:
Using appropriate art materials and media to represent personal ideas and feelings.
Rather than making close-ended “crafts”, artists will make their own original artworks as an
expression of their ideas, thoughts and feelings and as an exploration of materials and
processes; an experiment…
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Supplies
Most program supplies will be provided before the start of the program in two red bins labeled
and sent to each location prior to the program start. One bin contains general art supplies that
are used in almost every activity, to supplement those already in your location. The other
contains supplies that are unique to the activities.
Red bins and their materials will be returned to SDS at the end of the program. You may also
receive a grey bin of “disposables” that do not need to be returned.
Bin #1: General Art Supplies for all Activities
 Child-safe scissors
 White glue, large jug
 Popsicle Sticks
 Black garbage bags (for smocks, if needed)
 Vinyl tablecloth(s),
 Water-based liquid paints, pre-mixed
 Red
 Yellow
 Blue
 Black
 White
 Paintbrushes, small
 Paintbrushes, large
 Make-up applicator sponges (for dabbing paint)
 Foam rollers
 Pencil crayons
 Markers
 Wax crayons
 Oil pastels
 Chalk
 Construction Paper
 White letter paper
 Tissue paper
 Painters Tape
 Masking Tape
 Pencil sharpeners
 Pencils
 Erasers
 Extra containers for paint/glue/water etc..
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Bin #2: Supplies Specific to Individual Activities
 Toy Cars
 Marbles
 Salad spinners
 Squeeze bottles
 Paper plates
 Permanent markers, medium size, black
 Gel medium, to thicken paint
Depending on the activity chosen, there are also some ordinary items that staff should collect
ahead of time or that libraries have indicated that they have on site. These items include:
 Re-usable plastic cups or small glass jars, for paint water

 Tarp or drop cloth (OK to use the Words and Wiggles ones)
 Hand Mirrors (OK to use the Words and Wiggles ones)
 Trays for paint mixing (aluminum foil, ice cream lids etc..)
 Jars, plastic/foam/paper cups to use for water for painting
 Large roll of craft paper (brown or white)
 Dish soap
 Paper towels
 Dice (OK to use from Math Quest)
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Activities
Colour Theory Cars & Car Wash

Colour
Division I
Supplies with Make It Messy Kit Supplies to collect/make
• Water based paint in primary colours (red, • Buckets/bins for washing (1 for every 2-3
yellow and blue) participants)
• Black garbage bags for paint smocks • Dish soap
• Toy cars • Paper towel and/or old towels
• Painters tape • Tarp: this is a wet activity
• Supplementary vehicles from your ELC
• Length of craft paper from roll for “the road”
• Large paint trays (old cookie sheets or
aluminum roasting pans work well) to run
cars through and dip them
Looking at Art
• Magic Colours by Patrick George

(https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/907957095) Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll
Walsh: https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/118625095
o a delightful way to introduce primary and secondary colours
• Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni:
https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/613882095
• Mix it Up by Herve Tullet: https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/957063095
Big Ideas
What is this activity teaching about artmaking?

This activity references abstract expressionism focusing on the properties of the paint and the
random colours and marks that can be made as an expression of the artist’s actions. It also
shows the importance of cleaning artistic tools and materials.
What is this activity teaching about colour?

Primary colours mix to create a new, secondary colour.
Making
Set-Up
• Make smocks out of black garbage bags by cutting holes for head and arms, unless your
location has access to actual smocks. One per child.
• Place tarp on the floor
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• One piece of paper; “the road”. You can tape it on the tarp with Painters tape if it curls
• Paint tray with three primary colours, one per two children
• Toy cars, various sizes
• Extra paper nearby
• Extra paint nearby
Volunteer role
• Assist with making smocks and putting on children. Model by wearing them themselves!
• Assist with set up and clean up
• Assist with helping kids with paint by ensuring they don’t have too much on the wheels.
• Assist with handing out paint trays
• Assist with dispensing extra paint onto trays
• Preparing and refreshing “car wash” bins, as needed
Demonstration
• Let kids know they may get wet and remind them to remove any sweaters etc..
• Put a garbage bag smock on yourself
• Show how to dip/roll the car tires in the paint without dunking the entire car in paint
• Show making tracks with one colour on the paper “road”.
Step-by-step instructions:
1. Invite children to share what they know about colour! What will happen if I run another
colour over top of the tracks I made?
2. Invite them to find a spot at the tarp
3. The volunteer can help hand out paint trays and cars.
4. Invite children to start making tracks. This may also turn into fingerpainting, which is OK!
5. Have a Car Wash station set up near the end of session. Buckets of soapy warm water
with “drying” stations of paper towels next to them. Note: the car wash is just as much
fine and takes up just as much time as the painting. Leave 15-20 minutes for this part!
Sharing
Would anyone like to share about the tracks that they made? What do you notice when tracks of
different colours meet? Did anyone make a colour they weren’t expecting? What colour
changed the most? What happened when you made tracks over tracks of the same colour?
Suggested Resources for Staff

Paint Lab for Kids: https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1028435095
Exemplars of artists’ work

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Painting with Marbles

Form/Line
Division I
Supplies with Make it Messy Kit Supplies to collect/make
• Water based paint • Shallow containers to hold paper (lid of

• Paper plates for paint trays paper boxes, plastic toy tubs, cereal or
• Black garbage bags for paint smocks Kleenex boxes with a side cut out etc..),
(optional): this activity can be messy if one per child
children are young and can’t keep the • Tarp/drop cloth
marbles in the box!
• Sheets of construction and/or letter paper
• Marbles, one per child
Looking at Art
• Ish by Peter H. Reynolds: https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/415304095

• Scribble by Ruth Ohi: https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1054923095
• The Line by Paula Bossio: https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/875476095
• Lines by Sarvinder Naberhaus:
Big Ideas
What is this activity teaching about artmaking?

This activity shows that many different things can be used to draw and make art with.
What is this activity teaching about line?

There are many types of lines (thin, fat, curved, straight etc…) and many ways to make lines,
not always with a standard drawing tool like a pencil.
Making
Set-up
• Make smocks out of black garbage bags, unless your location has access to actual
smocks. One per child
• Place tarp or drop cloth on floor
• One piece of paper, per child
• Paint trays with various colours
• Marbles, one per child
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Volunteer role
• Assist with handing out paint trays
• Assist with dispensing extra paint onto trays
Demonstration
• Show how to drop the marble in the paint and safely place it into the box
• Show how tilting the box side to side, the marble rolls around the box, leaving trails of
paint
1. Place a marble in the paint on the paint tray and then drop into the box lid, onto your
paper
2. Tilt the box side to side to make the marble roll around the paper
3. Continue with however many different colours you’d like
4. Give artists mini-challenges: Can anyone make a spiral? A circle? What about a
straight line? Fat lines? Skinny lines?
Sharing
What can you tell me about the lines you made? What do you notice when lines of different
colours meet? Did anyone make a colour they weren’t expecting? What did you notice about
how much you tilted the box and how the changed what kind of marks you made?

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Folded Paper Monoprints

Shape/Space
Division I
• White letter paper • Containers for water

• Tempera or craft paint in various colours • Containers for paint palette such as
• Paintbrushes disposable plates, ice cream lids for
• Markers, crayons, and/or coloured pencils aluminum trays
• Vinyl tablecloth
Looking at Art
• It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles Green Shaw:

(also available as a flannelgraph)
• Mary Cassatt by Nancy Mowll Mathews:
o Refer to her etchings which are montotypes
Big Ideas
What is unique about this activity in terms of artmaking?
Monoprints are designs that are transferred in a single impression. The artist creates a design
on a surface, covers the design with a piece of paper, and transfers the design in a mirror
image. Mary Cassatt, known for her images of mothers and children, often created monotypes.
What is this activity teaching about Shape/Space?
This activity introduces the idea of symmetry and that some shapes are symmetrical where
others aren’t. The process also creates mirror-image or reflections. Sometimes shapes,
especially those that are organic, remind us of other things. This is because it is human nature
to assign recognizable images to something that is abstract. It Looked Like Spilt Milk illustrates
this for us.
Making
Set - Up
• Make smocks out of black garbage bags, unless your location has access to actual
smocks. One per child
• Place tarp or drop cloth under table
• Cover table with tarp, drop cloth or newspaper
• One piece of paper, one per child
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• Paint palette, one per two children

• Paint available for volunteers to dispense
Volunteer role
• Assist younger children with folding paper
• Assist with handing out paint palettes
• Assist with dispensing paint onto palettes
Demonstration
• Show folding paper in half. Give tips for younger children who may struggle
• Show how much paint to put on paper; not too much or it will bleed through when you
fold. Use the analogy of a jam sandwich or a grilled cheese; when you press the paper
together you don’t want leakage on the outside (no messy sandwiches!)
• Show painting on paper up to, but not over, the crease.
• Show folding and gently pressing and opening by slowly peeling apart the paper. Ask
them to tell you what they notice on the new, “printed” side of the paper.
1. Fold paper in half down the centre and then flatten it open so there is a crease in the
centre
2. Working quickly so the paint does not dry, paint a few marks or shapes on one half of
the paper, meeting the crease. Don’t go over the crease!
3. Fold the paper in half, pressing the blank side to the painted side so the paint
transfers.
4. Open it back up – check your work! What shape was created? What do you notice
about both sides of the paper? (Answer: symmetry)
5. Allow drying and if time, drawing on top of the monoprint. Create a scene! A
creature! A story! What do you see in these abstract forms?
Sharing
What sorts of shapes were created when you pressed the paper together? What do you notice
about the original side you painted on and the side that was printed when you pressed the
paper together? Do you see any shapes made by the negative space? What in nature is
symmetrical? (Reflection in water, butterflies, some birds, leaves, snowflakes etc..)
Suggested Resources
Paint Lab for Kids: https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1028435095

Article on geometric patterns versus organic: http://alittledesignhelp.com/organic-patterns-
geometric-patterns-what-is-the-difference/

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Salad Spinner Splatter Art

Colour
Division I
• Salad spinners • prepare at least three bottles of each paint

• Empty squeeze bottles colour, using the refillable squeeze bottles
• Paint (acrylic craft paint or and paint, diluted with water a bit so it
tempera) in red, yellow and blue, spreads more easily and can blend into
only another colour. Minimum of nine bottles
• Paper plate (one per child) total.
• Pencils • Bins, water and dish soap for clean-up
• Scissors
• Garbage bags for smocks
Looking at Art
• Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh:

o a delightful way to introduce primary and secondary colours
• Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni:
https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/613882095_little_blue_and_little_yellow
• Watch from 18:54-18:11 to watch archival footage of Jackson Pollock doing his infamous
“action painting” using drips and splatters: https://calgarypl.kanopy.com/video/art-lives-
jackson-pollock-0
Big Ideas
Splatter painting is one technique used in the Abstract Expressionist art movement. Splatter
painting is a way to explore colors and the way paint moves. It is random, and the artists have
less control. Abstract expressionist artists, like Jackson Pollock, were interested in the
properties/characteristics of materials and expressing themselves. Jackson Pollock moved fast,
and his paint would move fast. If you spin the spinner faster or slower, the paint will react
differently. If you use a lot of paint or a little, it will respond differently.
What is this activity teaching about colour?
Primary colours mix to create a new, secondary colour.
Making
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Set-Up
• Table for children to stand around; chairs just get in the way!
• Tarp and tablecloths and garbage bag smocks for all.
Volunteer role
• Assist with garbage bag smocks and helping kids put them on. They should model by
wearing them too.
• Assist with set-up and clean-up
• Assist younger children with tracing and cutting the spinner basket on their paper plate
• Assist younger children with spinning and squirting paint (not too much!)
Demonstration
• Show how you wear a garage bag smock to protect your clothes.
• Show how to place the spinner basket on the plate and trace it.
• Show how to squeeze small amounts of the colours on to the plate in the spinner. Give
tips such as: How you distribute your paint on the plate will determine the finished look of
your project. If the paint makes puddles that are too large it will result in big, solid blocks
of colour spread out across the plate. Smaller, random drops of paint all over the plate
will result in fine lines of colour sprayed out to the plate’s edge.
• Show how to put the spinner together and make it spin. Give tips like firmly pressing
down. Invite a volunteer to come up and be your buddy, holding the spinner, so you can
turn it, modeling how the volunteers will work with the children
• Show how the finished product looks when you take off the lid and peel it out.
Step-by-Step:
1. Remove the basket from your salad spinner and place it on top of a paper plate. Trace
around the bottom of the basket and cut out the circle that you traced. This will be your
canvas.
2. Place the basket back into the salad spinner and set your paper plate circle inside, on
the bottom of the basket.
3. Invite kids to squeeze 2 of 3 colours on the plate.
4. Put the spinner back together and spin the salad spinner.
5. Let it slow to a stop, open the lid and gently peel out the paper plate.
6. Continue until every child has made at least one. You can keep making art until the end
of the session.
7. Save 10 minutes for help with clean-up (artist can clean their own materials and ash
spinners in bins with soapy water)
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Sharing
Who can tell me about their artwork? What happened when red and yellow spun together?
What happened when blue and red spun together? Etc..
Inspired by: http://www.cbc.ca/parents/play/view/salad-spinner-art

Famous Splatter Art: http://infomory.com/famous/famous-splatter-paintings/

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Rubbings
Texture
Division I
Supplies with Make it Messy Kit Supplies to collect/ make
• Pastels • Natural things like leaves, bark, burlap,

• Chalk wood--anything with texture (Sensory
• Pencil crayons Starter kits at your location are a great
• Wax crayons source)
• White paper • Low relief materials such as yarn, buttons,
bread ties, beads, bubble wrap, corrugated
cardboard, pipe cleaners, wood, puzzle
pieces
Looking at Art
• Art & Max by David Wiesner https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/672233095

• What color is the Wind by Anne Herbauts
• Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/311198095
Big Ideas
Rubbings are generally used to reproduce surfaces carved or incised by someone other
than the person who makes the rubbing. One of the oldest forms of printmaking – by
rubbing a soft pencil or crayons over a surface and reproducing the raised elements of that
surface you are reproducing an accurate “print” of it.
Rubbings have been used as early photocopies and scans since 2nd century AD!
Rubbings probably originated in East Asia, where they served many utilitarian
purposes. Japanese fishermen, for example, continue the centuries-old practice of using
rubbings to record the size of the various fish that they catch. The earliest known rubbings are
Buddhist texts rubbed from wooden blocks in Japan in the 8th century AD and China as early as
the 2nd century AD. In China, rubbing (t’a-pen) was used to share Confucian texts carved on
large stones. These inscriptions and the rubbings made from them were valued both for their
information and for their calligraphy. Even after prints began to be made from woodcuts and
stone engravings, rubbings remained the most common method of reproducing Confucian texts.
The technique of rubbing began to be practiced in the West at a relatively late date. In the
United States, rubbing is most often used to reproduce reliefs carved on gravestones. In
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Europe it is almost exclusively applied to monumental brasses, engraved memorial brass

sheets mounted into large stone slabs. See also frottage.
Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/art/rubbing
What is this activity teaching about texture?
Rubbings can be a good way to stimulate imagination and find unusual imagery. It also gives
the artist an opportunity to explore detail and textures they would not otherwise be able to
explore or even visually see.
The idea is to develop a range of marks and textures that will get you thinking about the
differences between physically touching objects and trying to draw an equivalent of a sensation
of texture.
Our hands and eyes are profoundly connected, and touch often accompanies the act of looking.
In this exercise, you'll start to explore the connection between touching and drawing. There is
also the opportunity to talk about pattern.
Making
Set - Up
• Table for children to gather around, no chairs required
• One piece of paper, one per child
• Pastels/charcoals in containers for sharing
• Spread out natural/textured material for the children to browse and select
Volunteer role
• Assist younger children with technique of rubbing
Demonstration
• Show how to hold the pastel or charcoal to make a good rub; pressing lightly, but firm
enough to get an impression
1. Put material in front of you on the table and put piece of paper over top.
2. Hold the pastel parallel to the tabletop and rub across the paper with the material
underneath.
3. Once children have tried a couple things on the table, invite them to see if there’s
something in the library that they can rub!
4. Test different mediums such as chalk, oil pastel etc…
Sharing
Did anyone notice a difference when you rubbed hard or gently? What happened when you
moved the paper while you were rubbing? Today, we’ve made impressions of these items. Can
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you think of any other items people could use this technique on? Is there a pattern? What does
that look like? Is there a difference between natural patterns and human made?
Suggested Resources
Inspired by:
https://www.carlemuseum.org/blogs/making-art/homemade-texture-rubbing-plates
Max Ernst - http://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/f/frottage
Photos of artist work
artforelementaryteachers.com
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Planets Collograph
Texture
Division I
• Hot glue gun and glue (optional); for

• White glue facilitators or volunteers to use
• Foam wedges to spread glue • Various found materials. These materials
• String, twine, yarn will be glued onto your paper plate such as
• Scissors raffia, string, yarn, pencil shavings, rice,
• Paper plates (one per child) leaves, small dried flowers, seeds, burlap,
• White paper (2-3 per child) feathers, cotton balls pulled loose, buttons,
• Black paint tin foil, the corrugated part of cardboard,
• Brushes for the paint (1/2" to 1" wide) sandpaper and any other textured
• Clean dry foam rollers materials. Anything will work as long as it is
not more than 1/8" high. If you have
• Gel medium (as needed)
objects that are higher you will have trouble
printing properly.
Looking at Art
• How a discussion about the moon and planets and their texture. Has anyone seen a
close-up image of the moon? What does the moon have on it? What is the weather on
the moon? The temperature? What does the moon feel like? Is it clean? Is it smooth?
What are the other planets? How are they the same/different from the moon?
• Explore NASA’s photographs and telescope videos of planets and the moon:
https://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/index.html
• Moon by Jacqueline Mitton: https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/721776095
• The Planets: Photographs from the Archives of NASA by Nirmala Nataraj:
• The Little Black Fish by Samad Behrangi (illustrations by Farshid Mesghali): not in the
Library’s collection. Originally published in 1968 and re-released in 2016, this artist uses
collagraphs as the background for his illustrations.)
Big Ideas
Collograph (also Collagraph) is a very simple form of printing using found materials that are
arranged in a collage form that results in subtle texture and value. Classic collagraph prints are
made by printing from a plate constructed on either mountboard or very thin plywood. The
texture is built up like a collage, hence the name collagraph, using a variety of mediums and
then the plate is inked and printed using a press. Because the image is printed under pressure
the image is embossed into the paper.
21
Different materials have different textures. Collographs make an impression of textures onto the
paper.
Making
Set-Up
• Table for children to stand around; chairs just get in the way!
• Pour some white glue into trays so that the children can be divided into smaller groups to
share.
• Place enough foam makeup wedges nearby, one per child
• One piece of white paper and one paper plate paper per child to create their collograph
print with
• Various materials to share
Volunteer role
• Assist younger children with holding materials in place as the child manipulates them
and to help them stick as they dry
• Assist younger children with cutting and not using too much glue or paint!
Demonstration
• Show how to trace and cut the white paper.

• Show how to cut, glue and place materials into the composition you want
• Show how to place a small amount of glue on the back of the material and stick it on to
the paper plate (the paper plate acts as the printmaker’s “plate”). Kids will tend to use
way too much glue and paint. Less is more! The materials need to stick well, but also
must dry. Too much glue doesn’t help this.
• Demonstrate the action of dabbing paint with a brush, versus painting large strokes. The
paint should cover the materials glued to the plate, but not be so much that it forms
globs or puddles. You may need to add a small amount of gel medium to the paint to
thicken it.
• Demonstrate how to smooth the paper on the plate and how to press firmly and
smoothly with your hand or a clean, dry foam roller. Apply gentle pressure so that the
texture of the materials is evident on the collograph.
• Show how to gently peel back the paper and reveal areas where the texture came
through because the material pressed onto the paper. Such a fun surprise!
Step-by-Step:
1. Trace the bottom of your paper plate onto white paper and cut it out. Artists should make
at least two circles of paper but may make more if time.
2. Consider the planets and the different textures on planets-dust, craters, smooth, cold
etc… What type of planet would they like to make?
22
3. Invite artists to choose materials and flip the paper plate over. Arrange them on the
underside of the paper plate. Encourage artists to arrange materials first, before gluing.
Don’t place materials on the rim of the plate. Ensure that everything is glued on very
well, but there aren’t too many globs of glue on the surface of the plate. If you are using
white glue, you will need to let it dry completely. If you are using hot glue, you will only
have to wait a minute or so.
4. When they are happy with their design (and it is well glued) they can begin to apply the
paint or ink. They should dab the paint on with a brush. Do not brush it on as you may
damage the collage. Cover the entire surface thoroughly, but don't allow the ink to pool
or become too thick. If this happens you will not have a clear print. Paint dries quicker
than printmaker’s ink, so your artists will probably have to work a bit faster if using paint.
5. You are now ready to print. You can use your hand or a clean, dry foam roller.
a. First lay a piece of test paper on top of your inked design. With even pressure roll
the pin across the backside of the paper. Just make one or two passes but do not
roll the roller back and forth vigorously as this can cause the print to become
blurry. Peel the paper off the design. If it looks muddy, then you probably have
too much ink. It is possible that if you were to immediately do a print using the
good paper you might get the results you are looking for (the test paper having
pulled the excess ink off). You can also try wiping some of the ink off carefully. If
the print is too faint you may have to apply more ink or paint. In this type of
printing you will usually have to apply ink after every print (or every other print).
You will probably not get more than 10 prints off your design as collograph is
fragile. Experiment and try to make an edition. The challenge in the printmaking
process is creating multiple prints that have good registration—it is all part of
the learning, so encourage the artists to keep trying!
Sharing
Who can tell me about their collograph? What happened where there was less paint/ink on your
plate? Who got a surprising texture? Did anyone use name of material? What did it turn out
like?
An artist’s detailed blog post on his collagraph process:

https://www.ebsqart.com/Education/Articles/Printmaking-Pyrography-Scratchboard/11/Live-
Studio-Collagraph/54/
Exemplars of artist work

23
Drip-Drop Painting
Texture
Division I
• Paints • Cardboard, heavy coloured paper, kraft roll

• Paintbrushes or other flat surfaces to use for painting
• Spray bottles • Tarp
• Garbage bag smocks • Various found tools to drip paint, spray,
• Gel medium (if needed) scrape and splatter paint: string, straws,
• Squeeze bottles cups, eye droppers, toothbrushes, small
jugs, old Library cards, plastic cutlery
• Bins of water and soap for washing up after
• Prepare the paint into vessels: paint in
spray bottles may need to be thinned to
spray well; paint can also be thickened to
be spread with
Looking at Art
Abstract Expressionist painting has much to do with the artist's gestures and movement. Look at
a work of art from the MOMA slideshow and invite the students to use their bodies to mimic the
gestures you think the artist made. Look at the lines and brushwork. If you could assign a sound
to the art what would they be? Make those sounds.
MOMA’s slideshow of Abstract Expressionist work

https://education.moma.org/moma/learningresources/cms_page/view/366531
Perception about “what art should look like” is expanded to include concepts of expressionism
and abstract art. Many children will not have spent time looking at abstract art. This activity
allows for that and allows for them to try action painting themselves.
Video footage of Jackson Pollock action painting can be found on Kanopy and You Tube.
Big Ideas
Action painters such as de Kooning, Klein and Pollock used their bodies to make big gestures
and used unconventional paint application and mark making tools, such as palette knives, sticks
and even their bodies, literally. This activity explores mark making without paint brushes and
allows young artists to explore the qualities of paint.

24
Texture and colours can be made in non-traditional unexpected ways as inspired by the action
painters. Even if a two-dimensional artwork doesn’t have a raised texture, the illusion of different
textures can be made because of the technique the artist uses to apply the medium. For
example, charcoal marks that are smudged can read as a fluffy, soft and gentle, like fur, texture
whereas charcoal can also be used to make hard lines which can read as sharp, dense or
tough, like iron.
Making
Set Up
• This is a messy activity! Place a tarp on the floor. Have garbage bag smocks for artists
to wear. Set up outside if you can.
• Avoid tables and instead work on the wall and floor.
• If spraying on paper hung on the wall, it is recommended to hang a tarp or vinyl
tablecloth on the wall first and hang the paper onto that (to protect the wall from
splatters)
• Place paint in various vessels. Avoid using a lot (you can always refill if needed) to
encourage the artists to be mindful about the way they paint.
• With lots of kids or a large space, it is fun to have stations: the spray bottles, the
squeeze bottles, painting with old Library cards etc..
Volunteer Role
• Model painting in a controlled way

Demonstration
• Although they will be painting without paintbrushes, model how to have controlled
actions (ie: this doesn’t have to be a wild, haphazard throwing of loads of paint to be fun)
• Demonstrate how to use the squeeze bottles, a string dipped in paint, the spray bottles
etc..
Step-by-Step:
1. Set the room up in preparation of mess (see above.)

2. Warn everyone that the activity can be messy and no article of clothing, including shoes,
is safe. The paint is water washable. You will clean-up after. They may wish to paint
barefoot.
3. The sky is the limit with what can be done, but me mindful of the energy in the room as it
can quickly turn to a paint fight or free for all, rather than experimenting with tools and
materials.
4. You can always stop early and invite the artists to use crayons to draw on top of the
paintings, as a background.
Sharing
25
What was most challenging about painting without paintbrushes? What was the best part? What
can you tell by looking at the painting about the tools and actions used to make it? Where is the
evidence of the spray bottle/scraper/string etc..?
Suggested Resources
Inspired by Paint Lab for Kids by Stephanie Corfee:

Photos of student work
Source: http://www.paper-and-glue.com/2016/04/squirt-drip-pour-process-art-painting.html
26
Stained Glass without Glass

Colour and Pattern
Division I
• White paper • Prepare tissue paper by cutting or ripping

• Black permanent markers into strips and small squares (if you don’t
• Tissue paper (multiple colours) have time, volunteers and kids can help
• Paintbrushes during the program).
• Pencils • Containers to hold small tissue paper
• Scissors (if needed) squares and strips
• Containers for water
• Rulers (use from Math Quest)
Looking at Art
• Elmer by David McKee: https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/992869095

• Elmer and the Rainbow by David McKee:
(Elmer is a delightful patchwork elephant of many colours who looks like stained glass himself. The
relationships between the patterns of colour in this book might inspire some stained glass artwork).
• Bees, Snails and Peacock Tails: Patterns & Shapes Naturally by Betsey Fraser:
(Patters in the natural world require careful looking)
• Patterns in Nature: Why the World Looks the Way it Does by Philip Ball:
Two 20th century, not overtly religious and beautifully patterned examples of stained glass that
would be fun to show are Henri Matisse’s Chapel of the Rosary (1948–52) in Vence
and Fernand Léger’s windows for the Sacré-Coeur (1950–52) in Audincourt.
Big Ideas
Stained glass is considered a form of painting, painting with light, that began over 1,000 years
ago and is still essentially made the same way today. Coloured sections of glass are fused and
held together with metal strips of lead. The leading itself becomes a design element and can be
used to create shapes and pattern in the work. This activity uses some of the design elements
of stained glass, such as dividing sections of colour and pattern with thick lines (“leading”) and
by introducing translucency.
Stained glass is traditionally representational. It acts as and both a source of light in the church
and a reminder, especially for illiterate people, of the stories of the Church. 20th century
27
explorations of stained glass mirror art historical movements and can be abstract and
decorative.
What is this activity teaching about colour and pattern?
Pattern is constructed by repeating an element of an artwork to communicate a sense of

balance, harmony, contrast, rhythm or movement. Both natural and man-made patterns can be
regular or irregular, organic or geometric, structural or decorative, positive or negative and
repeating or random.
Stained glass is an art form that balances the use of pattern, line, colour and shape to create
the final piece.
Making
Set Up
• Children can share cups of water and tissue paper pieces
• Pour water into cups
• Pre-cut/rip tissue paper of various colours into small pieces.
Volunteer Role
• Assist with preparing tissue paper
• Assist with holding a ruler and helping to lend a steady hand to drawing lines with
markers.
Demonstration
•
• Show how to cut your paper into a windowpane shape, as large as possible (minimal
paper waste). Explain that a different window shape is optional-the rectangular paper is
fine.
• Show how to create pattern and shape within your large “window pane” using your black
marker
• Show how to brush enough, but not too much water onto the paper
• Show how to apply the tissue paper onto the wet paper and add more water on top
• When dry show how to remove the tissue to reveal the colour that bled through.
Step-by-Step
1. After discussing stained glass windows and looking at a few examples for inspiration,
invite students to consider their paper as their windowpane. They may wish to cut it into
a circle, oval, or even Gothic-inspired lancet shape or just leave it rectangular. It should,
however, stay as large as possible.
2. Draw a border with the black permanent marker all around the outdoor edge of the pane
to frame it.
3. Within their pane/frame, invite the students to use the marker to divide the frame into
sections/shapes just like the leading on a stained glass window. See example of
sections in the heart drawings below. They may wish to use a ruler and may wish to use
pencil first to sketch out their design and draw overtop with marker. Help from more
steady hands may be needed here, especially for kids with a detailed plan!
28
4. Use the black marker to draw patterns within each section inspired by the art you looked
at and by nature. Artists may also wish to draw representational imagery like traditional
stain glassed windows featuring people, animals and nature (constellations, flora, fauna
etc..)
5. Use a paintbrush dipped in water to lightly wet the drawing, a small section at a time.
Start to lay tissue paper on top of the wet paper section to fill in the “window”. Apply a
thin wash of water on top of the tissue paper too. Continue in sections until you have
applied coloured tissue to the entire window. Let dry. This should only take a few
minutes.
6. Gently peel off the tissue, or it may fall off. Notice the translucent colour left behind from
the tissue paper!
7. Hang the stained glass art pieces in a window s the light shines through them even
more.
8. If extra time, students may choose to make a representational window that tells a story,
as many do, or a purely decorative piece. They may choose to experiment with creating
patterns in how they lay down the colored tissue, not just by what they draw with the
marker. Ie: blue, yellow, blue, yellow in a checkerboard pattern like Elmer the Elephant.
Sharing
What did you notice when two or three colours bled together? What types of patterns worked
best for a stained glass window? Did you try geometric or natural patterns? What inspired your
window? How might stained glass have helped to communicate to people during the medieval
era? Is stained glass still used today? Does it have the same purpose?
Suggested Resources
Inspired by: https://cassiestephens.blogspot.ca/2018/02/in-art-room-romero-britto-inspired.html

Books for Children about Pattern: http://www.printmag.com/design-inspiration/best-books-for-
children/
Pattern (natural and human made) and art historical examples:
http://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/visual-elements/pattern.html
Stained glass history and technique: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-
world/gothic1/a/stained-glass-history-and-technique

29
30
Continuous Musical Scribbles

Form/Line
Division I
• Markers • Computer with speakers loud enough to

• Pencil Crayons or wax crayons play above excited kids
• 3-5 pieces of paper per child • Music – make a playlist or play from
internet radio
• clipboards
Looking at Art

• Not A Stick or Not A Box, both by Antoinette Portis
• What do you do with an Idea? by Kobi Yamada
• The Line by Paula Bossio https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/875476095
• Frank Serafini “Looking Closely…” series
https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/v2/search?query=Serafini%2C+Frank&searchType=
author
• Inkblot: Drip, Splat, and Squish your way to Creativity by Margaret Peot
• Doodling with Jim Henson: More than 50 fun and fanciful exercises to inspire the doodler
in you! https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1046811095
• Look at Picasso’s contour drawings in Picasso’s One Liners by Pablo Picasso
(https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/226036095)
Big Ideas
The line is so fundamental to the arts, that a common exercise for art students is continuous
line drawing- a form using one single line, never letting the drawing utensil leave the page. It's
important to remember that line art isn't only about painting and drawing. Lines can be visually
formed in many ways. For instance, sculptors bending materials into different shapes or
photographers creating implied lines via the angle of their camera.
Automatic drawing was developed by the surrealists. The hand can move randomly across the
paper without thinking about it. This allows for chance and accident to the drawing.
31
Moving from the more articulated, classical drawings he produced early in his career, Pablo
Picasso stripped down his work to produce a wealth of clean, simple contour drawings. Using a
single, continuous line, he's still able to express power in his work. In fact, these contour
drawings have become some of his most iconic images. https://mymodernmet.com/line-art-
history/
What is this activity teaching about line?
Lines can be a great way to describe a form, but also emotions, speed etc.. Continuous line
drawing puts a small restraint on the artist, they can’t lift the pen off the paper, and generally
results in more interesting lines and shapes.
Making
Set Up
• Tables should be set up in a circular type fashion, no chairs required

• One piece of paper per child (extras can be set aside and available)
• One marker per child
• Basket with pencil crayons or wax crayons at a few different points on the table
Volunteer Role
• Assist with Set up and clean up

• Assist with pausing and playing music
• Assist with passing of the paper (general direction)
Demonstration
• What does it mean to do one continuous line…demonstrate that they will not be lifting
the felt from the paper no matter how tempted they are! Make sure you play at least two
short musical experts, of completely different tempos, so you can show how to do this to
the tempo of the music
• Demonstrate that when the paper is passed, and they can add anything they would like
to the initial scribble with crayons/pencil crayons.
Step-by-Step
1. Each child gets a paper and a marker.

2. Press play on songs on a playlist with songs of various tempos.
3. As the song plays, they are to draw/scribble on the paper attached to a clipboard that is
being passed around. They scribble to the tempo of the music. They cannot lift the
marker off the paper! One continuous line.
4. When the music is paused, ask them to pass their paper to the right. On the new
drawing, add a drawn element to the scribbles (symbols, shading, eyes etc…—turn your
buddy’s scribble into something!)
32
5. Continue with a new piece of paper, playing a new song with a different tempo. Do 3-5
rounds.
Taking it further:
6. Allow 5-10 minutes to draw randomly responding to a few excerpts of music at different
tempos. Remind them to keep the line continuous.
7. What do you see? Develop the scribbles into a creature/animal/car/house/landscape
Sharing
• Display all the art work so everyone has an opportunity to see it. Simply sitting in a circle
with your drawing on the floor in front of you facing in, is a great way to do this.
• Allow a few minutes so they can see the work.
• Facilitate a discussion by asking open-ended questions like: Is there anything that is
common in all the artwork? Do you think the music had anything to do with how different
or how common the artwork looks? Would you do anything different?
• What do you see in the initial continual line drawing? Is it different then what you might
see now? What do you see?
Suggested Resources for Facilitator
• Alex May’s “musical prompts for movement” videos on You Tube have great clips of
music designed to get kids moving. Play them as audio:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFAE3d_k7TH13adr6TclJ4g
Source: Art with Mrs Smith

Source: Green Owl Art
33
Mixed up Monster
Shape/Space
Division I
• On sheet of paper per participant, with • Dice (enough dice for each participant or
large shape already drawn on it in thick small group. Borrow from Math Quest cart)
black permanent marker (circles, squares, • Prepare paper by drawing various shapes
ovals, blobs, etc). with black permanent marker. One shape
• Coloured pencil crayons, wax crayons and/ per paper, one paper per child. Make the
or markers shape large enough for a child to draw
• Black Permanent marker within but be sure to include enough
negative space all around for the child to
add onto the shape.
Workshop inspired by Art Workshops for Children by Hervé Tullet (p. 20-22). Sometimes it can
be intimidating to “design a character”. This drawing game helps young artists shed their
inhibitions by creating unexpected combinations and achieving amazing results.
Looking at Art
• I Want a Monster by Elise Gravel

• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
• Frankencrayon by Michael Hall
• Mind Your Monsters by Catherine Bailey
• The Mixed up Chameleon - Eric Carle
• Spike: The Mixed up Monster - Susan Hook
• Let’s Play! Henre Tullet https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1059251095
• What’s Your Favorite Animal? Eric Carle
Big Ideas

34
Mixed-Up Monsters is a play on the idea of exquisite corpse or collective drawing. Exquisite
corpse is a collection of words or images that is collectively assembled by different artists and
authors in one sitting. Most commonly, artists would create a creature using blank folded paper
in an accordion. One would draw the head and then pass to the next artist. When unfolded the
whole drawing is revealed. Exquisite Corpse were originally published in a 1927 issue of the
Surrealist Journal, La revolution Surrealiste, this type of art became a popular parlor game and
demonstrates how collaboration reveals new ideas and inspirations. Some well-known
Surrealist artists are Joan Miro, André Breton, and Marcel Duchamp.
What is this activity teaching about shape/space?
Spatial understandings are necessary for interpreting, understanding, and appreciating our
inherently geometric world. Insights and intuitions about two- and three-dimensional shapes and
their characteristics, the interrelationships of shapes, and the effects of changes to shapes are
important aspects of spatial sense.
Making
Set Up
• Prepare each paper with a shape as described above
• Ensure children can sit near each other to share materials and dice, if needed, and to
pass their drawings if working collaboratively.
Volunteer Role
• Assist with set-up and clean-up including drawing shapes on paper

• Offer suggestions for monster parts to eh group.
Demonstration
• Show how to toss the die close to you (not across the room or straight up in the air!)
• Ask the group to read the number on the die to you. For children unfamiliar with dice,
they may need help understanding that they read the number facing up and must count
the dots.
• Demonstrate how to draw three horns, as an example, using the shape provided by your
paper as a foundation for your monster.
Step-by-Step:
1. Each artist is seated at tables or on the floor with a piece of prepared paper and drawing
materials. If you have a large group they can sit in a circle as smaller groups, each with
a die. Otherwise each artist can get their own dice.
Throw your dice once! The number you throw is the number of eyes you’re going to draw in your
shape.
2. To make the experience collaborative, have the children swap their pictures at each
throw of the dice. They may prefer to keep their own drawings (younger children may be
especially attached). Take a vote!
35
3. Each throw of the dice will represent the number of a body part they will be adding to
their drawing. Get creative by getting suggestions from the children (teeth, warts,
freckles, tentacles, etc). Give the children enough time to draw between each dice throw.
4. Continue the process by saying:
Throw your dice a second time! Now you’re going to draw that many mouths.
Throw it again! This time, it’s for the number of horns.
Now let’s throw for how many arms you’re going to draw.
And this time it’s for the legs!
Ready? Shall we throw again for the ears?
To finish off, let’s throw the dice again for the hair. If you roll: 1-2 = a bit of hair, 3-4 =
normal amount of hair, 5-6 = a whole lot of hair.
5. Now, keep the drawing going. Encourage children to add a background, give their
characters a name, decorate it with different textures and add lots of colour! Ask open-
ended questions like: Where is it? Who are its family and friends? Where does it live?
How does it travel around?
If you have extra time
Play Exquisite Corpse the traditional way.
1. A piece of paper is folded into the same number of sections as there are participants.
2. The paper is unfolded and given to the first player, who draws in the first space,
spontaneously, leaving slight traces of lines extending into the next section. The player
then folds the paper over to hide what he or she drew.
3. Each player continues the drawings in their successive section, taking cues from the bits
of lines that their predecessor left visible.
4. When the last player has finished, the sheet is opened to reveal the full drawings.
Sharing
Provide time for everyone to share and look at each other’s work. Facilitate a discussion by
asking open-ended questions like: Can you tell me about your drawing? What kind of food does
it like to eat? What did it feel like to have the dice tell you what to draw? Was it freeing? Did you
feel confined/stuck? How did you feel about drawing collaboratively or having someone draw on
your drawing? What was it like to draw or write without seeing the other sections? Are you
pleased with the results? How do you think your drawings would have differed if you’d had a
chance to view the previous contributions?
Suggested Resources
• Exquisite Corpse: https://www.education.com/activity/article/exquisite-corpse/

36
• Surrealism, Automatism and Dreams:

https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/themes/surrealism/tapping-the-
subconscious-automatism-and-dreams
• Tullet, Herve (2015). Art Workshops for Children. NY: Phaidon
Source: http://www.inthisplayground.com/portfolio/the-exquisite-corpse/
37
Body Shapes (Collaborative Drawing)

Shapes, Line
Division I
Supplies with Make it Messy Kit Supplies to collect
• Paintbrushes (optional) • Roll of brown craft paper or other long

• Tempera paint (optional) sheets of paper
• Markers and crayons/other colouring tools • Tarp
• Painters tape
Looking at Art

• Not A Stick or Not A Box, both by Antoinette Portis
• What do you do with an Idea? by Kobi Yamada
• The Line by Paula Bossio https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/875476095
• Frank Serafini “Looking Closely…” series
https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/v2/search?query=Serafini%2C+Frank&searchType=
author
• Inkblot: Drip, Splat, and Squish your way to Creativity by Margaret Peot
• Look at Picasso’s contour drawings in Picasso’s One Liners by Pablo Picasso
(https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/226036095)
Big Ideas
The line is so fundamental to the arts, that a common exercise for art students is continuous
line drawing- a form using one single line, never letting the drawing utensil leave the page. It's
important to remember that line art isn't only about painting and drawing. Lines can be visually
formed in many ways. For instance, sculptors bending materials into different shapes or
photographers creating implied lines via the angle of their camera.
Automatic drawing was developed by the surrealists. The hand can move randomly across the
paper without thinking about it. This allows for chance and accident to the drawing.
38
Moving from the more articulated, classical drawings he produced early in his career, Pablo
Picasso stripped down his work to produce a wealth of clean, simple contour drawings. Using a
single, continuous line, he's still able to express power in his work. In fact, these contour
drawings have become some of his most iconic images. - https://mymodernmet.com/line-art-
history/
What is this activity teaching about line and shape?
Lines can be a great way to describe a form, but also emotions, speed etc.. Continuous line
drawing puts a small restraint on the artist, they can’t lift the pen off the paper, and generally
results in more interesting lines and shapes. Shapes are formed when a line closes and this
activity provides opportunity to find a lot of shapes, most that are organic, rather than
geometric such as the polygons of math class (triangles, squares etc..)
Making
Set-Up
• Lay tarp on floor.
• If you wish to use paint, help students prepare palettes with what they like.
• Prepare cups of water.
Volunteer role:
• Tracing students with marker on the paper
• Being traced by students on the paper
Demonstration
Step-by-Step
1. Get kids to help roll out the paper into strips on the floor, taping them in place to create a
huge piece of paper. Strips of paper can be right up against each other, as in the
exemplar photos, or spread apart if you have the room.
2. Invite them to work in pairs or with a volunteer to trace everyone’s bodies on the paper.
Experiment with different positions. Spread hair out. Stretch fingers, Place the limbs in
various configurations.
3. The tracing will be continuous line drawing—try not to lift the marker off the paper.
4. Be sure to overlap the tracings. How do the overlapping lines create new shapes? What
shapes can you find?
5. Now look for shapes in the places where the lines intersect and close and invite the
artists to colour/paint them in. They may wish to add patterns.
Sharing
What was it like to draw without lifting your marker off the paper? What surprised you about the
drawings? What made the drawings more interesting?
39

40
Glossary
Abstract Expressionism
Action Painting
Collograph (also Collagraph) is a very simple form of printing using found materials that are
arranged in a collage form that results in subtle texture and value. Classic collagraph prints are
made by printing from a plate constructed on either mountboard or very thin plywood. The
texture is built up like a collage, hence the name collagraph, using a variety of mediums and
then the plate is inked and printed using a press. Because the image is printed under pressure
the image is embossed into the paper.
Colour
Composition
Decorative
Edition (of prints)
Exquisite Corpse
Form
Frottage
Geometric shapes
Lancet
Leading (in stained glass)
Line
Mirror-Image
Monochromatic: A monochrome or monochromatic painting is one created using only one
color or hue. Artists famed for their monochrome paintings include Yves Klein (who used a
special blue he created, called International Klein Blue, IKB), Ed Reinhardt (who used black),
and John Virtue (white acrylic paint and black ink).
Negative Space
Organic
Organic shapes
Pattern
Polygons
Positive Space
Primary colours
Printmaking: In fine art printmaking, the artist chooses a surface to be a printing plate—foam,
metal, wood, cardboard, stone, or linoleum, for example. The artist prepares the plate by
cutting, etching, carving, or drawing a design into the plate. The artist then applies ink or paint to
the printing plate, presses paper onto the plate (by hand or a printing press), and pulls the paper
with its transferred image from the plate. The artist can create multiple impressions by re-inking
the plate and printing new pieces of paper in the same way. In fine art printing, each impression
is numbered and signed by the artist. There are five principal printmaking techniques: intaglio,
lithography, monotypes, relief and screen printing. Each technique produces a distinct
appearance; most require professional printing materials and machines.
Register (a print): In printmaking processes requiring more than one application of ink or other
medium, the problem exists as to how to line up properly areas of an image to receive ink in
each application. The most obvious example of this would be a multi-color image in which each
color is applied in a separate step. The lining up of the results of each step in a multistep
printmaking process is called "registration."
Representational
Secondary Colours
Shape
41
Surrealists
Symmetry
Texture
Texture: An element of art, texture is the surface quality or "feel" of an object, its smoothness,
roughness, softness, etc. Textures may be actual or simulated. Actual textures can be felt with
the fingers, while simulated textures are suggested by an artist in the painting of different areas
of a picture — often in representing drapery, metals, rocks, hair, etc. Words describing textures
include: flat, smooth, shiny, glossy, glittery, velvety, feathery, soft, wet, gooey, furry, sandy,
leathery crackled, prickly, abrasive, rough, furry, bumpy, corrugated, puffy, rusty and slimy
Value Scale: A gray scale, a series of spaces filled with the tints and shades of one color,
starting with white or the lightest tint on one end, and gradually changing into the darkest shade
or black on the other.
Value: An element of art that refers to luminance or luminosity — the lightness or darkness of a
color. This is important in any polychromatic image, but it can be more apparent when an image
is monochromatic, as in many drawings, woodcuts, lithographs, and photographs.
Art and Inquiry
We tend to look very quickly at art and objects leaving little time for contemplation and
reflection. Asking thoughtful questions that guide artists in finding the answers for themselves
creates a meaningful relationship to the art, object or concept at hand and helps us slow down
and look deeply.
Each person sees objects differently due to their previous experiences in life. By encouraging
artists to share what they know, sense, and feel about an artwork, our experience is further
enhanced. Inquiry uses artists’ natural curiosity to develop a learning experience with the art or
object. Examples of questions could be:
1. Description - What do you see?

Describe the lines, shapes, colours, textures, objects, people, nature, etc.
What materials did the artist use?
How has the artist used the medium?
2. Analysis - How is everything put together?

Where is your eye drawn to in this image?
How did the artist make the image balanced?
How does the artist show movement?
Is anything repeated?
How does the artist show space in the image?
3. Examination – What is the painting about?

If you were inside this artwork, what sounds would you hear, what could you smell, what
textures could you feel, and what could you taste?
How does this artwork make you feel?
Does it remind you of anything?
What kind of mood do you get from the artwork?
4. Conclusion – What do you think?

Do you think this is a good work of art? Why?
42
What do you like most? What would you change?
Suggested Inquiry Question Prompts
Engage
Useful for when artists are discovering a subject, observing, listening to a Storytime or checking
out an eResource, formulating questions and making a hypothesis or prediction
∙ Have you heard …? Have you seen …? Have you ever thought …? ∙ What if … then …? ∙
What did you observe…? ∙ What is…? Where is …? ∙ When did ____ happen? ∙ What do you
see? What makes you say that?
Explore
Useful questions to ask while artists are making
• How is _______ related to what you did before? • What questions do you have…? • Can you
identify the different parts . . . ? • is fixed here, and what can we change? • How would you
control …? • How would you change …? • What have you decided to investigate? • What is the
same and what is different here? • What would happen if you changed this... to this…? • What
mistakes have you made in…? • What would you try differently next time? • Can you suggest a
different way of doing this? • What are you inspired by?
Explain
Useful to encourage artists to discuss their discoveries, observations and their process.
• How would you classify the type of…? • How would you compare…? Or contrast…? • How
would you categorize . . . ? • What evidence did you find…? • What conclusions can you
draw…? • What is the relationship between…? • Why did you choose…? • How did you
determine…? • What choice would you have made…? • What information would you use to
support the view…? • In what way does your work/process compare to…?
Extend/Apply
Useful prompts for helping artists communicate their ideas and reflect on their artistic process
How would you solve ___ using what you’ve learned…? • How would you apply what you
learned to develop…? • What other way would you plan to…? • What would result if…? • What
elements would you use to change…? • What changes would you make to solve…? • How
would you improve…? • How would you adapt ____________ to create a different…? • What
way would you design…? • Suppose you could _____what would you do…? • Can you predict
the outcome if…?
Adapted from Coaching Science Inquiry (CSI) “Questioning Activity” handout

http://r2ed.unl.edu/CSI/
43
Resources
Support documents for Make it Messy: Art can be found on the Programs and Services
wiki on Insight:
Make It Messy Art Program Plan Ages 6-9

Guidelines for Classroom Management
Tips for Working with Youth Volunteer
Great resources to learn more about art elements and artmaking with kids (or for
yourself!):
Drawing from the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards:

Elizabeth Gilbert’s TEDTalk on artistic genius:

https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius
Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All by Tom Kelley:
How to Be An Explorer of the World by Keri Smith:

http://www.kerismith.com/
Dowd Lambert, Megan (2015). Reading Picture Books With Children: How to Shake Up
Storytime and Get Kids Talking About What They See. Charlesbridge: Watertown, MA
Eisner, Elliot (2002). The Arts and the Creation of Mind. New Haven and London: Tale
University Press
Eisner, Elliot W. (2002) 'What can education learn from the arts about the practice of
education?', the encyclopedia of informal education,
www.infed.org/biblio/eisner_arts_and_the_practice_or_education.htm
Elements of Art Booklist: https://www.kitchentableclassroom.com/childrens-books-about-art-

elements/
Children’s Illustrators who are printmakers: http://picturebookden.blogspot.ca/2017/05/looking-

at-illustration-traditional.html
Looking at And Talking About Art with Kids by Craig Roland Ed.D.:
http://www.artjunction.org/archives/looking@art.pdf
Pecaski McLennan, Deanna M. (2010) Process or Product? The Argument for Aesthetic
Exploration in the Early Years Early Childhood Education Journal, 38:81-85
44
Why do Some Teachers Avoid Offering Open-Ended Art Activities for Children? By Chris
Mulcahey Szyba: http://webshare.northseattle.edu/fam180/topics/art/teachersresist.mlp.htm
Inquiry Question Prompts:

o http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/CBS_AskingEff
ectiveQuestions.pdf
o http://www.learningnetwork.ac.nz/shared/professionalReading/KATMUR20143.p
df
Text Sets:
o https://edexcellence.net/articles/what-are-text-sets-and-why-use-them-in-the-
classroom
o http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson305/creating.
pdf
Thinking Routines for reflection and to check for understanding:

http://www.visiblethinkingpz.org/VisibleThinking_html_files/03_ThinkingRoutines/03d_Understan
dingRoutines.html
Tips for facilitating small group work:

o https://www.melbournechildpsychology.com.au/blog/facilitate-group-work-
classroom/
o http://www.nevadaadulteducation.org/nvrb/SmallGroupTeaching.pdf
Visual Thinking Strategies

o Course on how to use VTS with children through Lynda.com:
https://www.lynda.com/Education-K-12-Education-tutorials/Preview-Visual-
Thinking-Strategies/181465/191575-4.html
o https://vtshome.org/
Alberta Elementary Art Curriculum: https://education.alberta.ca/media/482114/elemart.pdf
Contact Information for Make It Messy Art:
Materials: Carol Schwartz-Kapuscinski, SDS, Carol.Schwartz-Kapuscinski@calgarylibrary.ca

Content: Kate Schutz, Service Design Lead kate.schutz@calgarylibrary.ca
School Age Advisory: M-List CPL School Age Advisory Group
With special thanks to the

Make It Messy Arts Committee: Heather Heikkinen, Jenn Tattrie and Suzen Statz
Please send any images of kids participating in your program, or the artwork they make, to Kate
Schutz to add to this document for future reference.
Thanks!
45
Appendix A: Looking at Art: An Introduction
Looking at art can be a scary, sometimes intimidating undertaking, especially if this is your first
time looking at an original work of art! Art helps us to be more thoughtful and conscious of who
we are and helps us builds connections to our world. In this activity, the viewer will be
introduced to the vocabulary of art, lines, shapes and colours and begin developing an
appreciation of art. Artwork can be viewed in an exhibition, but also in a book, magazine, online
and on the street.
Why look at art?

We live in an increasingly visual culture. From art to television, to the emergence of the Internet,
we are surrounded by images as a form of communication. The ability to understand and
interpret these images helps us better understand the complexities of our world.
Visual literacy is defined as not only the ability to understand communications composed of
visual images, but also the ability to create and use imagery in ways that advance thinking,
decision-making, communication and learning. We become visually literate by expressing our
thoughts and ideas in visual form and also by translating and understanding the meaning of
visual imagery from others.
The below activities are from Project Zero, an educational research group at the Graduate
School of Education at Harvard University. Project Zero’s mission is to understand and enhance
learning, thinking, and creativity in the arts, as well as humanistic and scientific disciplines, at
the individual and institutional levels. It is important to keep in mind that experiencing
contemporary art is a personal experience and it is important to emphasize there is no wrong
way to interpret the artworks.
Thinking Routines
Thinking routines are simple structures, for example a set of questions or a short sequence of
steps, which can be used across various grade levels and content. What makes them routines,
rather than mere strategies, is that they get used over and over again. The routines become the
way in which a person goes about learning. Routines are patterns of action that can be
integrated and used in a variety of contexts. Using the exhibit and the following thinking routines
explore two aspects of art: the medium and the message.
Line. Shape. Color: A Routine for Exploring the Formal Qualities of Art
Take a minute to look at the artwork. Let your eyes wander over it freely. What do you see?
Take a few observations and then move on to the next step.
Observe and describe the colors, shapes, and lines in detail. Make 3 columns:
Colours Lines Shapes
What colours do you see? What lines do you see? What shapes do you see?
Describe them. Describe them. Describe them.
46
Choose a color, shape, or line that you listed. How does it contribute to the artwork overall?
(How does it help the artwork “work?”)?
Consider:
How does it contribute to how the artwork feels? How does it contribute to the mood of the
artwork? How does it contribute to how the artwork looks?
How does it contribute to the story the artwork tells? How does it contribute to the ideas in the
artwork?
Do this with at least two elements. They can be chosen from any column.
What do you see now that you didn’t see before?
Creative Questions: A Thinking Routine for Asking & Transforming Questions
Select an artwork or object and brainstorm a list of questions about it. Create at least 10
questions.
Select two questions that you would like to explore further. Transform the questions that
challenge the imagination using phrases such as:
What would it be like if...

How would it be different if...
Suppose that...
What would change if...
How would it look differently if...
Choose a question to imaginatively explore. Explore it by imaginatively playing out its

possibilities. Do this by: Writing a story or essay, drawing a picture, creating a play or dialogue,
inventing a scenario, conducting an imaginary interview, conducting a thought experiment
Reflect: What new ideas do you have about the topic, concept or object that
you didn’t have before?
See. Think. Wonder: A Thinking Routine for Exploring Works of Art and Other
Interesting Things
What do you see?
What do you think about that?
What does it make you wonder?
Using the above questions as a guide, ask artists to observe an artwork. Follow up with what
they think might be going on or what they think this observation might be. Encourage artists to
back up their interpretation with reasons. Ask artists to think about what this makes them
wonder about the object or topic.
The routine works best when a artist responds by using the three stems together at the same
time, i.e., “I see..., I think..., I wonder....” However, you may find that artists begin by using one
stem at a time, and that you need to scaffold each response with a follow up question for the
next stem.
The routine works well in a group discussion but in some cases you may want to ask artists to
try the routine individually on paper or in their heads before sharing out as a class. Artist
responses to the routine can be written down and recorded so that a class chart of
observations, interpretations and wonderings are listed for all to see and return to during the
course of study.
47
Claim, Support, Question: A Reasoning Routine

1. Make a claim about the artwork---- Claim: An explanation or interpretation of some
aspect of the artwork.
2. Identify support your claim----Support: Things you see, feel and know that support your
claim.
3. Ask a question related to your claim---Question: What is left hanging? What isn’t
explained?
The routine can work well for individuals, in small groups and for whole group discussions.
Begin by modeling the routine: Identify a claim and explore support and questions in a whole
group discussion. On the board make one column for SUPPORT and one column for
QUESTIONS. Ask the class for evidence that either supports a claim or questions the claim and
write it in the appropriate column. Take turns using the routine so that each artist makes a claim,
identifies support and asks a question.
Following each person’s report, take a moment as a group to discuss the topic in relation to the
claim before moving on to the next person. Be patient as artists take a few moments to think.
You may need to probe further by asking: What are some other questions you might want to ask
about this statement? or Can you think of reasons why this may be true? Encourage friendly
disagreement—once an artist comes up with an alternative perspective about a claim,
encourage other artists to follow. The questions can challenge the plausibility of the claim, and
often lead to a deeper understanding of the reasoning process. Let artists know it is fine to
disagree with one another’s reasons and encourage them to come up with creative suggestions
for support and questioning.
After everyone has had a turn, reflect on the activity. What new thoughts do artists have about
the topic?
I Used to Think…But Now I Think: A Routine for Reflecting on How and Why Our
Thinking Has Changed
Reflect on the other thinking routines you have done and your careful observation of the work in
the exhibit. Write a response to the following sentence stems:
I used to think…
But, now I think….
Explain to artists that the purpose of this activity is to help them reflect on their thinking
about the topic and to identify how their ideas have changed over time. For instance:
When we began this study of this artwork, you all had some initial ideas about it and what it was
all about. In just a few sentences, I want to write what it is that you used to think about
_________. Take a minute to think back and then write down your response to “I used to
think…”
Now, I want you to think about how your ideas about __________ have changed as a result of
what we’ve been studying/doing/discussing. Again, in just a few sentences write down what you
now think about ___________. Start your sentences with, “But now, I think…”
48
Have artists share and explain their shifts in thinking. Initially it is good to do this as a whole
group so that you can probe artists’ thinking and push them to explain. Once artists become
accustomed to explaining their thinking, artists can share with one another in small groups or
pairs.
49
Appendix B: The Ten Lesson the Arts Teach by Elliot Eisner

50
Appendix C: Gallery Games
The Gallery Games can be used as a framework for viewing artworks, whether reproduced in
books, online or viewed in person in a Library artwork.
Shape Detective
Isolate and draw specific shapes from the artworks on small cards. Artists can work alone or in
pairs to find their shapes. For younger children, this activity can be done in a large group and
the shapes to be found can be simple geometric and organic shapes.
Line Hunt
Isolate and draw specific lines from the artwork on small cards. Artists can work alone or in
pairs. Ask a volunteer to act out his or her line and the rest of the group tries to figure out which
line is being represented.
Painting in Action
An “artist” (one of the artists) arranges the other artists to become the artwork. Artists must
become lines, shapes, colours, as well as objects in the work like rocks, trees, buildings and
figures. This is a great activity to learn about space in a painting – foreground, middle-ground
and background.
ArtWord
Write descriptive works on small cards, one word on each. Have artists choose one card. They
then must find the artwork that best suits their word. Artists must explain their choice.
Sample Words:
fuzzy, rough, smooth, soggy, hot, cold, prickly, soft, excited, sad, happy, angry, tired, boring,
delicate, surprise, scary, relaxed, soft, warm, gloomy, silent, noisy, loud, smoky, tangy, bitter,
sweet, sour, quiet, echo, music, bounce, crowded, lonely
What will you choose?

Assign a space to each group of three children – e.g. Laundromat, grocery store, school,
museum, kitchen, office, restaurant, library, hospital, etc. Each group then must choose five
artworks that best belong in that venue. Present your choices to the group with reasons why
those were chosen over the others.
Elimination
The next place this show will be exhibited is very small and one of the artworks must be
removed. Which one would you choose and why? Be sure to back up your judgments with
reasons and be prepared to argue your choice.
Amazing Shrink Machine

Imagine shrinking to the size of your thumb and you are now able to enter right into the artwork.
Where would you enter the picture? Where would you travel? How far could you go? What
would get in your way? What sounds can you hear? What can you taste? What can you
smell?
Personal Taste
Choose one of the artworks that would appeal to each of the following characters and describe
why it would attract them: an elephant, a mosquito, a dancer, a baby, a teacher.
51
Art Charades
A volunteer chooses an artwork without telling which one. Without speaking he or she
describes the artwork (lines, shapes, colours, and objects) through movements and actions.
The rest of the group tries to guess the work.
Curator Game
Ask artists if they know what a curator is; explain the job of selecting and defending works to be
exhibited. In small teams, artists are assigned a work of art (this is more challenging than if they
choose one they already like). Artists then place themselves in the role of the curator and write
down some positive statements about the artwork and a statement on why it is included in the
artwork.

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Make It Messy Art

Program Plan for Ages 6-9 (Division I)

What does a typical program look like?

MOMA’s Top 5 Tips for Looking at Art with Students:

---Dr. Robyn M. Gillies, Science Education Professor

Tips for Artmaking with Children

Experiencing contemporary art is a personal experience and it is important to emphasize there

The art-based activities in this program addresses this component.

Bin #1: General Art Supplies for all Activities

Bin #2: Supplies Specific to Individual Activities

 Re-usable plastic cups or small glass jars, for paint water

Colour Theory Cars & Car Wash

Supplies with Make It Messy Kit Supplies to collect/make

• Magic Colours by Patrick George

What is this activity teaching about artmaking?

What is this activity teaching about colour?

Suggested Resources for Staff

Exemplars of artists’ work

Painting with Marbles

Supplies with Make it Messy Kit Supplies to collect/make

• Water based paint • Shallow containers to hold paper (lid of

• Ish by Peter H. Reynolds: https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/415304095

What is this activity teaching about artmaking?

What is this activity teaching about line?

Exemplars of artists’ work

Folded Paper Monoprints

Supplies with Make it Messy Kit Supplies to collect/make

• White letter paper • Containers for water

• It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles Green Shaw:

What is unique about this activity in terms of artmaking?

What is this activity teaching about Shape/Space?

• Paint palette, one per two children

Paint Lab for Kids: https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1028435095

Exemplars of artists’ work

Salad Spinner Splatter Art

Supplies with Make it Messy Kit Supplies to collect/make

• Salad spinners • prepare at least three bottles of each paint

• Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh:

What is unique about this activity in terms of artmaking?

What is this activity teaching about colour?

Primary colours mix to create a new, secondary colour.

Suggested Resources for Staff

Inspired by: http://www.cbc.ca/parents/play/view/salad-spinner-art

Exemplars of artists’ work

Supplies with Make it Messy Kit Supplies to collect/ make

• Pastels • Natural things like leaves, bark, burlap,

• Art & Max by David Wiesner https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/672233095

What is unique about this activity in terms of artmaking?

Europe it is almost exclusively applied to monumental brasses, engraved memorial brass

Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/art/rubbing

What is this activity teaching about texture?

Max Ernst - http://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/f/frottage

Photos of artist work

Supplies with Make it Messy Kit Supplies to collect/make

• Hot glue gun and glue (optional); for

What is unique about this activity in terms of artmaking?

What is this activity teaching about texture?

• Show how to trace and cut the white paper.

Suggested Resources for Staff

An artist’s detailed blog post on his collagraph process:

Exemplars of artist work

Supplies with Make it Messy Kit Supplies to collect/make