Marcia

Marcia

Marcia is an elementary art teacher and loves painting, drawing, sculpture, art journaling and clay. Her blog, Art is Basic, features many exciting art projects for kids.

Faux Stained Glass

Three colorful mosaic pieces depicting flowers with faux stained glass effects are displayed on a white background.

The 5th/6th graders have been studying Medieval art and we viewed a powerpoint about stained glass windows in cathedrals.  The students use glass stain on pieces of plexiglass to make their own picture.  We first drew the lines on a…

Op Art — 3rd grade

Abstract black and white striped pattern with various curved shapes intertwined among the stripes, showcasing an Op Art-inspired design.

First, we looked at the art of Bridget Riley and the Op art movement.  We read a Scholastic Art issue which features this style of art.  If you don’t get these magazines, they are a great investment.  Each year, we…

Dinosaur Silhouettes

A painting of dinosaur silhouettes shows a spiked dinosaur and a flying counterpart against a bright orange and yellow background.

This is one of my favorite lessons for kindergartners!  First, we identify and classify the colors as warm or cool.  Then, we choose all the warm colors we have (different shades of oranges, yellows, reds).  Then the first day, the…

Architecture — 2nd grade

A 2nd grade child's drawing of a multi-story building with colorful windows, a door, and a small cross on top showcases their budding interest in architecture.

Frank Lloyd Wright:  The 2nd graders discussed Frank Lloyd Wright’s buildings.  We analyzed how he integrated his buildings with the surrounding nature.  The students worked collaboratively to build intricate buildings out of wooden blocks.  Next, they represented these buildings with…

Memory Drawings

Child's drawing of an airplane and a hot air balloon in the sky, with patterned designs at the bottom. The artwork showcases vibrant sketches capturing youthful imagination.

This unit focused on recalling a family memory and creating a picture about this story.  We read about the artist Faith Ringgold and her story quilts. 

Budgets for Art

I was reading the teacherartexchange listserve from the Getty museum, which is a very cool list serve, and I felt really sorry for one teacher who only has $100 for a budget that serves 350 students.  She was wondering what…

Portrait Drawing Exercise from postcard images

Sketched postcard images of a man in various styles and patterns, with slight differences in facial hair and clothing details.

Drawing Activity This drawing activity will help to sensitize you to the variety of drawing styles and qualities.  First, fold your paper in half 3 times in order to make 8 rectangles.  In each of the rectangles, you will make…

the art of silliness!

"The Art of Silliness" workshop, featuring a drawing of a person surrounded by whimsical doodles.

This is a worksheet from Carla Sonheim’s Art of Silliness class.  I recommend this class, it’s very fun.  The worksheets she sends you each day are very unique drawing activities.  What I am doing with these is photocopying them for…

Cross Hatched Animals

A pencil sketch of a panda resting its head on a bamboo structure with a few clouds in the background, showcasing cross hatching technique.

Hatching and Cross-Hatching  by the 3/4s The 3/4s are learning about hatching and cross-hatching.  They explored this technique in a portrait drawing.  After a quick practice of portrait drawing, the students moved on to a cross hatched animal.  Animal pictures…