My favorite, Fish Sticks!

 

 

Oh, love the Fish Sticks.  The girls get the pun! 

Here are some pictures of some of the ceramic fish that are currently out along the path around the pond. 

 

This year they used watercolor and painted light colors all over the fish, and then painted over that with dark colors.  Then the girls used a sponge to wipe off the dark color, leaving dark in the textures and scratches in the clay.  Some did not use this method, they had a choice.  Either way, fun!

 



 



Under the sea, in Prekindergarten

 

 

This is a wonderful multi-media project that the Prekindergarten girls enjoy.  We are lucky to have a huge aquarium near our library, which the girls and I visited when we started this project.  We noted how different each fish was, how they swam up, down, toward and away from us, and the other items in the aquarium. 

The girls drew, decorated and cut out a paper fish which was used to trace onto a slab of clay.  They added textures to the clay fish, which was then fired.  Mat board was painted with cool colors for the water.  The fired fish were painted.  All the fish as well as "rocks" (hole punch outs) and seaweed (they tore green construction paper) were assembled to make the aquarium. 

No need to feed the fish or change the water!

 

I got this idea at a Texas Art Education Conference several years ago.

 

The paper fish as it was traced onto the clay, and the clay fish, before adding details.

 



 

Some finished examples:

They usually glue the seaweed just to the bottom of the board.  I loved the way she made a gentle arch and used that to base the seaweed.

 



 

I loved the placement of the fish.  It was her idea to put the clay fish in the seaweed!

 

 

I love how different both of her fish are decorated, and the face on the paper fish cracks me up!

 

 



Gyotaku Printing by Primer and Kinder Girls!

Gyotaku prints is an old Japanese way of recording the size of a fisherman's catch.  Because it is hard to actually believe a fisherman's tale, the Japanese would ink up the big fish and use newspaper to capture a print of the fish.  This was before having your picture snapped with the fish in your hand - or beside it!  I would love to use real fish for this project, but the number of students and the smell, well, we use the old rubber variety.  The girls practiced the first day using paper, and on the second day they printed on burlap.  When the work was dry, they added sand and shells or little pearls. 

I am glad the girls noted that fish do not always swim parallel to the ocean bottom!



Fish Sticks by Primer and KIndergarten

Can art be funny? I hope so! In the Primer and Kindergarten classes, we talk a little about humor in art. They love making these fish sticks, partly because they get to use clay, and partly because the get the "fish sticks" pun. What kid has never had fish sticks? They love to tell their parents that they made fish sticks in art! They painted the fish with watercolors and I sprayed a clear varnish over them since they are outside and exposed to the elements.
The girls did a great job adding texture to the clay as they were creating their fish, and using patterns when painting the fish.

Does the fish above have a mohawk for a fin!

The fish would go out by the pond we have at school, but we are having a big Fine Art Festival this weekend and they are out in front to help advertise the event.

PreKinder Aquariums

This idea came from a presentation at the Texas Art Education Assoc. conference several years ago, and I have always loved it. The PreK went for a walk to the library and observed the fish in the huge tank. We talked about the similarities and the differences, and what other items they observed in the aquarium. Back in the classroom, they drew a fish and cut it out. That cut out fish became the template for a clay fish that they cut out from a slab of clay. After the clay was fired, they painted the fish - now they have 2 fish, a paper fish and a clay fish. The students painted a piece of matboard in cool colors, added rocks and seaweed, and then added the fish to create their own aquariums.