Finally I managed to take picture of one of the guys visiting our bird bath regularly :-)
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Children's Crafts: And another T-shirt design...
Once we are on vacation we will definitely need a lot of T-shirts for they get wet, ice cream stained or muddy so easily....
Here comes another design we tried the other day with wax batik.
The first exciting step was, that the children, under my supervision, were allowed to light a match stick and a candle.
They used the burning candle to make wax spot on a white T-shirt. The wax cooled and dried reasonably fast, so that they can turn over the T-shirt and do the back side. In between we put lots of kitchen roll, so the wax can not bleed through.
Once the waxing was done we dyed the shirts with azure blue batik color following the instructions on the package.
Since the paint bath was hot, some wax melted but that didn't seem to be a problem.
After 30 minutes the shirts were taken out of the bath and rinsed thoroughly under running tape water.
We let the shirts dry and I ironed them with blotting paper to remove the wax from the fabric.
We are content with the result, although we then realized that the kids could have used even more wax to spot the T-shirt. And a darker batik color might have given a even better result.
We are going to try that the next time ;-)
Here comes another design we tried the other day with wax batik.
The first exciting step was, that the children, under my supervision, were allowed to light a match stick and a candle.
They used the burning candle to make wax spot on a white T-shirt. The wax cooled and dried reasonably fast, so that they can turn over the T-shirt and do the back side. In between we put lots of kitchen roll, so the wax can not bleed through.
Once the waxing was done we dyed the shirts with azure blue batik color following the instructions on the package.
Since the paint bath was hot, some wax melted but that didn't seem to be a problem.
After 30 minutes the shirts were taken out of the bath and rinsed thoroughly under running tape water.
We let the shirts dry and I ironed them with blotting paper to remove the wax from the fabric.
We are content with the result, although we then realized that the kids could have used even more wax to spot the T-shirt. And a darker batik color might have given a even better result.
We are going to try that the next time ;-)
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Children's Art: Painting like Georgia O'Keefe
We read the book "My name is Georgia" together a few days ago...
When Friedrich was on a playdate yesterday, Magdalena and I decided to try out some of Georgia's way of painting.
We collected some blossoms from the garden. For the painting we took mini canvases of 10x10cm and acrylic paint.
At first Magdalena had some doubts, but soon she relaxed and enjoyed the process of giving the painted petals structure by blending the colors a lot :-)
When Friedrich was on a playdate yesterday, Magdalena and I decided to try out some of Georgia's way of painting.
We collected some blossoms from the garden. For the painting we took mini canvases of 10x10cm and acrylic paint.
At first Magdalena had some doubts, but soon she relaxed and enjoyed the process of giving the painted petals structure by blending the colors a lot :-)
Children's Art: Print Workshop Day 7
This was the last day of our printing workshop...
This day's technique was embossing to make stamps out of styrofoam blocks.
I heated styrofoam blocks with a hot air gun (which we normally need to work on Madita during winters, but there are special embossing air gun available...).
After 30 seconds something we pressed the blocks face down on different materials we laid out flat on a heat resistent surface.
after 20 seconds we had wonderful stamps. So far we did only a few prints with them, after coloring the blocks with ink pads, but I am pretty sure, that this technique will be great to create our own gift wraps.
This day's technique was embossing to make stamps out of styrofoam blocks.
I heated styrofoam blocks with a hot air gun (which we normally need to work on Madita during winters, but there are special embossing air gun available...).
After 30 seconds something we pressed the blocks face down on different materials we laid out flat on a heat resistent surface.
after 20 seconds we had wonderful stamps. So far we did only a few prints with them, after coloring the blocks with ink pads, but I am pretty sure, that this technique will be great to create our own gift wraps.
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Children's Crafts: T-Shirt design
Yesterday we prepared some T-shirts for our vacation :-)
We put a grid on them using masking tape. The children colored each square with textile paint.
We did something similar before, with gold and silver paint on dark blue shirts.
We put a grid on them using masking tape. The children colored each square with textile paint.
We did something similar before, with gold and silver paint on dark blue shirts.
Monday, July 27, 2015
Children's Crafts: We did it again.....melted crayon rocks
We found so nice flat and big rocks at the beach of the Skagerrak side of Skagen, that we simply had to do it again and heat them up for painting with melted crayons on them ;-)
Children's Art: Print Workshop Day 6
Today is day 6 of our printing workshop at home.
This time the children drew with ball pen on styrofoam plates, leaving impressions everywhere a line was made.
The prints were made after they applied linol paint with a brayer.
The results are similar to the linol prints, but what I liked about it, that the children can do it all by themselves, since no ultra sharp instruments are necessary ;-)
This time the children drew with ball pen on styrofoam plates, leaving impressions everywhere a line was made.
The prints were made after they applied linol paint with a brayer.
The results are similar to the linol prints, but what I liked about it, that the children can do it all by themselves, since no ultra sharp instruments are necessary ;-)
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Children's Art: Print Workshop Day 5
On Day 5 of our little printing workshop we tried stenciling.
The children drew the pattern on construction card board and I did the cutting with this really very sharp stencil knife....
Well, the prints using these stencils worked in principle. But the card board turned out to be not the best material for this purpose, because first the edges wrinkled so that some paint run under it and second the cardboard dissipated after a few prints....
Anyway the principle became clear to the kids and we definitely will use this technique again, may be with freezer paper on textile?
The children drew the pattern on construction card board and I did the cutting with this really very sharp stencil knife....
Well, the prints using these stencils worked in principle. But the card board turned out to be not the best material for this purpose, because first the edges wrinkled so that some paint run under it and second the cardboard dissipated after a few prints....
Anyway the principle became clear to the kids and we definitely will use this technique again, may be with freezer paper on textile?
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Children's Art: Print Workshop Day 4
Yesterday we did something really experimental on our Day 4 of the printing workshop: We printed with thread....
A piece of thread was dipped into acrylic paint and then laid and/or pulled over a piece of white paper.
Rather quickly the children figured out, that the piece of paper can be folded in the middle while the paint stained thread is on the paper and the thread can then be pulled out of it, leaving an interesting "butterfly" pattern.
Here are some pictures:
A piece of thread was dipped into acrylic paint and then laid and/or pulled over a piece of white paper.
Rather quickly the children figured out, that the piece of paper can be folded in the middle while the paint stained thread is on the paper and the thread can then be pulled out of it, leaving an interesting "butterfly" pattern.
Here are some pictures:
Friday, July 24, 2015
Children's Art: Print Workshop Day 3
At day 3 of our printing workshop we made different kinds of stamps ourselves.
It was a big fun for the children to mount different materials with double sticking tape of wood blocks or rolling pins. We used toe-seperator, papilot, felt decorative pieces like the little birds and butterflies, buttons, rubber bands, hair bands and many more...
Some stamps worked better than others, but all the textures will give excellent backgrounds for future projects.
It was a big fun for the children to mount different materials with double sticking tape of wood blocks or rolling pins. We used toe-seperator, papilot, felt decorative pieces like the little birds and butterflies, buttons, rubber bands, hair bands and many more...
Some stamps worked better than others, but all the textures will give excellent backgrounds for future projects.
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Bridge over troubled water ;-)
After the big success of the Da Vinci bridge Friedrich made at school, I asked them to build a bridge with flat rocks we found at the beach of Skagen last weekend...
Indeed it was possible to make so variations which are reasonably stabil.
Indeed it was possible to make so variations which are reasonably stabil.
Did you forget something, little friend?
I did not know that Ladybugs may have no dots at all until this little guy visited us yesterday :-)
Children's Art: Print Workshop Day 2
On Day 2 of our printing workshop we tried monotypes.
We spread water-soluble printing color on a acrylic glass board using a brayer.
By using the eraser of a pencil we drew our pattern in the fresh paint.
For the print we simply had to lay a piece of paper onto the surface without much pressure.
After one print you have to spread the paint again and draw something new, that is why it is called monotype ;-)
The children got some experience how thick the paint should be for good results and how detailed a picture can be.
I assume we might come back to this technique when it comes to making christmas cards ;-)
We spread water-soluble printing color on a acrylic glass board using a brayer.
By using the eraser of a pencil we drew our pattern in the fresh paint.
For the print we simply had to lay a piece of paper onto the surface without much pressure.
After one print you have to spread the paint again and draw something new, that is why it is called monotype ;-)
The children got some experience how thick the paint should be for good results and how detailed a picture can be.
I assume we might come back to this technique when it comes to making christmas cards ;-)
Children's Art: Print Workshop Day 1
Now that we are finally free for the summer, we started to do a little printing workshop at home.
Actually we already did some printing before, since we couldn't wait for it (see here)...
Anyway on Day 1 four workshop we started with a classics doing linol prints.
The children drew their motifs on soft cut boards and I did the cutting since the linol cutting knifes are really sharp and sometimes the material just gives way....
But the printing was all theirs :-)
We used different devices for pressing, since I am lucky to own a printing press. But doing it manually worked equally fine so the children stick to that way.
Actually we already did some printing before, since we couldn't wait for it (see here)...
Anyway on Day 1 four workshop we started with a classics doing linol prints.
The children drew their motifs on soft cut boards and I did the cutting since the linol cutting knifes are really sharp and sometimes the material just gives way....
But the printing was all theirs :-)
We used different devices for pressing, since I am lucky to own a printing press. But doing it manually worked equally fine so the children stick to that way.
Children's Art: Black and White
The other day I gave the children only black and white acrylic paint. Here is the result :-)
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Nature's Art
At the beach in Skagen/Denmark nature made it's own art....
Skagen Area/Denmark - 07/18/2015
We were early that day, before we had to go back to Hamburg, and drove up to the very North of Denmark, to have at least one good look at the Skagerrak, we plan to cross to reach Norway on our summer vacation.
This walk at the beach was just beautiful and recreative, with the wind and the salty air and the sound of the waves :-)
This walk at the beach was just beautiful and recreative, with the wind and the salty air and the sound of the waves :-)
Saeby/Jytland Denmark 17/07/2015
After leaving Laesø and being kind of shaken by the sea, we reached Saeby.
Although it started to rain, we had a very good walk at the beach where the children collected what felt like at least 1 ton of seashells :-)
On our way back we enjoyed the typical yellow colored houses of the old cloister and visiting the beautiful and rather big church of Saeby.
Although it started to rain, we had a very good walk at the beach where the children collected what felt like at least 1 ton of seashells :-)
On our way back we enjoyed the typical yellow colored houses of the old cloister and visiting the beautiful and rather big church of Saeby.
Laesø/Denmark - 07/16/2015
At the beginning of the summer school break we were lucky to be a few days off before our real vacation is going to be a up in a few....
Since Madita is in Northern Denmark now waiting to hopefully jump over the Sakgerrak, we went to the island Laeso at the first day, enjoying the atmosphere of a busy summer holiday area and being in nature after a long school year...
The weather was great and we had good winds, but quite some waves from transversely behind, which gave me a good reminder of my old friend the sea sickness. Nevertheless, once being at land everything felt perfectly ;-)
Since Madita is in Northern Denmark now waiting to hopefully jump over the Sakgerrak, we went to the island Laeso at the first day, enjoying the atmosphere of a busy summer holiday area and being in nature after a long school year...
The weather was great and we had good winds, but quite some waves from transversely behind, which gave me a good reminder of my old friend the sea sickness. Nevertheless, once being at land everything felt perfectly ;-)
Sunday, July 12, 2015
New Painting Series
Just started a new series of smaller paintings...here are the first three :-)
Elderly in Figueres - 2015 - Acrylic on Canvas - 24x18 cm - $200 at Saatich Online
Imbued by Travel XI: Bagø/Denmark
We love to spend days on less crowed Scandinavian island with lots of nature...This works especially well in springtime.
Bagø/Denmark - 2015 - Acrylic on Canvas - 100x80cm - $800 at Saatchi Online
Bagø/Denmark - 2015 - Acrylic on Canvas - 100x80cm - $800 at Saatchi Online
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Bornholm's Marguerite
I love this one, since it is blue in the middle :-)
Madonna lily
.....just started to blossom in the garden :-)
Children's Art: Prints and Stamps
For a longer time I planed to look into the business of printing with the kids.
Actually I planed to do this during that time of summer break we stay at home....but then I received this very decent book by Traci Bunkers and we had to start right away :-)
Here comes our first round of printing: We used lids and corks and Friedrich was always eager to try one wood mold I have for years (and can not recall where it comes from).....
For color we used acrylic paint, although I guess in the future we might repeat with ink pads as well :-)
Actually I planed to do this during that time of summer break we stay at home....but then I received this very decent book by Traci Bunkers and we had to start right away :-)
Here comes our first round of printing: We used lids and corks and Friedrich was always eager to try one wood mold I have for years (and can not recall where it comes from).....
For color we used acrylic paint, although I guess in the future we might repeat with ink pads as well :-)
Children's Art: Sculpturing with finds
Last Monday I talked to the children of the painting group about the way artists like Picasso and Miró made sculptures with stuff they found.
Friedrich loves to quote a friend of Miró, who said: "When I find a stone, it is a stone. When Miró finds a stone, it is a Miró."
It would have been lovely, if we could have gone on a walk to find things before. But since time was limited, the children used what I found in my drawers ;-)
Friedrich loves to quote a friend of Miró, who said: "When I find a stone, it is a stone. When Miró finds a stone, it is a Miró."
It would have been lovely, if we could have gone on a walk to find things before. But since time was limited, the children used what I found in my drawers ;-)
Sunday, July 5, 2015
Children's Art: Solar Photo Prints
We took advantage of the incredible sunshine we have currently and did some solar photo work mostly using leaves from the garden....
Exposure time was about 7 minutes and we used just tape water for developing.
Exposure time was about 7 minutes and we used just tape water for developing.
Saturday, July 4, 2015
Children's Crafts: Mosaic tiles
Over the last couple of weeks we repeatedly work on making tiles decorated with mosaic ourselves. The plan was to use them for the path in our garden, which leads to the children's playhouse...
Children's Art: Following Henri Matisse and his flying scissor
Last Monday I read a children's book about Henri Matisse and how he started to work with his paper cuts to the children of the painting group. Then they were ask to draw with their scissors themselves...
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