We had an amazing time this past Saturday being ‘inventors!’ In this kids art class we learned about shape versus form while creating their own robot designs.
First the kids invented their robots, by creating 3 designs. I provided reference robo-parts for inspiration, and the kids came up with some very cool ideas!
“Girl Robot” by Maura
Dexter’s Robot in a Robot Arena
We chose our favorite design and then painted a flat gray value over the robot’s shape. Since this was a 1 day workshop and not an ongoing class, we were unable to store our wet art. Luckily Mrs. Scribble had her trusty hair dryer! I dried the paintings while the students created a second artwork: designing a futuristic world for their robots to live in. They LOVED this part.
Next we added white shine, or reflected light ‘stripes’ onto our robots. I showed them how to draw the stripes always on the same side of their robot, on every robot body part. Then we added black stripes for the shadow side of the robot, on every robot part. Finally we added an outer shadow around the robots.
Robo-Puppy Shadows and Highlights by Maura
Robo-Cat by Thatcher
Value is always a challenge for young children, and even more so using paint. Generally I prefer using pastels or oil pastels when teaching value, as it is slightly more forgiving than paint. If I do this lesson again, I’ll paint a demonstration robot along with them. I also let the kids go a little wild adding color to their robots at the end, but I encourage creativity. Process is what counts, as kids learn by doing and I never want to stifle that.
View the final art below!
Robo-Puppy, by Maura age 6
“Girl” “Thatcher is a BOY”
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No, I did not make that up. But I know who did, and that someone started Be Electrific Day back in 1998. She is professional speaker Carolyn Finch, and she defines electrific as:"an abbreviation for an electrification project - which means to put light where light has not been before."
Now, one could take this definition as the genteel version of that old admonition, "put it where the sun don't shine," but it actually has a much more positive intent.
See, February 11th is the birthday of Thomas Alva Edison: "The Wizard of Menlo Park," holder of 1090+ U.S. Patents, inventor and businessman, and founder of General Electric, among many other impressive accomplishments too numerous to list here. And, Mr. Edison brought light where light had not been before - electrically speaking, of course. Therefore, we have Be Electrific Day, so that we can celebrate not only this prolific inventor's birthday, but also - as Ms Finch's program suggests - "the electricity within each of us."
Well. I don't know about you, but most of the electricity within me lately is of the static variety. My family is more than a little annoyed. Shocked, really. But I don't see the problem. I'm just celebrating this Little-Known, twelve-year old holiday, you know?
If I can do it, so can you. Go ahead! Get in the holiday spirit: scoot your stockinged feet across the carpet, scope out someone who looks a little energy depleted, and share your electricity within.
But then you might wanna get ready to run...
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