Hello Hosmer Artists and Musicians!
We are making a photo slideshow of art and music activities that you are doing to share in the Amazing Arts newsletter! If you want to contribute, send us a picture of you making art or playing/singing/creating music. You can also send a photo of your work. We love hearing from you and hope to share ideas with the Hosmer community on ways to engage in art and music. The arts have a powerful way of bringing us together, finding happiness, and expressing ourselves during this difficult time.
Join us for art and music meetings over Zoom! We will meet every other week, starting April 27. We will be sharing the Artists in Action slideshow, reviewing art and music activities, and spending time together online!
Grades PK-1: Wednesday, April 29 at 11:30am
https://zoom.us/j/95954582530?pwd=cXNGUElvYkxOc1dxQXFDRkUxZHdKQT09
(password: fapa)
Grades 2-3: Monday, April 27 at 1:00pm
https://zoom.us/j/99841144213?pwd=YVNUSS91clBINitWZlU1RWN3UUl1QT09
(password: fapa)
Grades 4-5: Thursday, April 30 at 1:00pm
https://zoom.us/j/94363206843?pwd=M2hyc054UEdYSnhOUUtabDhHeS9wQT09
(password: fapa)
Be well, take care of yourselves, and we look forward to seeing you at our meetings!
Mr. Boynton matthew.boynton@watertown.k12.ma.us
Ms. Kim haein.kim@watertown.k12.ma.us
Ms. Patashnick sara.patashnick@watertown.k12.ma.us
Remaking Art Challenge Update
Last week we posted that museums all over the world are asking people to remake famous artworks with household items! Students in Mrs. Graves' 4th grade class took on this challenge as an assignment, and many other Hosmer students, families and staff also participated! You can see all our remakes here: Hosmer Remaking Art Slideshow
You can still participate! Here are the directions:
Remake a Famous Work of Art (PK-5):
- Browse through many works of art! Take a look at my list of examples in this Google Doc or look through museum collections (such as The Met, The Museum of Fine Art, The National Gallery of Art, and The Art Institute of Chicago)
- Think about which one you would like to recreate and choose one (or more) to remake yourself with objects at home.
- You and your family could work together to recreate the poses and composition, or you could use objects that you have such as Legos, stuffed animals, or even food to remake the artwork you chose. You could even enlist your pets to participate!
- Once you are happy with your recreation, take a photo. Think about lighting and try to capture a similar angle to the original artwork. You might need to take a few photos and pick the best one.
- Share your recreation! Email it to: haein.kim@watertown.k12.ma.us Be sure to include the original artwork, artist and title.
Mandala Art
A mandala is a geometric pattern in a circular shape, originating from India. The word "mandala" is from the Indian language of Sanskrit and means “circle." Mandalas are often designed to demonstrate radial symmetry, which means symmetry around a center point. They can be 2D or 3D, and can be made from different materials, like paper, metal, cloth and sand. They have been produced in India, Tibet, Nepal, China, Japan, and Indonesia from the 4th century to the present.
Here are different ways you can create your own mandala, also check out these slides:
Found Object or Geometric Shape Mandala (PK - 2)
- Gather groups of found objects that you can find in your home, or use geometric shape pattern blocks.
- Create a radially symmetrical design, starting from the middle and going out. It should be symmetrical all the way around.
- Take a picture and share! Email it to: haein.kim@watertown.k12.ma.us or attach it to the assignment via Google Classroom (use the button at the bottom of the newsletter to join)
Mandala Design (Grades 2-5)
- Start with a circle on your paper, you can trace the bottom of a container or print the circle template here.
- Think about what kinds of shapes or designs you would like to use. It is fun to think about a theme or subject you enjoy that has personal meaning for you, such as nature, sports, seasons, etc.
- Start with pencil so you can erase if you need to.
- Starting from the center of the circle, draw your mandala design starting from the middle and going outwards. If you have a ruler, you can use it to divide up your circle into 4 sections, which helps you repeat the same design all the way around. (You can erase these lines later).
- Try to keep it symmetrical, so your designs are repeated in each section or quadrant of the circle.
- Then you can outline your designs with a black marker, if you have one, and add color using whatever materials you have: crayons, colored pencils, markers, paint, etc. When choosing colors, think about how to emphasize your radial symmetry pattern using color, too.
- You can also cut out the mandala once you are done coloring and glue it onto a construction paper background, if you have that.
- Share your work! Email it to: haein.kim@watertown.k12.ma.us or attach it to the assignment via Google Classroom (use the button at the bottom of the newsletter to join)
Radial Symmetry Name Design (Grade 5)
- Start with a square piece of paper, you can trim the bottom off a regular piece of white copy paper to make an 8.5 x 8.5 square.
- Fold the paper following this video or the steps on these slides.
- Once you have folded the paper, keep it folded in a triangle and write your name in block, bubble or whatever style letters you would like. Make sure the top and bottom of your letters touch the top sides and bottom of the triangle (see slides). Use pencil so you can erase if necessary. (You could also choose a word, instead of your name).
- Open your paper up and trace your name with a Sharpie or dark marker. (If you keep it folded, the marker could bleed through the other sides)
- Fold your paper so that you can see the triangle that your name is written on the triangle next to it - your name will be upside down. Trace with pencil. Try doing this on a window, to use the light to help you trace.
- Open your paper up and trace your that section with a Sharpie or dark marker. Don't do this part on a window!
- Keep repeating these steps, of folding your paper so that you can see your name in another triangle going around the middle - your name will upside down and backwards as you go around - and tracing with pencil then marker.
- Eventually you will have your name repeated all the way around and the tops and bottoms of your letters should connect and form a pattern. It might be hard to tell that your name is in there!
- Erase any pencil lines you still see and then add color, using crayons, markers, or colored pencils. Try using analogous colors, three colors that are next to each other on the color wheel, as part of your design.
- Use the same colors on the same letters, turning your work around to repeat the pattern and emphasize the radial symmetry.
- You could choose colors that will make your name stand out from the design, and color the background areas black or another solid color, or you could use color in a way that makes your name and the areas around it blend together.
- Take a look at examples from past Hosmer 5th graders here.
