Modigliana Portrait

Amedeo Modigliani was a late-century European artist who never lived to see his success, but his paintings are some of my all-time favorites. I love his portraits with elongated faces in soulful colors.

1. I started with black paper that was 9" x 15". Give the students a ruler and pencil to draw a line down the middle both ways, and then two more horizontally to make 8 equal sections. The students can start by drawing an oval that centers on the middle line and fills the top half of the paper. Neck lines are drawn down to the next line and then shoulders to the bottom edge.
2. Hair may be added in the style of the student, or the person they are drawing.
3. Modigliana drew his faces in stretched proportions as the eyes usually sit in the middle of the face. The students are to draw their eyes near the top of the head, and the mouth near the bottom. Continue with a nose and eyebrows.
4. Once the portrait is drawn, give the students oil pastels. They need to trace the pencil lines with a black pastel, and then color everywhere else, taking care to color around the black lines. Note: I recommend doing this project after you have done one that involves normal facial proportions.

PDF Sewing Pattern Giveaway, $130 Value

Before I was bitten by the art teacher bug, I designed a line of stuffed animal patterns. I started with a simple fish, and ended up making more complex shapes like a snake that coils on itself. The patterns all have a common feature though, which is they are heavily top-stitched to muslin fabric, and hot washed and dried which creates a soft, rumpled, old-quilt texture...hence the name, Rumpled Quilt Skins.

I currently sell these patterns in both printed form and pdf format at quilt shops around the country. The retail value of all sixteen patterns is $130. I am offering my entire line as a pdf pattern giveaway, and because I will email the patterns to the winner, anyone with an email address may enter.

To enter this drawing, please leave a comment about the very first thing you ever sewed, or would like to sew if you are just starting. I’d love to read how other sewers out there got their start. This drawing ends Friday, August 13th at midnight PST. Please make sure your comment leaves a way for me to contact you. Links back to my site are always appreciated. Good luck everyone!

Large photos of each stuffed animal pattern may be seen at Rumpled Quilt Skins.

Mini Assorted Masters Murals

This Mini Mural Set consists of three smaller versions of my popular master murals. They are (left to right): “The Scream” by Munch, “Tiger in Tropical Storm” by Rousseau, and a landscape by Hiroshigi. My mini murals are great for small groups, ambitious individuals or family fun. Click on this image to view the templates and finished dimensions of all three murals.

You can purchase my pdf file with instructions for just $5. Click the “Add to Cart” button below to make your payment and receive download instructions.

“Things that Are Most” Creative Writing Project

I’m on a mission to find the most creative projects for my curriculum this fall, and have decided to reapproach this creative writing/drawing project from a book titled “Things that are Most in the World” by Judi Barrett. I tried it’s suggested followup a few years ago, but now have a more specific idea on how to have students push things a bit further.

Each page in this book is based on a different adjective, such as “The teensie-weensiest thing in the world is a newborn flea” or “The prickliest thing in the world is the inside of a pin cushion”. The end of the book just suggests that you have students come up with their own “most” creation, but lacks the guide on how to have them really exaggerate things. What I plan to do now is first ask the students to choose their adjective (prettiest, softest, bumpiest, etc.) Then they need to think of two things with those qualities, and put them together. For example, if they chose “prettiest” they need to think of two pretty things and combine them somehow. So maybe they think princesses are pretty, and say beauty pageants are pretty, so their sentence could read “The prettiest thing in the world is a princess beauty pageant.” It’s a formula that’s been around awhile, but I think could be pretty effective in creating some very funny combinations. And from funny ideas, hopefully come funny drawings.

One more idea: collect all the pages from your class to make one big book book, and go to www.tikatok.com/classroom to get hardcover copies made. Haven't tried it yet, but they are connected to Barnes and Noble and their prices start at just $2.99 each.

Click HERE to download my blank template for this project.

Ando Hiroshige Mural

Ando Hiroshige (1793-1858) was a master Japanese woodblock print artist who specialized in very poetic landscapes. He significantly influenced European artists from the 1870’s onwards, most notably van Gogh, Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec, Monet and Manet. The American painter Whistler even borrowed elements of Hiroshige’s style.

My pdf file is made up of a 30 pages and measures 36" x 54" when complete. You can purchase my pdf file with instructions for just $5. Click the “Add to Cart” button below to make your payment and receive download instructions.

Stuffed Cow Give Away Winner

And the Stuffed Cow Winner is...Ginny!

Congratulations, please let me know where to send your cow Ginny.
Thanks so much to everyone for such great ideas
about how to re-energize your creative life.
I think the only thing better than finding a good solution
is sharing it with someone else.

Before I was a blogger, or even an art teacher, I designed and created stuffed animal patterns for a living. I still sew when I can, but it does take a back seat during the school year.

I have a few sewing models that I’d like to give away during the next couple of weeks, starting with this very cute brown cow. He stands about 8" tall, was made with my own little hands, and will be sent to a lucky drawing winner next week. To make this a little more fun, please leave a comment about how you best regenerate your creative juices when you feel them running low. I’d love to see a long list of everyone’s favorite ideas!

This drawing ends Sunday, August 1st at 12pm PST. Please make sure your comment leaves a way for me to contact you. Links back to my site are always appreciated. Will ship to US address only. Good luck everyone!

My complete line of stuffed animal patterns can be seen at Rumpled Quilt Skins.

TED Video about School and Creativity

I’ve been researching the whole subject of creativity and came across this amazing video recently. If you have a few minutes, check it out as this man is so insightful and so charming. He’s basically asking that creativity be as valued as much as math and sciences in our schools. But check it out for yourself, he says it so much better than me. (Or is it “than I”?)
Click here to go to video