Past Projects

2021-2022

Night Walk

By Lee-Jean Lin: It's totally dark out there and you can hardly see anything. However, a flashlight reveals a magical world so different from what we see during the day. This project was inspired by the picture book, "Flashlight" by Lizi Boyd. In it a child goes out at night with a flashlight and explores nature in the dark. The video lesson shares pages from this book and why we don't see colors in the dark. Students can then follow along to create the scene of a boy walking through the woods, but can vary it as they wish with their imaginations! What will they find in their flashlight?

Cacti

By Sandi Arthur: The inspiration for this project are those awesome wonders of nature called cacti - and we’ll include some other succulents too while we’re at it! While working on this project many art terms or tips can be incorporated, like "drawing what you see", balance, rule of odd numbers, and rule of thirds. Students can follow step-by-step, or vary it by picking their own cacti/succulent types to draw. K-1 students create three pots, and then plant a cactus or succulent in each one. 2-12 students create one pot with overlapping cacti or succulents.

Moonlit Fox

By Jennifer Stenta: Students will use some key elements of art to create a furry fox at night. Using value they may mix tints and shades of blue to create a moon glowing in a night sky. They will draw a fox using simple shapes and add fur like texture by layering colors and adding short choppy marks. The fox is cut out and glued onto the background. This project can be adjusted to work with various supplies, and can be modified as needed.

Umbrella

By Sandi Arthur: Spring showers bring a great opportunity to learn two special ways to use watercolor pencils and try our hand at pattern making. This project lets kids really use their imagination. There are so many ways to do it and so many extra details they can add! There is also an "1 Minute History of Umbrellas" that is fun to share before the project.

Flip Out

By Dunya Merrel Djordjevic: This project will introduce students to the history and art of traditional animation, including Walt Disney. Students will learn how animation is created and about the art and illusion of movement. Students will learn how to create a flip book. They can follow directions to make a few practice animations, and then depending on ability, can make their own story and animation.

Alebrijes: The Art of Oaxaca, Mexico

By Mindy Kirton: Alebrijes are brightly colored Mexican folk art sculptures of fantastical creatures. They are painted with intense colors and intricate patterns. The first alebrijes appeared back in 1936, and today they are well-known and celebrated in Mexico. Students may recognize them from the movie Coco. In this project, students learn more about Alebrijes and the colorful sculpture work of Mexican artists Pedro Linares Lopez & Manuel Ramírez. Students then create their own fantastic Alebrije out of colored clay, wood sticks and acrylic paint.

Folding Fish

BONUS: Students can create their own fish art, with a surprise! At first it will look like a normal fish drawing, but the paper can be unfolded and the fish will become huge, with a mouth ready to chomp! Students are invited to use their imagination to design and decorate the fish and add things, like a tiny scuba diver about to be eaten or decorations on the ocean floor.

2020-2021

* These projects were specially selected to be done with simple supplies and require no (or little) assistance. We have kept them available to the public. Key project information is on the Projects 20-21 Archive Page.

Turtles

Turtle Alley is an art-filled alley in Malaysia that raises awareness of their local endangered turtles and other turtles. Student artwork line the walls and sidewalk and entrance. Students will learn more about Turtle Alley and turtles. Then they will draw and decorate their own turtle.

Key Words: Community Beautification, Mosaic

Behind My Mask

What did people do to record what they looked like before photography? Students will learn some history about Portraits and Self-Portraits. Then students will draw their own self-portrait with a twist! At first it looks like you are wearing a mask, and then you can open the paper and see what is behind the mask. Grades K-1: This project requires some adult assistance for the folding. If you prefer, there is a No Fold project alternative to draw a basic self-portrait with no assistance needed. Key Words: Portrait, Self-Portrait Special thanks to: Cassie Stephens and her project Behind My Mask: A Super Kid Self-Portrait.

Galaxy Skies

The sky can be filled with such beautiful colors, especially at sunrise and sunset. Students will see some examples of beautiful skies, and then will create a galaxy sky over a mountain landscape in the style of contemporary artist Jen Aranyi. They can create a simple scene, and blend or layer colors to make an amazing sky. The lesson will work with best with crayons or colored pencils, but markers can work. Special thanks to: Jen Aranyi at https://jenaranyi.com/ or her wonderful artwork and project idea, and letting us share it! And Jennifer Stenta https://www.sequoiabluearts.com/ - for adapting and teaching the project for HOA!

Note: This art project/style works well for bookmarks, holiday cards, or ornaments. If you like that idea you are welcome to suggest it to your students. The suggestion and sample picture appears also appear on the project pages as well.

Elephants

The surreal artwork "The Elephants" is the inspiration for this project. Students will be introduced to this artwork and to its creator, Salvador Dalí. They will also learn about Surrealism, creating art based on dreams and imagination. After, they can create their own artwork inspired by "The Elephants". Instructions will be given on how to draw an elephant with very long skinny legs, but they are invited to vary it as they wish. For instance, they can create another animal with very long legs, or an elephant with normal legs.

Kawaii Doodles

Kawaii is the Japanese word meaning something that is cute. Kawaii art is known for characters with rounded shapes and simplistic features. You can see Kawaii style art on t-shirts, stickers, toys, advertisements, and so many more places! Famous Kawaii style characters are Hello Kitty, Pusheen and Pikachu. Drawing Kawaii doodles has become very popular. In this lesson students will get to have fun doodling! K-1 will be directed to draw simple characters lined up. 2-12 will be given some variations, with extra videos with more detailed steps to follow if they prefer. Coloring is optional.

Wavy Paper

Students will learn about Optical Illusions Art (Op Art) and then get to make their own Wavy Paper optical Illusion. Optical illusions use our eyes to trick our brains. Following step-by-step instructions, students will make their paper look wavy. At the end there is a optional bonus 'trick'. They can add small cut-out of a person and make it appear they are falling into the paper. K-2 has a shorted background section, and simpler samples. Younger students have needed some assistance following the drawing steps. 3-12 has a slightly longer background section, and more sample variations. 3-12 also has a bonus 'Exploding Shapes' version if they want to do more.

Parts of a Landscape

Learn about Landscapes and variations like Seascapes and Cityscapes. Landscapes often are big views of natural scenery, but they can include buildings, people and animals too. But the land (or sea or city) is the star of the picture. Some parts of a landscape include the Foreground, Middle Ground, and Background. Things in the foreground are closer so they are bigger and more detailed than the background. Students are invited to create their own landscape. They can design their own (just go for it!), or they can follow some step-by-step instructions to help get them started. For 2-12 there is an additional option of a folding landscape.

There is a lot of freedom with this project, so don't be surprised if you see a big assortment of landscapes/seascapes/cityscapes!

Surf

Heather Brown has been called the "Godmother of Modern Surf Art". Learn about Heather Brown and see samples of her work. After, students are invited to celebrate the ocean by creating their own surf art. There are steps they can follow to create scenes inspired by Heather Brown: The Big Wave, The Surfer on the Shore, and The Sunset (for 2-12). If they prefer, they can design their own beach or surf artwork instead.

Seasonal Mandala

Make your own Seasonal Mandala with things you
find around you! Seek out physical objects in the world around us to create your own unique mandala.
Be creative and have fun!
Schools can collect and share results!

Found Object Art

Use your imagination to turn everyday objects into art! Inspired by children’s book author and illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi, this project invites you to look for art EVERYWHERE!

A pen cap… a rubber band… that apple core left over from your morning snack… take a closer look and use your imagination to turn everyday objects into art.

2019-2020

it's my small world

By Jennifer Stenta : This project was inspired by the expressive and colorful concept art of Mary Blair for Walt Disney’s
‘It’s a Small World’ Attraction. Students will learn about the Watercolorist and Disney Concept Artist Mary Blair and create their own Small World using the colors, shapes and composition of their choice.

Hockney Hills

By Nan Young: David Hockney is a British born artist currently living in Los Angeles. Hockney has inspired the modern, popular art world with his colorful and expressive renditions of how he sees landscapes, relationships, and daily living in the 20th and 21st centuries. Students create a scene in his style filled with colorful hills.

Aboriginal Animal Art

By Ashish Sharma: This project was inspired by the creative aspect of native arts. Indigenous
Aboriginal Art is very striking. The animal dot art adds a folk feature to this popular style. Students create their own special animal in this style.

Fantasy Voyage

By Marianne Coble: We all have access to creativity, imagination, and the ability to draw, with a little practice. This project is an exercise of these concepts. Our inspirational artist is American “fantasy” artist James C. Christensen.
Beginning with a guided drawing, students will create a fantasy character sporting a crazy hat sailing in a whimsical ship. The drawing is then colored and painted in.

2018-2019

Gargoyles: "monsters in stone"

Catalina Island

Peaceful Sunflower

Shade and Shadow Bowls

Repousse South Bay

Shrieking Orange Skies

2017-2018

What's Your Story People?

By Erika Snow Robinson: Author/artist Brian Andreas, creator of StoryPeople is the inspiration for this whimsical project in which children will create an ink drawing without the use of their eyes. Then, when they meet their creation, they will bring it to life with color and write a little story to go along.

Pacific Panorama

By Kaye Furlong: Kaye was inspired by the grandeur of our ocean and the works of American Artist James McNeil Whistler (1834-1903) who felt that lines were the most important element of art and painting. Children will create a seascape, likely a familiar site for children in our community. They will learn about pen and ink shading and pastel enhancement. Children will learn about background, foreground, contour lines, panorama, perspective in this seascape piece.

Desert Nocturne

By Kathy Bauer: Local LA artist Eric Merrell captures the mood and mystery of the desert by moonlight in his series of nocturne paintings, painted on location. His work is the inspiration for Desert Nocturne, a project that teaches the students about the fragility of the high elevation flora and fauna, plein air painting, and what happens when plein air painting sessions stay past sunset. What new shapes and creatures emerge? What new colors does the moon cast? Using the plein air technique of “direct painting,” students will mix their own values to create a night scene depicting Joshua Tree National Forest.

Manga Art

By Ashish Sharma: We’ve all seen how crazy kids can get over Manga. In this project kids will get their chance to create their own Manga style character. They will discover the characteristics that set it apart and how to depict various facial expressions when they draw.

Flower Power

By Robin Sarner: Children will learn about the artist Georgia O’Keefee and her up-close flower paintings. They will create an image in various media that is both detailed and abstract, rich in texture and in color. Helping children to see their world in a new and creative way and to change their perspective is a powerful skill that can be used in many aspects of life.

Forms of Movement

By Lee Jean-Lin: This elegant, abstract “sculpture” has deceptively simple roots. Underneath the facade, you’ll find wire, wood and an everyday article of clothing…can you figure it out? Children will learn about British sculptress Dame Barbara Hepworth – one of the greatest twentieth century sculptors and the most significant female artist of the period – in a largely male-dominated art world. They will also dive into a project that arises from manipulation of the sculptor’s abstract ideas of spatial relations, volume, line, color, texture.