Painting Pictures

My students, taking what they learned about color mixing, moved on to painting a wide variety of images such as landscapes, birds, and flowers. First, a picture tracing technique was used. The outcome looked like a page from a coloring book. You'd be surprised to learn how many artists and illustrators trace their subjects, especially now with the advancement of computers and Adobe Illustrator. For my students, who have moderate to severe disabilities, this technique made the process more gratifying. After they had their picture outline complete, they began painting. Every painting was unique. It was fun for my students to see the differences across similar subjects. We eventually turned some of the paintings into printed note cards, which the students sold to the parents and staff of their school.

Handmade Cards

We had a lot of fun creating cards using specialty papers, along with buttons, sequins, and other materials. My students learned to make their own stencils for each card they made based on a variety of images. Students used the stencils on the papers and then cut out their images. They had not up to this time learned about collage techniques, so making their own designs from the variety of papers and materials was a challenge. One that had spectacular results. Here are just a few of the many unique and beautiful cards my students created.