Ongoing Investigation: Painting Techniques

Last week we began experimenting with finger painting.  We started out with just one color so that the children would focus on how they were using their fingers to make different designs. 

At first, the students seemed more focused on painting certain objects.  

 

“I’m making a choo choo.  Now I’m making a waterfall.” –Holly

Holly made circles for the wheels of her train and used lines underneath to make train tracks.

When we started discussing making designs, Theo told me she was “making circles” and “spreading” her paint.  Celine said, “I’m squashing” and Noor said, “I made dots!”

Some students, like Sophia, only used one finger to paint at first.  

Other students, like Madeana and Malak, used their entire hands to paint with.

The children have been really interested in finger painting!  Using this method of painting is helping to develop their fine motor skills as well as improving their creative development.  We will be continuing to finger paint for the next few weeks.  The children asked about using more than one color which is what we are going to do next.

-Ms. Telners

Making light and dark shades/tones of colors using black and white paint with primary colors

After the students finished exploring with the three primary colors to make secondary colors, the students started studying color mixing different shades/tones using white and black paint. The students explored mixing white paint and black paint with primary colors to see they make lighter and darker shades/tones depending on the color they add the black or white to.

Explored with the three colors mixing red and white first. Then she added blue to the red to make it a darker shade of red/brown. Jenna then mixed blue and white together and observed adding white makes the blue lighter. 

 Noor explored with the three colors first using one color at a time. Then she added white to the red circle in the center. She saw it made the red a little lighter. Noor mixed blue and white together and saw it made a lighter blue. 

“The yellow and black mixed together are making a turtle green. Blue and black made a darker shade of blue.” Theo continued to explore with the three colors making different shades mixing two and three colors at a time identifying the colors she’s made.

 “Black makes the yellow turn darker green. I add more blue and black to make blue darker blue.” Chawki explored first mixing blue and yellow to make green. Then he mixed black with yellow to see a darker shade of green. He wanted a darker blue, so he added black to blue to see it made the darker shade of blue he wanted.

The students will continue with the color mixing theory project. They will be mixing primary and secondary colors to make tertiary colors.