Cupcake Wars

I visited the art teacher at San Carlos Middle School and was inspired by this idea.  I wanted students to create an elaborate clay cupcake that demonstrated a theme for the icing.  The theme would be sculpted in clay and painted.  This project was a hit!  Students' themes ranged from islands, the ocean, the beach, London, desserts, vegetables, and the old West.  I created a template for the bottom of the cupcake which was traced over a flat slab on clay.  This was attached using the scratch and vinegar technique.  Students then created a removable lid and built it up to create their themes.  These were fired and painted and then painted again with a gloss.

Paper Shoes by 8th Graders

This was one of the first assignments I gave my 3D Art class this trimester: use a large piece of paper and tape to create a shoe.  In the past, we have done this project with paper bags, but this year, students could individualize color by choosing different colored paper for the project.  With some beginning tips on how to fold and cut the paper to make certain shapes, the students were off and running.

Many students had to problem solve in order to create the type of shoe they desired.  They were also quite inventive once they got the hang of it.  This project forced them to think about balance, color, design, form, and used their critical thinking skills.  Almost no one had used paper to sculpt with, so the medium was different and new.