Something Fishy - Sea Creatures with NZ patterns

One of my favourite NZ illustrators has always been Warren Pohatu. We looked at his work as a provocation for patterning our sea creatures. The aim was to communicate our NZ culture through our choice of lines and patterns.

We started our drawing practice by following a few drawing tutorials on youtube.
I have linked a couple below:

The students used reference images for drawing practice in their art journals too and tried out many different sea creatures before they settled on one to enlarge for their final. This they decorated with New Zealand kowhaiwhai patterns following our analysis of some of these. On a side note, there is great similarity between NZ Maori culture and language and that of Hawaii.

Here are images of the teacher models I used to demonstrate for the students. The whale was completed in water-colour / water soluble artist dye and the dolphins where finished with oil pastels, overpainted with black water-colour / water soluble artist dye .

For step-by step support, you can purchase this 78 pg. unit for your school to compliment any study based on the oceans and creatures that live in it.
Available on Teachers Notebook and Teachers Pay Teachers.
Now also available from my very own eCommerce store hosted by Weebly. You can find all my art resources on my Visual Art Store page at www.help-me-learn.com

Thank you for visiting,
With love, as always...

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Painting water for Something Fishy

With my Y3 students, we also explored the element of line and used 'wavy' lines to help us draw water ripples.

We looked at many photographs of moving, rippling water and Paua / Abalone shell to inspire us.

The colours of these shells are so beautiful and we really wanted to capture the essence and iridescence of them.
The trick was to use metallic student acrylic paints on black cartridge paper and... Voila!

Gold and copper metallics also help to add the sparkle, but keep an eye on this bit as little ones LOVE anything shiny and will easily over-do it.

Visit TPT (here) and TNB (here) to view my step-by-step art lesson guide for Something Fishy (with New Zealand cultural line pattern focus). Assessment Rubric for Level 2 and student self reflection included.

Thank you for visiting,
With love, as always...

http://www.helpmelearn.co.nz/
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/One-Teachers-Journe
http://www.teachersnotebook.com/shop/tkwillemse
https://twitter.com/TimeaWillemse
http://www.youtube.com/user/HelpMeLearnMaths
http://pinterest.com/tkwillemse/boards/