KALEIDOSCOPES

I've done mandalas a number of different ways over the years and here is one variation although it's a bit tedious for the teacher because of the amount of photocopying involved.  Students draw patterns and/or shapes in their 1/8 circle section with a black fine liner.  The next step is to photocopy their section three times (their original is the fourth) and then use the reverse feature on your photocopier four times to get the mirror image.  Once the kids have cut out all of their pieces they glue them onto a larger piece of paper. They just love watching their kaleidoscope patterns emerge.  It takes some of them a few attempts to realize they need to alternate the original and the mirror image but eventually everyone figures it out.

EXTENDED DRAWINGS

This is a quick drawing project that suits that time just before a holiday when your students are getting a little restless and you don't want to start anything you can't finish before the holiday.  Students are given a magazine head - the more unusual or unknown the face the better!  They must glue it onto their sketchbook page and finish the rest of the drawing - I encourage them to be as dark, strange, twisted, funny, creative and unpredictable as they possible can be.  Anything goes.  Here are a few that have remained behind in the classroom over the years.

FIGURATIVE CLOTH DRAWINGS

After starting the class with gesture drawings to warm up, the grade 8's spend another class or two using each other as models, resulting in about 8-10 contour figurative drawings.  They then choose their favourite drawing and use it as a pattern to cut out cloth.  The cloth figures are glued down onto a prepared paint splattered surface (the kids love this part!).  The figure can get 'lost' if the background is too dominate so some students will have to choose their fabrics carefully.  I usually get boxes of scrap material from the sewing department throughout the year.

OP ART CUBES

I found this idea on the internet so thank you to whoever posted it!

PEN AND INK SELF PORTRAITS

Grade 8's get to have a bit of fun doing their own self-portrait.