This can be a really fun project to do with your family and encourages very creative thinking. This collage is made of magazine images and cut up photographs of my family members. The idea is to create a surreal image, one in which your family is integrated into a image in unique ways that may be dreamlike or unrealistic. The imaginations of the family is what contributes to the overall image. We had so much fun with this one as we decided where we could place everyone. We created our own vacation filled with activities that only we could do in our imaginations! I can still feel the droplets of pristine water falling on my face as I watched my son jump off an enormous cliff (something he would never do in real life). This could also turn into an opportunity to create a great story!

Steps

1. Find some old magazines with lots of great imagery.

2. Begin finding images of neat scenery, plants, animals, bugs etc.

3. Gather all other materials- glue sticks or rubber cement, poster board or card stock paper, scissors

4. Find photographs of family members or print out digital copies. ( I made images fairly small so that we had more options).

5. Begin deciding what kind of image you want to make as you cut pictures of your family apart and place them within the context of your imaginary place!

Family Hand Prints

     Family Hand Prints

Weeks 1 & 2

    For the past two weeks, we have been working on our hand print painting. Five families attended the family arts night. As I showed them the steps to create this colorful painting, I started to notice the dynamics of the relationships between the family members. One family, for example consisted of two children, a mother and a father. They all created their hand print and added color, each encouraging one another and making comments about the color choices. Each of the family members created their square with a unique color and different textures emerged as well. They were all pleased with their final image and were excited to take it home. Another family consisting of a mother and a son, also discussed their styles and techniques. The mother was very positive and encouraging to her son who finished his hand print sooner than she. I heard comments such as "We are so different." He is more spontaneous than I am but I love it." Many parents seemed interested in why their children chose specific colors. Overall, the mood in the room was joyous as the family members shared this time and energy together. Some of the families chose to leave one square empty to allow a family member at home to create a handprint of their own.

Hand prints meet color! My whole family!

  This project is a great one that you and your family can do together. This was inspired by Andy Warhol's soup can prints. 

Process: First I gathered my family together, (I have six kids and a husband) and told them that we were going to do a family artwork. I explained that I needed each of their hand prints and that we were going to make a grid to fit all of our hands on the canvas. My middle son, Jude, helped me to draw and measure to make the grid the right size. After we had drawn the lines for the grid, I explained that I would have to paint one of their hands black and they would make a print on the canvas in their designated box. Then one by one, I painted their hands, they painted each others and soon we had all the prints except for my husband who despises getting dirty. We coerced him into letting us paint his hand and finally we got his hand print on the canvas. 

   When the black paint had dried, we started to discuss color options. We started mixing different colors together each on our own paper plate. Then two kids at a time, began painting around their own hand print. I discussed complementary colors and analogous color combinations that were visually appealing before they chose their specific colors. A few of the colors needed a few coats or needed to be retouched at the end. I was pleased to see the variety of colors and textures created by the kids and how the colors they chose expressed their personality. While we were working, it allowed for time to talk, and the kids enjoyed expressing their opinions about colors and which ones would look good next to one another. As each child finished their painting, they discussed how it added to the final piece until each hand print was complete. A few colors were altered after some discussion due to various visual observations. Here is an image of the final piece. Now I just have to decide where to hang it.

Mother

Daughter

Daughter

Mom

We had our first Family Arts Night at the library last night. Six families attended for our first evening of art making. The families seemed to be very pleased to be there. We began the evening with an introduction of what the family art was intended to be. Then we began a drawing activity in which each person received a piece of paper with a hole cut out of it. Each person had to draw an image from their imagination that utilized the hole in some way. As the families drew, the room was fairly quiet. Near the end of the session, some talking and conversing began to emerge. As we concluded the session, I spoke about the upcoming weeks and the projects.

Son

Family Drawing Time