Student Portfolios

The first project I do with my students each year is their Portfolios. We talk about how art can be functional and how the portfolio will function as something to hold all of their art in until they take it home.

I demonstrate on the board how to write using block letters. I stress the element of SPACE. I instruct students to write their names lightly with pencil and then trace the block letter around it so they do not run out of space. We also touch on line and shape.

Students color their portfolios and add personal touches. I try to keep them to the front so later on the early finishers can add more on other sides of their portfolios.

Examples!

Block Letters and Graffiti (2nd & 3rd grade)

I used this as a filler project during my first week. I talked to students about graffiti, then demonstrated how to make block letters/graffiti. I must admit, I have no experience with graffiti (spraypainting OR drawing) so I did my research beforehand. I found this site to be very helpful.

I told the students just to start out by writing their name. I used the word "ART" as an example. I purposefully made my letters jumbled/not lay on the same "line."

I then demonstrated these three steps:

1. How to draw block letters
2. How to attach the letters to one another, add arrows, broken pieces, etc.
3. How to trace around the word

I left the background patterns up to the students. Some of the results were pretty awesome, so I'm going to share them here!

EDIT: Some of my students are having a hard time remembering all the steps when they come back to class to work on these. Let's face it, there is a lot to remember. So, this is what I've been reviewing at the beginning of every class (quickly). I number all of the steps in a different color. I use the same, corresponding color to demonstrate that step and leave it up for students to reference. It's much easier to say "you still need to do step 3," than to explain what they need to do over and over again. It also allows me to help more students.