6 Must Have Apps for Art

04/30/2012

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UPDATE Oct. 2012: The Original version of Brushes is no longer available. They are selling a new version that requires an in -app purchase to add layers. This doesn't work for the Volume Purchasing Program that my school iPads require. I recommend substituting with Sketchbook Express (free). See more iPads lesson ideas on my Creating on iPads page (see tab above).
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I was just asked today to give my top 6 App picks for my art class. I had to go by experience with what I'm using, what my students are enjoying, and what we will definitely use again. Here they are:
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Brushes App
We use it for painting in layers:
See our portraits
See our rotoscope project
We use if for graphic design:
See our Rene Magritte spoof.
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Doink App
This is a vector based animation app that is easy to use and understand. See the animated aliens my 3rd graders created using this app with styluses.
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Percolator App
This app works with the ipod's or ipad's camera to transform a photo into a beautiful piece of abstract art. See my students transform their art here.
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Wordfoto App
This app redefines the concept of adding an artist statement to artwork. Take a look at the beautiful results when my students used this app.
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Dropbox App
This is a wonderful free app that helps you distribute or collect files on the ipad. It syncs to your desktop and makes life easier! Please use my referral link so I can have some bonus space:)
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Reflection App
This is a download for your desktop to magically mirror your ipad so you can work along with your students. Here is a pict of how I use it projected onto my interactive whiteboard.
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New Fugleflicks Make their Big Screen Debut

04/28/2012

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Friday, April 27th was the BIG SCREEN debut of our two newest Fugleflicks at the Schaumburg Prairie Center for the Arts first annual Team Test Film Fest 2012.
Push up Your Sleeves (a short video that quickly demonstrates how to enter the art room featuring an original song performed, recorded, filmed, & edited by 5-2 students)
View behind the scenes video to see them working.
Elementary Musical (a musical introduction to the Elements of Art  featuring an original song performed, recorded, filmed, & edited by 5-3 students) View behind the scenes video to see them working.
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Our fifth grade students were invited on stage to introduce their movies and discuss the filmmaking process while fielding questions from the host and audience. This uncut version shows their whole experience. What a great opportunity to have an authentic audience.
If you don't have 25 minutes to watch the students on stage fielding question, then consider taking one minute to see them accept their award below in this super short cut version.
After watching all of the team films our host announced the judge's pick for Best of Show.
Congratulations to Elementary Art Filmmakers!
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The Aliens have Landed!

04/24/2012

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Third graders used our class set of styluses, the ipads, and an animation app called Doink to create these amazing animations. They drew their original alien in four running poses (download my handout here) using the onion skinning technique then animated their drawing sequence across the stage in a composition entering left and exiting right. This was then exported as a quicktime movie and emailed to me to gather. Take a look at all the drawing steps and learning that happened along the way.
I collected the first group of aliens from 3-3 and made them into this movie below. 
3-1 was very rushed at the end trying to get them turned in before class ended and the ipads had to be returned. But they still made some adorable animations. See below.
3-2 finished their alien animations on Wednesday. Take a look at Aliens on the Loose! below
3-4 had some visiting art teacher superheroes from SD 46 come to the rescue. It took all 7 art teachers to help this group (far behind on the project) finish the last two drawings and go through all the other necessary steps for animating, converting, and emailing their pieces in to me. Thank you! Watch their Alien Race below.
Below is a tutorial that shows the drawing steps for creating the effect of running as well as the composition steps that make the running alien come in from the left of screen and exit right.
Thank you Doink for featuring this project on your Doink Blog!
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We Knew Her When

04/23/2012

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I just learned that a former Dryden Student  and Fugleflick Filmmaker Abigail (class of 2007) is going to play the lead role in her high school musical production of Sound of Music. Learn more here. This made me want to look back at the days we knew her when and celebrate her theatrical moments with us in the making of Young Sloppy Brush and ART-iculation (both were award winning student videos-see below).
Quote from Abigail's Parents: 
"You have played a big role in Abigail's artistic/creative development, imprinting her at an early age with the confidence she needed to let her light shine. Please never underestimate the importance of believing for the best in kids, especially the shy ones!"
UPDATE: Just returned from watching Abby's Performance! Here she is as Governess Maria teaching the children how to sing.
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Strive for Artistry

04/22/2012

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I received an email from a teacher asking about our Self-Portrait lesson in Fifth Grade (view the full gallery of images on Artsonia). I thought, maybe someone else might like to hear the same answers I gave her about how we do this project and my product recommendations so I posted the questions and my answers below:
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1. Do you use Tempera paint? Yes, What brand? Sax's brand Versatemp
2. Do you pre-mix fleshtones or have the kids do it? I use the multicultural paints and let them pick one for skin and one for shade of their skin.
3. How do you handle the distribution of paint? I have these great containers that we just keep refilling. We call the skin colors by number just to have a reference. I write the number on the lids (looks like these). I see a lot of different colors in your students' work, but I can't imagine having every color out on every table! With these containers I just set out three strips of colors one is skin, one is primary/secondary and one is black, white, gray, and browns.
4. Do you have them outline with Sharpie last? I prefer Redimark Permanent markers because they're thicker and juicer. I show them our movie about black marker first to get motivated to rescue their painting from Sloppy Brush.
5. How do you get them to do such a nice, neat job?! 
Thank you! but I really try to enforce craftsmanship. I just wrote an article about Good Artistry for the May issue of School Arts Magazine. You can view it here.
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Fugleflick: Elementary Musical, ties for first place in National Contest

04/21/2012

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Congratulations to fifth graders:
Jessica, Dom, Kate, Alexa, Liana, Emma, Vanessa, Elle, Mark, and Samantha
 Our Fugleflick: Elementary Musical tied for first place in NextVista's Spring Shoots video contest for the collaboration strand. See our video below and explore the other winners here. (While you're their watch "Careers in Art" our 2011 Student Video of the year winner!)
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Doink in Cinemagram (Double App Fun!)

04/20/2012

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My third graders are showing off the beginnings of their animation project in the Doink App through the Cinemagram app. Explore both!
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Feeling Showered with Love!

04/20/2012

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A group of my fifth graders showed up at my door today to deliver a huge card they created signed by their classmates filled with good wishes as I wait to learn if I am one of the ten recipients of the Golden Apple Award. I have been showered with love during this Golden Apple process as parents, students, teachers, and administrators rearranged their schedules and volunteered to be interviewed on my behalf. I was honored at the school board meeting, featured on the districts' website, written about in the local newspaper as well. My online friends even collected  adjectives to describe me through twitter and posted kind thoughts on my wallwisher page.
Thank you everyone! I agree with what Dean, my 5th grade student, wrote on the card. I am a winner already, but it's because I have this strong support system and amazing students. Please take a look at the movie I made to honor them.
**Special thanks to Michelle and big sister Jennifer (former student) who created the card at home together and initiated this act of kindness. Evidence that Dryden students are awesome!
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iPad Fundraiser through Artsonia

04/20/2012

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Artsonia saw a need at the NAEA conference for iPads in the Art Room so they very generously arranged a fundraiser to help art teachers get one! They are doing this at cost just to help the teachers which means if you purchase your student's art on one of their four products offered through this special site then the profit will go towards funding an iPad that will benefit ALL our students. I already have great ideas for using the ipad with students and would love to increase their exposure and accessibility to these remarkable devices. Please consider helping out the art program while shopping for a great Mother's day necklace, Father's day mug, magnet for the Grandparents' refrigerator, or note cards for everyday! The items available for purchase are in the display case by Echo the Dolphin.
PLEASE ORDER BY MAY 15TH
--->USE THIS LINK TO GET STARTED!<---
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Pendant Necklace
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Interchangeable magnet artwork
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Mug featuring your child's artwork
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Customize the back
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Glossy Art Magnet
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A different way to show art on the Fridge!
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A set of 8 notecards
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Send anytime to anyone!
Any piece of art can be put on one of these four products. Watch this tutorial from my art teacher friend Mrs. Campbell of Michigan about how to get started on ordering your items:
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My Draw Somethings...

04/19/2012

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I'm having so much fun with Draw Something App. I love how you can view the creative process, practice your visual literacy, and improve your drawing skills in this asynchronous pictionary styled game. If you want to play with me my screen name is Fuglefun.
I talked about this app along with Doink and Brushes in my last aRTs Roundtable podcast here: http://edreach.us/2012/04/18/arts-roundtable-18-artsy-apps/
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