Category:

1st Grade Lima Bean Monsters

10/4/2017

In progress:

Students drew their Lima Bean monster on paper, traced it with black marker in the photos below. Next they will try to paint with color balance neatly and completely.

Our Inspirations:

Students were inspired by the story, Lima Bean Monster by Dan Yaccarino.

We also enjoyed the song, Veggie Rock Song Fizzy's Lunch Lab on PBSkids.

Resources:

We used the handouts in our Lima Bean Monster Packet to get ideas for Eyes, Noses, Mouths, expressive eyebrows, and teeth. Students each made their own choices and drew as big and expressively as possible. I also printed out these examples for each student.

This sheet can be posted alongside their artwork or on the back.

Results: Finished paintings on Artsonia

Jumping (Lima) Beans

Digital Extension:

First graders are posing with their favorite vegetable in front of green screen so they can become the body of their lima bean monster. These photos will be combined with their artwork to help make an EAT YOUR VEGGIES poster.

EAT YOUR VEGGIES POSTERS

First graders had their first iPad creation experience this year by combining their lima bean monster (with body) and a background with text. They downloaded the files from dropbox, imported them into the superimpose app, resized and placed their figure, added a drop shadow, saved, uploaded the finished graphic design to the correct folder in dropbox and renamed it. (whew!)

1-1 Class Movie

1-2 Class Movie

1-3 Class Movie

1st Grade Multi-Age

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MAKE IT then MOVE IT: animated GIF

7/7/2017

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A long time ago I responded to Ian Sands on twitter asking for digital images of children's art that he could offer to his high school students to play with as they learn to animate. Some of his students selected my students "He Came with the Chair" paintings. The animations turned out SO adorable and inspiring-see example below or check them all out here. It has been one of my goals to figure out an elementary level lesson with a straightforward app that would give my students the experience of animating their own artwork in the same style. I think I might have figured it out. This technique isn't perfect, but, it will work.

If we had Procreate app: like photoshop

The Brushes Redux app (free) allows you to work with layers like photoshop; select and match colors, use different textured brushes, and save each layer individually-all things needed to make these animations. However, the app does not allow you to select parts of the image. That's how the feet were moved in the animation below. The artist selected the feet, rotated them a bit, and redrew the surrounding space to match. This is the element my students would need to work around unless we purchase Procreate app for the classroom which has all the tools we would need. Sounds like I should write a grant.

Original artwork by a Dryden 2nd grader

Animated using Photoshop by HS student

Alternative plan: Brushes Redux (free)

This alternative solution for making animated GIF using Brushes Redux is to redraw each change in the piece of art. You need to choose a piece of art that has colors, textures, and elements that can easily be REDRAWN since you can't select and move. So, let's look at these portraits of George Washington by second graders. They each have clear and solid black marker lines and a clean opaque paint. It would be easy to redraw the eyes, mouth, nose, or even the wig or shoulders. Here is my first run through:

Original drawing #1

redrawn irises and corners of mouth #2

Redrawn irises, mouth, eyebrows rise #3

Eyelids shutting, blush & smile increase #4

Changed blush, eyelids, mouth #5

These are the five drawings I sent to my camera roll after redrawing some changes to eyes, mouth, eyebrows, and skin color. One trick to make your colors match is by holding and pressing down over a color until the "circle of selection ring" shows up. You can drag that ring over any color you want to match from the painting. Lift up and touch down again and you're ready to paint. It's really quick and easy in this app. If I had trouble making the blush effect blend nicely in #4-#5 so I had to switch brush styles to something more transparent to airbrush it in. I didn't choose white or black to draw with, I chose the white-ish/black-ish color in it for consistency.

Screenshot of George Washington Painting in Brushes Redux

After importing your original image into a layer of Brushes Redux, you need to size it and never change it again. Consistency is really key for making the art look like it is moving. I deleted the extra transparent layer and chose the DUPLICATE button (double square +) from the top bar in the layers. I could only see the top layer so the bottom one didn't distract me, but to make sure I didn't draw on the wrong layer, I LOCK the bottom layer when I'm done with it (touch the lock symbol next to the image layer). I can use the eyeball feature to reveal and hide layers to check on how my changes are looking from one layer to the other. I would try to keep this animation simple by not exceeding 5 layers/drawings. It's hard to see all the layers in the app at one time when you get beyond 4. That can confuse your little artists. When you're ready to save your work: 1. close the eyeball on each layer expect your original (bottom layer), choose save to photos. 2. Open the eyeball on second layer and save to photos. 3. Repeat this until finished. This makes the images in the camera roll stay in order.

Screenshot from ezgif.com preparing animation sequence with duplicates

Now students can go to ezgif.com on their iPads and upload their images into the GIF maker. You'll see above that my five images are made into a sequence of 8 so that it will loop nicely. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 are the drawings. I copied 4 and placed it after 5 so I could start reversing the sequence, followed by a copy of 3 and 2.
Let's spell this out clearly for little artists:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2 (sequence for 5 images in animation)
1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2 (sequence for 4 images in animation)
1, 2, 3, 2 (sequence for 3 images in animation)

Here is how it looks: (I used the crop tool to trim off white edges)

Quick Video Overview:

Use this video to introduce the project and help students see what the process requires.

MAKE IT then MOVE IT: ANIMATED GIF from Tricia Fuglestad on Vimeo.

Thinking this through: (my notes)

Now that we went through the process, I'm trying to think about the age group that would do this project. I think that we could make this work for almost any age if I helped with file management. Brushes Redux will save their work from week to week in their gallery. So this could be a long term drawing project. When students are ready to save, we could upload their image sequence to a folder I make for them on dropbox. The dropbox app gives you the chance to rename a group of files. It becomes their name followed by the number. At this point, the files are safe and ready for uploading to the GIF maker in Ezgif.com. This could be done the following week. I could have them download the images into the camera roll in correct sequence with duplicates included as spelled out above.

Turn in art in order with help of Dropbox

screenshot of Wild Thing- layers in Brushes Redux

Another approach I might go with is to add structure the process since everything about it would be new to young learners. We could all work from the same gallery of images so we can tackle similar problems together. If we worked on, for example, these Wild Things from 1st grade, I could demonstrate how I would animate the eyes, mouth, and the horns. They might make other creative choices, but the problem-solving I demonstrate would transfer easily to their creative solutions.

4 drawings in this sequence: 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2 so it loops nicely

Examples:

The fifth graders' 3/4 pose portrait paintings are perfect for this animation lesson by making subtle changes in the expression. It forces the artist to think about what faces do to express emotion and map out a sequence of drawings to create this expression. This is a different form of expressionism (HA! Art teacher humor).

The fifth grade Light Up Robot painting is fun to animate with moving and blinking.

This 5th grade robot painting didn't have very much detail for me to animate. But, through the magic of digital drawing, I was able to add blinking lights, a moving lever, and a rotating gauge as I animated (see middle robot below).
Going through these steps made me wonder if knowing you are going to animate your robot digitally as an extension to the project would change the way you create it initially.

Added elements as I animated the robot

These first grade Lima Bean Monsters are perfect for this idea with their big features.

Animated Lima Bean Monsters by 1st graders

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Creative Projects to turn Stem to STEAM

6/23/2014

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I have done a presentation called Creative Digital Projects that turn Stem to STEAM at three conferences over the past couple of years. These 45-50 minute presentations include a bizillion ideas in a media packed keynote file that I have trouble sharing online. However I did create a condensed version of the presentation for the AOE Online Conference last summer. The presentation has been behind a pay wall for one year and can finally come out for public consumption now. The following lessons are shared in the video below. Learn more from my links. Also, see Wes Fryer's review of my live presentation at the Illinois Computer Educator's Conference here.

Creative Digital Projects that put STEAM in STEM from Tricia Fuglestad on Vimeo.

Not Christina's World Anymore
(art, writing, Photography, technology)
Blog post of resources
Student examples
Download lesson plan

Tip: Use the Superimpose app to eliminate the green screen. See my tutorial.

The Digital Scream
(art, storytelling, photography, drama, technology)
Blog post of resources
Students' painted examples
Students' digital examples
Spooky Scream video
Download your custom
photo booth-your face in the scream

Tip: Use the Superimpose app to eliminate the green screen. See my tutorial.

Cat in a Hat-ify Yourself
(Reading, Dr. Seuss, graphic design, technology)

Custom Photo Booth Effect to Cat-in-a-Hat-ify yourself
Directions and resources for iPad Bookmarks
Cat-in-a-hat-ified Book Covers
Cat in a Hat-ified Art Project
Students' Cat in a Hat Art on PBS TV

American Gothic Spoof
(storytelling, great depression, juxtapose, spoof)

Interactive American Gothic lesson and tutorial
Blog post with lesson resources
American Gothic Spoof (edited SNL skit)
American Gothic Spoof-o-matic resources
Student American Gothic Spoof examples
Download the American Gothic Custom Photo Booth FX

Artist Statements
(writing, graphic design, technology)

Resources for making these on iPads
Students' iPad examples
Student examples made on using photoshop and keynote

6 Words About Me
(writing, poetry, technology)

Blog post with resources
Monochromatic Painting Blog post
Download the 3/4 portrait PPT lesson
Monochromatic Fugleflick (music video to teach concept)
Student examples

Tech w/ George Washington
Blog post with resources
Even more fun with George and Tech
Facing the facts: history and art
Student paintings
Download my PPT lesson plan

Superhero Silhouettes
(character education, graphic design, drama)

iPad directions and resources with video tutorial
Keynote directions and resources with video tutorial
Student art
Download the art/character education lesson

Eat Your Veggies
(healthy choices, acting, technology, literacy)

Blog post with resources and tutorial video
Student art
Eat Your Veggies video
Download my Digital Lima Bean Monster lesson
Download our interactive Lima Bean Monster eBook

Surreal Healthy Choices
(graphic design, healthy choices, surrealism)

Blog post with lesson resources and video
Students' digital spoofs of Son of Man
Students' painted Son of Man portraits

Supplement with Connect a Concept game where students use their social skills and knowledge of art concepts to make connections

Running Aliens
(animation, figure drawing, technology, storytelling)

Student examples
(screenshots from movie)
Class movies of Alien Invasions
Original lesson blog post with resources and tutorial
Download my lesson plan here

Rotoscope Animation
(collaboration, animation)

Notes from my Rotoscoping project
Our very silent movie
STEMie Award
View our (cute) Fugleflick about contour line drawing

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Making Memes

1/2/2014

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What better way to get a message out than to embed it into a visually interesting image? Social networks and media sources online are full of memes from others. Why not create your own? There are some easy iPad apps loaded with tools to help you.

Animated meme made in DOINK converted in Bloggif

Made in Retromatic App

Superimpose app & Rhonna Designs

Created with Path On app

Superimpose app & Keynote

Retromatic app

Superimpose App & Comic Life app

Superimpose & Sketchbook X

Procreate App & Rhonna Designs

Brushes App & Rhonna Designs

Retromatic App

Deco Sketch, SuperImpose, Rhonna Designs

Sketchbook Express and Retromatic

Superimpose app and Phonto

Adobe Draw and Phonto apps

Now, go change the world with your messages of bacon and other compelling things (but what can beat bacon?)

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1st Grade Draws: APEX HS Animates

12/18/2013

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The high school artists of APEX High School in NC under the direction of their art teacher, Mr. Ian Sands, did a collaborative art project with our 1st graders.
Look at how they transformed these Lima Bean Monsters into super cool animations!

Maya's Drawing

Nikolas' Drawing

Veronica's Drawing

Erik's Drawing

JT's Drawing

Angelica's Drawing

Jessica's Drawing

Ben W.'s Drawing

Cayden's Drawing

Thank you APEX HS students for bringing even more creativity and personality to our
LIMA BEAN MONSTERS!

Don't forget that you can download the 1st graders eBook for your mobile device. Learn how on this blog post.

This collaboration was formed via Twitter. Take a look below to see our tweets.

@iansands pick us! pick us! We have Lima beans! They start here: http://t.co/FLKcuS8lv8
— Tricia Fuglestad (@fuglefun) December 13, 2013

High School Animators meet First Grade Artists! http://t.co/IjyBXem19h @RondeauART @fuglefun
— ian sands (@iansands) December 18, 2013

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Download our Lima Bean Monster eBook

12/13/2013

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First graders have been going LIMA BEAN MONSTER crazy (and so have I).
Today they completed their
Lima Bean Monster Mob eBook
This book has every 1st grader's lima bean drawing featured in a mob design.
Some of the students were able to add their voices to the book next to their work.

"It is simply adorable! I want to eat it up!" -Shelly Celery

"It's the best read I've ever had." -Tom Mato

You can download this interactive book by clicking on this link while on a mobile device and opening the ePub file in iBooks (or another ePub reader.
The tutorial below will give you some tips.

How to Download our Lima Bean Monster Mob Book from Tricia Fuglestad on Vimeo.

While we were finalizing our Lima Bean Monster Mob Book, 1st graders also posed for a photo dressed as their lima bean monster (with monster hands) holding their favorite vegetable. These images were combined along with a message to "Eat Your Veggies!" You canview all the finished pieces on our gallery and enjoy a slideshow video of them below or here.

Eat Your Veggies from Tricia Fuglestad on Vimeo.

TEACHERS: want to try this lesson extension where students create animated lima bean monsters?
Download my lesson plan and resources at TPT here.

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Lima Bean Monster Mobs

11/29/2013

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Sure, one lima bean monster is cute, but a massive mob of lima bean monsters is ADORABLE! I started playing with my first graders' images this week (see their individual lima bean monsters here) by assembling them into different designs. To be honest, it became a bit of an obsession. I was so engrossed in these monster mobs that I actually asked my family to pass the lima beans during thanksgiving dinner. Oops, I meant green bean casserole. I kept on designing until every first graders' lima bean was used in a mob. I uploaded the images to each student's portfolio as well. I hope you enjoy these cute little creatures and always remember to EAT YOUR VEGGIES.

If you are reading this on or before Sat. November 30th. Please vote for Kuba14
He is in the running for Artist of the Week. Below is a lima bean monster's message.

Click to download

What's Next?
We are going to try to animate lima bean monsters using iPads and the app called DOINK. I've been practicing this lesson quite a bit and am very excited about helping my 1st graders learn to animate for the first time. See my post. Click here to download the digital animation lesson from TpT.

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Digital Lima Bean Monsters

6/20/2013

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Doink iPad App

5seconds App

Here is a really easy drawn animation project for the iPad tied to literacy.

1. Draw and color a monster in Doink
2. Add a new frame
3. Trace and color the drawing with a slight change
4. Add a new frame and repeat
5. Start a new drawing for the background
6. Layer the monster over the background in the composition mode.
7. Draw a path (or not).
8. Export to camera role
9. Open the movie in 5s app and convert to GIF

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