Ink, Tape, Black Glue, Glass....

Bridget, here. We ended the day with an amazing wrap up/share (initiated by the artists) that I didn't want to interrupt with blogging duties... so here 'goes...

Tori is inspired by a visit from one of the Waterfall dogs

Great day - we finished out ATC series after looking at images on Pinterest of inspiring black ink drawings over watercolor backgrounds. I finally had a reason to bust out the loads of ink pens and bottles of ink in the supply closet! Maria had begun using pen and ink a while ago, and brought it in to show - so the rest of the kids were excited to be able to try it themselves. Maria gave a bunch of pointers on the somewhat tricky pens. It was really just a chance to use a new medium - play around with it, see how it works.. but more than a few were bold enough to go for it and use ink on their Artist Trading Cards. These guys have fully embraced the "no mistakes - just happy accidents" mantra! The stuff looks gorgeous.

From Olivia's series..

Joe has been developing filagree-type designs - great with pen and ink!

Horse-themes series by Pia, abstract geometric on red by Lake

Ethan kissing his favorite card. Just kidding. He's blowing ink across the design.


I didn't get any pictures of the image transfers! We used packaging tape and magazine images to layer images onto the backgrounds. It's a great technique these guys will be using at home, I'm sure.

We somehow managed to start a second project... The most intriguing faux stained glass method I've found - using ink-blackened glue to draw on glass (from picture frames). Next week we'll fill in the spaces with acrylic paint mixed with clear school glue... check back to see the results!

Lake went to work with a ruler when he got
the low-down on how the design needed to work,
for a true stained glass effect.

Some quotes (from memory) that came out during sharing/critique time:

"I was having a really really bad day, I got called to the principals office, I was really mad - then I was in class and I saw the cover of this book (shared a book they are reading in school with a painting as the cover illustration) and I remembered IT'S TUESDAY! This is what makes me happy in my week especially on bad days."

"Waterfall has brought something out in me - it's like I know this is a place I can just be myself and express myself and it's ok - I'm not afraid to show my art or read my poems because I know it's a safe place I can trust where no one's going to say It's wrong or not good or weird... so now these ideas are just pouring out!"

"It's like everybody has a different kind of smarts. And if you don't do good at one like math, making art, that might be your smarts. How could you even know that if you don't get art [class or afterschool club]? Here, I know I'm really good at some things!"

Pia used my tablet to emphatically share the work of a local artist she loves,

Tori shared a drawing and got the feedback that her imagination is VAST. So true.

Katie read poetry and reflected on how one minute she's in the zone, pouring out poems, and then was creatively exhausted and blocked. She got feedback on the imagery in her poem and praise for sharing.