Showing posts with label art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label art. Show all posts

How do fish swim?

It's been a little more than a year since our kids got their fish and the had the big fish party when they arrived.
Thanks for the cake Grandma!

Our son's Betta died so that experiment is done.  He didn't want another one. He also gave his hermit crab to his little sister.  He's on to building computer servers, online broadcasting, streaming, and gaming.  Tween fun.
RIP "Guppy" the Betta

Our daughter's 4 fish have turned into almost 30. And we've added plants to help deal with the changing conditions. So it is a continual experiment in chemistry and biology.
"Before" the population explosion
Really, we need to take a bunch of our fish back to the amazing "pet store."  It's really more like a zoological learning center than a store. They are so dedicated to education and their care taking responsibilities.



Back at home...our daughter has been wondering about how fish swim among other things.  The fish have provided opportunities for several immersion learning style lessons. Here's some of what we are learning...

Fish locomotion


There are some great images and resources from A Quick Course in Ichthyology by Jason Buchheim, Director, Odyssey Expeditions"




The Art and Science of Swimming

Here is an awesome combined art project and science experiment from The Helpful Art Teacher that examines the hydrodynamic properties of fish.




Drawing Fish

The Helpful Art Teacher can also help you learn  to draw and paint Koi (Carp) using traditional Japanese and Chinese techniques.  There is a lovely set of lessons on observing the motion of fish and translating it to beautiful pieces of art in a way that you can really do!

Alternatively, here's an easy tutorial on drawing fish from How to Draw 200 Animals from a side view, albeit with less dynamism that the technique above.

Fish Anatomy


Here are some great illustrations of internal and external fish anatomy for outdoor fish and more geared toward tank fish


Platy Fish

Since most of her fish are Platys we were look for some specific information on their origin, variations, life span, differences between males and females.

Fishlore and the Tropical Tank have been helpful resources for breed information. We're still having trouble trying to find a comprehensive photo index of all the different types.




Twin rainbows

My daughter and I were totally in sync!

Just as I was pinning this to my do do list...



She was drawing this...


I guess were were both in a rainbow kind of mood :-)

A new use for watercolor pencils?

My 6 year old daughter has declared she no longer has face paint on her wish list.  And here is why.

My beloved clown ♥

She has decided that her watercolor pencils work just fine.

Do I look like grandpa now?
Ouch! grandpa!

DIY Garden Art

In addition to using upcycled drainage tiles and cinder blocks in the garden, here are some more DIY projects for creating your garden paradise.

Sand cast concrete stone project from Squidoo Garden Crafts


Mosaic bench from The Garden Forum
Uses reverse technique with tiles on contact paper

Cement molds from The Garden Forum
This one really sets the bar high!
Leaf casting and loads of inspiration from Garden Therapy

Woven grasses project from Squidoo Garden Crafts

Branch trellis project from Squidoo Garden Crafts
Breathtaking pebble mosaic from Tatoo Donkey

From  The Garden Forum
Faux hanging log using hypertufa


Pebble Mosaic Tutorial from This Old House

More Resources for Inspiration from your ♥ local library or bookstore ♥

 

Painted Mason Jars

There is so much ♥ Mason Jar Love ♥ out there.  Here are a few of my favorites that involve various paints and tints.

Glowing jars

Photo from Deviant Art, Instructions From Panka with Love

Pastel Tinted Jars
Momtastic
Painted Jars

The Crafty Scientist

20 Ways to Melt and Use Crayons

I realized that for a blog with "Crayons" in the name I should really have some posts about crayons!! So here we go with the ultimate guide to melting crayons.

Being the OCD academic classifier than I am, I adore sorting things like crayons which comes in handy for some of these projects.

DIY Crayon sorter from Simply Craft Blog via Monkey See Monkey Do

TO PEEL OR NOT TO PEEL?

Most of these blog authors peeled the paper off their crayons (or had the kids do that during church lol). Some folks like The Go Green Blog melted crayons with the paper on and just removed papers before pouring into molds.

If you do peel save the wrappers!

Crayon wrapper collage from etsy artist Price Jamie
HOW TO MELT CRAYONS AND WHAT TO DO WITH THEM

Please visit these blogger sites to learn more about their specific instructions for temperatures and what molds worked best for them and what special safety instructions apply, especially with kids. Hint: Some molds melt with the crayons and empty pill bottles and empty deodorant sticks make great molds!

(1) Melt and pour -- using the stovetop

Tin can as double boiler from Apple Shoe
Soda cans as double boiler from The Go Green Blog
The Go Green Blog pours into mold

(2) Melt and pour -- using the oven

Better in Bulk melts then molds

Finished product from Better in Bulk
Melted then poured into molds from Lego Express

(3) Melt crayons directly in the molds -- using the oven

Oven baked crayons from Eric Carle Museum of Art
Oven baked crayons from Better in Bulk


(4) Melt crayons directly in the molds -- using the microwave


Layered crayons
Polka dot crayons


(5) Melt the crayons with the sun

Hot sun + car roof = crafts for boys from Come Together Kids
Hot sun + canvas = art from Clumsy Crafter
Hot sun + mason jar + wick = crayon candle from  ..and chaos ensued

(6) Melt crayons with a blow dryer

Art from Unsimple Living (Wrappers off)
Art from 52 Kitchen Adventures (wrappers on)
Art from Sam's Scrap Candy
Art from Etsy seller Light and Spoon
Art from Crafster

(7) Melt crayons with embossing gun

Embossing tin with melted crayon at Instructables

(8) Melt crayons with candle warmer

Melting crayons with candle warmer from Teach Preschool


(9) Melt crayons with candles

Abstract crayon art from Ideals to Life
Dot art from U Create with Kids

(10) Melt crayons on hot rocks

Fun ways to melt crayons from Wise Craft

(11) Melt crayons on heated iron for transfer

Melted crayon art backgrounds from Split Coast Stampers
Iron-melted crayon papers from Ink Stains

(12) Melt crayons with iron and wax paper

Transparent crayon heart mobiles from napcp
(13) Melt crayons with a light bulb
yeah, that light bulb works says Instructables author K.Therman#8
Here's the proof from K.Theman#8

(14) Melt crayons into sculptures

Crayon sculpture in process from Butterfly Dreams
(15) Melt crayons into a bowl

Award winning Kookabura at Worth 1000

(16) Melt crayons into candles or use to tint candle wax

Bottle cap candles from Craftaholics Anonymous
Wax and candle crayon from Crafty Corner
Crayon candles in Easter eggs from The Magic Onions
(17) Decorate Easter eggs

Disney Family Fun
(18) Melt crayon on fabrics

Melted crayon with fabric on skillet from Heather's 3 Stars
(19) Warm and bend crayons into art

Bob Bonanno winner at Bergen Museum

(20) Melt crayons and draw on warming tray

Melted crayon art at Play Based Learning

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