Christmas art projects for middle school

Try out this oil pastel candle art lesson for illuminating and expressive results! My intermediate students have loved creating this artwork because there is something so mesmerizing about the glow of candlelight. Throughout art history, candlelight creates drama, mystery and contrast.

Looking for some more fun winter art activities for kids? This DIY Snowflake Art Project is a terrific craft for kids to enjoy creating and makes a beautiful keepsake or awesome gifts for loved ones.

I showed my 4th graders how to draw the simple shapes that make up the nutcrackers. Then I asked them to decorate the nutcrackers they drew by adding their own details. We talked about the element of design, value and how it makes things in art work look "real". I showed them techniques that they could use with oil pastels to create value in their art work.

This fun lesson only took 2 (40 minute) art classes! Just enough time for a couple of my 5th grade classes to create them before winter break!! Steps to the lesson with pics below! A big THANKS to…

5 Christmas Art Project or Lesson Ideas that you can simply and easily do in your classroom that use choice or flexible art mediums, perfect for Christmas Choice-Based Art Education and Learning. I have a bunch of easy-to-do and prep ideas that can use choice art mediums and can allow the students to really immerse themselves in some Christmas vibes. So grab your Art Making Mediums (of your choice of course) and let’s get into these Christmas Ready-Made, Simple and Engaging, Art Lesson Ideas…

Your Tracers are heading YOUR way!

After many watercolor projects behind us, I was looking for a quick project to do with my kids in a dry technique that would give reliable and bold results. We had not done any oil pastel projects in ages, so I though I'd start there. I discovered this amazing artist on youtube: Art Arena. He creates stunning, bright oil pastel landscapes using a blending technique, and incorporates silhouetted images with soft graphite for a powerful effect. This project is directly inspired by his 'Aurora…