Bingham Seascapes

In fourth grade, we study our regional artists.  For us, that means Thomas Hart Benton, Grant Wood and George Caleb Bingham.  I give the students a quick overview, and they take notes in their sketchbooks.  I even show them the three assignments we'll be creating, and then we start thinking of ideas.  Their Bingham assignment is based on his painting Fur Traders Descending the Missouri.  I want students to draw (and then paint) a water scene where people are having fun.  Here are some of ours:

Busy at work.  I have so many classes painting a variety of assignments at once,
that I started using the egg cartons.  It really saved the getting-out-the-paint time.
Just snap the lid shut and you're done.

More students at work.  See our water cups?  A janitor at my old school got them.
They're made for seed starting or something.  I love them because they're
almost impossible to turn over.

Love the surfer girl!

There were originally people in the yellow tubes,
but she painted over them.

Look at the mermaid on the right.
This student has a "thing" for mermaids!

This is supposed to be a pool in Ohio?!
We don't live in Ohio, so I'm a little uncertain what the yellow lines are.

Love the water on this one.

I love this one. He added a bit more after I took the photo:
flowers on the ground and changed the trees to a darker green
to better contrast with the grass.

This is one of the few almost-free-choice paintings we do. The expectations include: covering all the paper with paint, painting details and mixing a few colors.  Next, on to Benton inspired murals!