Wednesday March 30, 2022

Making the Clay Guardian Monster

Bea uses a picture of a Chimera from the Greek mythology book to help her make a clay guardian.

The small group examines their original sketches

The small group for the clay guardian started by looking at their previous work and deciding what the best aspects of the drawings were.

(Looking at Cate’s) Thats the coolest one - Capers
I want to make one like Cate’s. We need to have it break fire - Bea
I agree - Capers
(Looking at the mythology book) This is too scary. If people see if, they’ll go’ahhhhhh’ and run away and won’t know its not real. - Bea

The small group looked through their work and picked out specific drawings. Each of the chosen drawings had aspects of the clay guardian that they wanted to incorporate into the final product. Cate's guardian was very popular but she was not in school to explain certain parts of it. After deciding on the aspects of the guardian, we used paint markers and clay slip to paint to create new ideas. Some friends chose to use books or toys as inspiration as well.


We are having a problem. We don’t know what this is (points to Cate’s drawing) - Bea
This would be easier if I knew whose it was. - Lily
(The group thinks about how to make a head for the guardian)
I know! we can use the head from my picture - Bea
It could have the head of a rhino - Lily
I have an idea. It could have 2 heads. One is a rhino and one is a lizard - Lily
It has ears, don’t forget - Bea
Did you say it needed a snake tail? - Lily
Yea, I drew 2 - Bea
I drew one - Lily

Our Clay Guardian Has:
2 heads, one is a rhino and one is a lizard - Lily
5 (snake) tails - Bea
6 tentacles. It's like an octopus - Capers
It breathes fire, but it's fake - Bea

Lily's work has several striped tails on the sides and tentacles on the bottom

Wilder drew a head for the guardian based of Medusa

Bea focused on the rhino and alligator heads as well as one large striped tail

Franny thought the guardian should be colorful and used a picture of Cerberus as inspiration

Creating in a Different Medium

Lily used the alligator as a model for her clay work as she experiments with the clay. "How can we make an alligator head for the guardian."

Wednesday, we took our ideas and inspiration with us as we brought in a new element, clay. We experimented with clay, thinking about the different aspects of that clay guardian. How can we represent the guardian given the clay techniques we know?

"We can use this to practice. We can make a rhino head." - Bea
"Or a snake tail." - Lily
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"Rhinos have curved back horns." - Bea
"Like a thin unicorn" - Lily

Luke comes up with a different idea. He creates a snake using a series of sphere's that he rolls by hand. 
"You make it with your hand. I fold it over and then  I roll it around"
Luke notices Lily and Capers using a studded rolling pin as "scales" and uses it to make "scales" for his snake.
"See, I made a long snakes. He's so long. He has scales on top"

Our Clay Experiments

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Our Message Guardian Grows

Jade and Remy work together to wrap markers with wire to make the legs for their guardian

Legs for the Message Guardian
The committee for the message guardian got back together today to work on the legs.  Before spring break, they had decided that old markers would serve as the legs.  Children and teachers had collected a set of dried-up markers.  The group quickly determined that placing our large guardian on two thin markers would not work.

Jade - We could put markers together and tape them or tie them (to form the legs).
The first task was to equally divide the legs.  Lucas and Wilder worked together while Jade and Remy formed the other group.  They all took markers and counted the number that was in each set.  Initially, Wilder and Lucas had 11 markers while Jade and Remy had 7.  The boys passed a few markers to the girls.  Now the girls’ set contained 10, while the boys had 8.
Wilder - Maybe you should share some of your markers.
Jade - We will. 

On Wednesday, we put our work together.  The group started by looking at the legs they wrapped yesterday.  The initial plan was to balance these legs on glue bottle feet.  However, Jade noticed two boxes….
Jade - I have a good idea, we can put these legs in these boxes.  That will help them stand up.

Later on, the group moved to the head and how to make its other features.
Jade - We still need a mouth and a nose and ears.  And a mouth with scary teeth.
The group considers the tray of materials….
Jade - I have a good idea.  We can draw the mouth with the teeth.  
The group likes the idea and begins their drawings.
Jade - It’s okay if we all draw because he can have a lot of scary mouths.