Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Being Eight and the Porcupine

The project is finished and off to school. With the exception of painting the box and showing the spilled paint all over the counter, I do believe it's all here.

I learned interesting porcupine facts from the fact sheet and Being Eight learned all about watering down paint as well as other artsy things along the way.

He took a wooden shadow box and some watery green paint to create this lovely effect.
He was amazed I would get out the hair dryer to speed the drying time.


Decoupaging the maps of Africa and North America to the inside with Mod Podge.


Finished background.

Porcupine pictures were printed with a 2nd printing in mirror image.

Porcupines of North America love to hang around in trees.

Driftwood was added for dimension.

This incredible piece of South American wood made it easy for sticking porcupines in.

How we love grungeboard!

Putting it all together to discover the porcupine on the left wasn't the African species.

A quick change was easy to do.
The budding artist is never done!
With mod podge
and porcupine tracks
he needed to go the one extra step!

How cool is this!

This project has reassured him that...

  1. although he couldn't use grungeboard skulls he still liked using the letters
  2. he likes using the label machine and to have an excuse like a school project would ensure I wouldn't say 'no'
  3. Mod Podge is cool to peel from your fingers
  4. he'll never look at a hair dryer the same way again
  5. if he tries really hard he'll be able to find a way to use the piece of South American wood he's wanted to use since he was 6
  6. there are interesting things to be learned about the porcupine
  7. I love him and always will

12 comments:

Sallianne McClelland said...

J, this is just fantastic!!! How handy to have Ma and her Studio hey! Make sure when you get the A+ that you share it with Ma....she likes to get a good mark once in a while. I think you have definitely inherited her art talent and will continue to make lots of wonderful things. My favorite part of growing up was making things with my Ma (she is called Nanny and is now 88 years old). We did everything together and she would always make me lots of lovely things to eat too. But she wasn't as good a cook as Ma...I still remember getting food poisoning from her egg custard!
Love you very Much
Sal

JoAnnA Pierotti said...

Wow Jacob, what a great finished project. I bet you will get tripple A's on this one. How wonderful to have a personal ART Teacher all your own!!! You might be having your whole class ask to come to your grandma's for the next project.

Also, you are one handsome guy!!!!

Keep up the good work!
JoAnnA in California

Anonymous said...

Jacob!!! Aren't porcupines cool? I grew up in Louisiana and the only other little critter as cool is an armadillo! :) You did a fantastic job and I love the little paw prints.....great addition!

Lesley

Anonymous said...

This is really good, Jacob. You did an amazing job!!! I bet you get an A!

Anonymous said...

Hi Jacob and Ellen,
I have some interesting facts about porcupines to ad too you FABULOUS PROJECT JACOB! What a beautiful Job!!!!

I started making jewelry from Porcupine quills in 1973. This was a very successful endeavor as the Native Americans used quills for their costume (regalia) and these pieces were traded with a very high value to other Indians.

Porcupines will chew the tires of a car and let the air out!

WE have a class here at the school that teaches Porcupine Quill Basket on Birch Bark follow this link to see these Jacob!
http://www.fletcherfarm.com/classes.asp?CourseID=431

My family and I once fostered a porcupine baby that had been abandoned by its mother.

My father was a hunter and he bagged an albino porcupine. Jacob an albino is an animal or a human without pigment (COLOR) in their hair and skin, their eyes are pink.

Keep up the good work and look up some of this stuff on the internet.

ALBINO PORCUPINES
NATIVE AMERICAN PORCUPINE QUILL JEWELRY

Love Auntie Lolo in Vermont!

Laurie Marechaux...

Fletcher Farm School for the Arts and Crafts

Anonymous said...

hi jacob-love the porcupine art project-i am an elementary school art teacher and i am always looking for ideas to connect art with science, social studies and math-you gave me a great idea to use with my students-got any more?keep up the good work and i know your teacher will love the project!

Anonymous said...

Jacob WOW! That porcupine project is great! I love the 3-D look. I know you will get an A. I have quite a few shadow boxes and you have given me some great ideas. Keep up the good work!
Ms. Angela

Anonymous said...

Jacob
you have done a really cool job on your report. At first, I was trying to see where you got your porcupines from and than I remembered you said you used a mirror image, They look so real. Like miniature porcupines. I belong to the 3-D Cloth Doll club so I like to see things that are not real look as close to real as possible.
"Good Job" !!!!.
I am going to have to introduce you to my Niece Courtney she is 8 and likes smart Guys
Thanks for sharing from
Mama Gwen
Stay creative

kathy n said...

this is the coolest porcupine project i've ever seen! i'm sure it will bring you an A++++.
I learned something too...i didn't know porcupines lived in other parts of the world besides north america. i had the pleasure of seeing one up in NH in the middle of the night (luckily from my car) and boy was it big!
great job on your project jacob!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Jacob! Not only did you create a treasure, it looks like you had a lot of fun doing it. This project definitely deserves an A+.

dime store daze said...

that is the coolest thing... what a great grandma you are...
he's adorable although he does looks alittle impish

*jean* said...

That is just wonderful! Thank you for sharing Being Eight!! I have a Double Digit this year and he likes acrylic paints!!! Please tell BE - Bravo!! Well done!!! A+