Littletown Murals and Monsters - Murals Installed and Complete!

During my final few days at Littletown School earlier this term (an extension to the iCollaborate Project), the children worked collaboratively on a huge blue cardboard monster, whist creating images for the large mural panels which were destined to be installed in the playground.

It was wonderful to see the creative collaborations between pupils exploding with imagery and colour as each of the activities developed. The children made over 150 drawings which fed directly into the final murals (some of the drawings were actually fed to the blue monster who apparently was very hungry), whilst creating a large monster complete with moving jaw and mixed media adornments.

Working on Mural Textures

The final Designs

Panel Close Up

The Murals Installed

A Chickens Tale Complete!

After ten wonderful days at Battyeford Primary School working in the Early Years setting, the artwork and the resulting mini-animated film are now complete. I had a wonderful time working with the young children and parents on this chicken themed visual bonanza! Thanks goes out to the enthusiastic and supportive Natalie Dean, who brings a shining light of creativity to pupils and the wider community of Battyeford! Also a big thanks to Christine and the staff who were supportive throughout!

Chickens in Full Flight! Chickens Tale at Battyeford

Lots of activity in the Early Years setting at Battyeford over the past couple of days, with even more parental involvement and the start of some pretty sweet animation sequences. All with 5's and under! Loving it!

First steps into Chickenmation

Designing and making Chicken Characters

Chicken Scene

Working on Titles

The Title

More Painting and Collage

Cardboard Collabs

Cardboard Collabs

Cardboard Collabs

Filming Setup

A Chickens Tale - Day 005 - Animation Anyone?

Following a strange tumbleweed moment, the day grew in to a fantastic hive of activity in the Early Years setting at Battyeford, initially between parents and children, and then amongst small groups of children working collaboratively. Large scale paintings and preparations for a simple animated sequence were the order of the day. Great atmosphere, great artwork! 'Can't wait until tomorrow!

Family Chicken Designs

Making Chickens to Animate

Replacement Chickens

Designing Chicken Characters for Animation

Large Scale Chicken Paintings with Mrs Dean

Wild Thing Inspired Animation at Reinwood Juniors

Filming Max and the boat with iStopmotion on the iPad

Recently I had the pleasure of working with a wonderful Y3 class at Reinwood Junior School in Huddersfield for four days, making artwork in response to one of my all time favorite picture books, Where the Wild Things Are. The children made a series of amazing collaborative drawings using a range of drawing techniques, they used iPads to create digital drawings and storyboards,  and eventually created a short animated piece which was captured and edited using only an iPad and a selection of fantastic apps.


Wild Things from Fabric Lenny on Vimeo.

Drawings with pen and wash

Cardboard Characters drawn with Posca Pens

More replacement Characters

Animating with the iPad

Editing the film with Cute Cut on the iPad

Apps used during the project: iStopmotion for iPad, Cute Cut, Comic Life, Brushes, Puppet Pals HD and Over.

A Chickens Tale - Day 004 - Quick update!

Today saw more lovely collaborative work between parents and children. Pretty full on so not a huge amount of time for photographs, but these two images pretty much capture the day!!

A Chickens Tale - day 003 - Enter the Parents!

After a great couple of initial days in the Early Years setting at Battyeford, today it was time for parents to join in the fun! Drawing, painting, sketching outside at the chicken pen, along with mixed media collaborative work developing between parents and children. Lovely stuff!

Drawing and Cardboard Sculpting at Cockburn School in Leeds.

Figure and Birds - cardboard, acrylic and posca

I had a great time today working with pupils and staff at Cockburn School in Leeds. Twenty year 7 and 8 pupils attended the workshop during their half-term holidays, along with a friendly, supportive and enthusiastic staff team. We worked through a variety of drawing exercises followed by the construction of a series of collaborative cardboard sculptures, two of which you can see here. Super fantastic!

Skull and Crown

Large Cardboard Characters at Netherhall School, Maryport, Cumbria

Friday was a day of driving, driving rain and Cardboard! I spent the day working with an enthusiastic group of boys at Netherhall School, Maryport, creating a series of works on paper, wire drawings, and then eventually these two larger than life characters, which were made collaboratively by the whole group using cardboard and Posca Pens!

A Chickens Tale - Day 002

Day two of the 'A Chickens Tale' project at Battyeford Primary School in Mirfield (Early Years), and once again a hive of activity. Pen and wash, mixed media work on cardboard, collaborative work on tracing paper, spray paint stencils and Mono-printing (courtesy of Mrs Dean). Awesome! To be continued in a couple of weeks....

Pen and wash chicken

Mixed media on tracing paper

Cardboard, acrylic and Posca

Mixed media collaborative work

Pen and wash

Posca, oil pastel and acrylic on Card

Posca Embelishments

Posca Chickens

Mono prints

Drawing on tracing paper