Use Your Imagination

In art classes, you always need to follow your imagination. But you're really going to have to use it now. Because the glue was evil and didn't dry so EVERYTHING is unfinished. Use your imagination and pretend there is gold paint over the undried glue will you. Humor the art teacher.

This is a Byzantine icon. It is in a museum.

This is my icon. It was acquired at a garage sale. 

This is our craft. It was modeled after both. 

It's pretty neat, if I do say so myself. It is based on the ingenious concept of drawing a picture with glue, then painting over it to reveal a patter underneath. This works best when using nice, sweet glue. Not the evil, Nazi glue my class got stuck with. That glue will not dry no matter what. It is very bad and not nice at all. So you'll have to use your imagination to see what the gold paint everyone was sent home with in dixie cups would look like spread over their glued cardboard. 

Also, since real icons are made for the images of saints, we did the same. We used 'Saint Trader Cards.' They are sort of like pokemon cards, but with saints on them. I bought them at a religious bookstore. I did not expect them to be as strange as they were. I thought they would look like actual saints, not strange saints being engulfed in flames like the saint card I used for my example. Some of them were downright violent also. Like the one depicting Thomas Beckett being beheaded. Everyone wanted that card. I have no idea why. 

It may take some looking, but that is in fact Saint Thomas of London getting his head cut off.

I believe this was Saint George. I think he also slayed a dragon. 

What artistic glue swirls! 

Hmm, don't know which Saint this is, but he is fantastically framed by my student. 

This one was Saint Rita. I recall that everyone thought this was a bum card because it looked 'boring.' On further inspection (reading the back) we found out that Rita is saint of the impossible. Which is totally cool. The impossible made this a much in demand trading card after that. Everyone notice the doves next to Rita. Sure makes her look saintly. 

I don't remember what saint this is, but this card might have been one of my favorites. Truth be told, this was the top card in the box and what I hoped the rest of them looked like. I was disappointed. Thank goodness my disappointment was fixed with the lovely creation of this icon. Look at that creativity!

This one would have turned out great had the glue been cooperative. But you know what, I think it's still great all on its own.

This, personally, is my favorite saint. I've always had a soft spot for Saint Joan of Arc. She also has the most sweeping saint card. And she's so well framed by my student's artistry!

There were enough saint trader cards for everyone to get two. This student had the ingenious idea that instead of using one and bringing the other home, maybe she's just make a DOUBLE icon. She's so

 bright.

Look at that! It's like a maze frame. So cool. I love this one. 

Actually, I love them all. Each and everyone. Even if I didn't get to see any of them finished. They are all still great.