Pastel Penguin

Penguins are a very popular subject matter. Looking at some large photos before beginning will give students a chance to see colors and detail they may not have noticed before.

1. I first gave the students oval cardboard templates that were about 5" tall by 3" wide. They were to trace them in the middle of light blue construction paper. With the oval used as the body, the students are to then draw the head, wings and feet. Circle eyes and a triangle complete the face. A horizon line is added to the background, along with a sun, if desired.
2. The students then traced all of their drawing with a thin black marker, and then colored in the shapes with oil pastel. Because this image has so much white, it's fun to do on almost any colored paper so that the white can be colored in.

CA Visual Art Standard: Creative Expression, Grade Kindergarten
2.6 Use geometric shapes/forms (circle, triangle, square) in a work of art.

One-Point Perspective Drawing

I’ve tried the perspective city street lesson before, but the students seemed to spend more time measuring lines than anything else. This lesson still teaches about one-point perspective, but is much less fussy.

1. Give each student a 9" square paper, ruler, pencil and 2" square cardboard template. Ask them to trace 4 or 5 squares somewhat in a ring around the outside edge of the paper. Corners may go off the paper, but the center needs to be left open.
2. The students make a vanishing point dot somewhere in the middle of the paper. They draw straight lines (lightly!) connecting it to every square corner that they can reach. If a connecting line would go into the square, it means it would be behind and wouldn’t show.
3. To create the cubes, lines need to be drawn as shown in the diagram, always parallel to the square.
4. All the lines that are not part of any cube need to be erased.
5. An organic shape is added to their picture in the shape of a rope. They are to draw holes in their cubes, and make one rope look like it is going in and out of each cube in a continuous fashion. When the drawing is complete, the lines are traced with a thin black marker. The cubes are colored in with colored pencils, using varying pressure to get different shades of color. Lastly the background is colored. White circle could be left to look like stars, if desired.

CA Visual Art Standard: Creative Expression, Grade Five
2.1 Use one-point perspective to create the illusion of space.

Communion Stained Glass Mural

A recent request for a communion-theme mural led to this venture into stained glass art, which I am really excited about. I’ve left the black shapes in the mural template so it will be really easy to color, and very forgiving of little hands that go over any edges.

I also realized that the black would speed the coloring up so I decided to make this template larger than the previous ones. This mural has 49 pages to color and is 49" by 70" (almost 6' tall) when complete. I can email my printable pdf file with instructions for just $5. (Click “Add to Cart” below the mural thumbnail to access PayPal for same day delivery.)

Pin Flowers

This project came from an Arts & Activities magazine, and I loved how well it worked with kinders.

1. The students are to draw in pencil near the outside edge of the paper a rounded box (kind of like a TV screen). A zig-zag grass line follows near the bottom of the paper. For the flowers, start by drawing the center circle of the flower up near the top, and then another circle around it. Then petals kind of “jump” around that outside circle. In between the petals, radiating lines are drawn out, with circles added on the ends. Stems are drawn to connect the flowers to the grass, and then leaves may be added. It's best to break this project into steps and have the students follow your large example drawn on a board or large paper.
2. After the pencil drawing is complete, give the students thick black markers to trace all their lines.
3. Distribute markers so that student can fill in all the shapes they've drawn with lots of color.

CA Visual Art Standard: Creative Expression, Grade Kinder
2.6 Use geometric shapes/forms (circle, triangle, square) in a work of art.

Herd of Animals

Overlapping shapes create depth in a picture, and creating a herd of animals is a fun way to teach that principal.

1. I found this idea over at artsonia.com and have made a quick template of 3 animals you can download here. You will need to trace them onto a heavier paper – such as card stock or even posterboard and cut them out before class.
2. Ask the students to choose one animal template, and trace it 5 or 6 times in pencil. Some may overlap and some may go off their paper. When complete, they are to decide which animals are in front and erase all the extra lines that are inside it. This is repeated until there are no animals that have a “see-through” look to them.
3. All the pencil lines are traced with a thin black marker, and the herd is colored in with pastels, crayons or pencil crayons.

CA Visual Art Standard: Creative Expression, Grade Two
2.3 Depict the illusion of depth (space) in a work of art, using overlapping shapes, relative size, and placement within the picture.

Bobby Pin Fashion Face

I saw this bobby pin idea used on a hairstylist’s business card. It’s too good not to use for a fashion illustration exercise.

1. You will need to pre-cut with an x-acto knife, about a 1.25" curved slots on card stock paper for each student.
2. I found it best to make the drawing first. With a pencil, continue the curve shape to make the head, and then fill in the face. Trace all with a thin black marker and color with colored pencils. A body could be added if time and space permits. If you do, remember that fashion illustration is all about making extra long and slender shapes
so encourage exaggerated bodies.
3. When the coloring is done, about 14 hair pins are slid into the slotted curve and arranged as desired.

CA Visual Art Standard: Creative Expression, Grade One
2.7 Use visual and actual texture in original works of art.

Seminole Warrior Mural

In the 1800’s, George Catlin feared the Native American culture was vanishing so he tried to record it as much as he could through his paintings.

Osceola was a great warrior from the Seminole tribe who refused to relocate from Florida. He was tricked into a meeting with a general and spent his last years in prison. George painted this portrait from his cell before he died.
My mural has 36 pages to color and is 42" by 55" when complete. I can email my printable pdf file with instructions for just $5. (Click “Add to Cart” below the mural thumbnail to access PayPal for same day delivery.)