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.

Osceola Indian 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 measures 42" by 55" when complete.

Abstract Tree Silhouette

This abstract tree makes a really bold image and also offers a lesson is using positive and negative space.

1. Starting with a square piece of paper, the students are to draw a tree trunk and lots of branches. I have a previous post titled “How to Draw a Fall Tree” which offers more tips on tree drawing. The ends of this tree need to extend to the edge of the paper to make closed shapes. I recommend students start with pencil lines, and then trace and thicken them with a black Sharpie marker.
2. When complete, the students are to fill in all the negative spaces around the tree with different colors of oil pastel. This projects could be done with a black crayon and watercolors too.

CA Visual Art Standard: Creative Expression, Grade Four
2.6 Use the interaction between positive and negative space expressively in a work of art.

Kandinsky “Heavy Red” Mural

Kandinsky used color in a highly sophisticated way associating hue with pitch and saturation with volume of sound. He even claimed that when he saw color he heard music. This mural is based on his painting titled “Heavy Red”.

My mural has 36 pages to color and measures 45" by 55" when complete. I’ve shaded the area that is to be colored red, and the other smaller shapes may be colored as desired.

You can purchase my pdf file with instructions for just $5. Click the “Add to Cart” button below to make your payment and receive download instructions.

Marker Picture on Popsicle Sticks

I’m not done with my popsicle obsession yet, and have tried a new combination. I wanted to try making a more realistic portrait to see how it would look on the wood.

1. I started by making a board of 8 jumbo sticks that were glued in the back with 2 parallel sticks (trimmed so that their ends would not show from the front).
2. Dry Wax paper is used for the drawing. This can be found at food supply stores and is generally used to wrap things like hot dogs. It should say “dry wax paper” somewhere on the package. Place a sheet over a picture that you like and trace in pencil. When complete, color with a large multipack of permanent markers. The Bic brand has the best skin tones.
3. When complete, cut out your picture right on the edge of the border. I traced and cut a second square so that I could have two layers. I needed the opacity for the dog to look white, but you may not need to if you have used color everywhere. Using a mixture of 50/50 glue and water, wet the board and the back of the art. Place together and brush another layer of mixture on top so that all the layers are thoroughly wet and smooth.