Colorful Koala Drawings- Elementary

This lesson teaches hatching, cross hatching, learn to draw Koalas by using simple shapes to create the bears. Students will also learn to use directional sketching to give the effect of "Fur."

Backgrounds are made by drawing  eucalyptus leaves and berries.

Students learn to use color to bring the drawing to life! 

 

Elementary Fish Illustrations

This lesson for elementary students teaches students to draw basic fish, & sea kelp. Students should learn to sketch the different fish then make their own work of art!

 

World Art and Culture- Acrylic Illustrations/Research Project

This illustration project is a great way to teach middle- high school students about world cultures as well as basic composition color theory. This project requires research students should choose a country of choice. Students should divide canvas into 3 parts background, middle and foreground.

The 3 part background should include 3 different types of topography.

Students should learn basics of composition theory and brainstorm 9 mini concept sketches.

Students will have peer evaluations throughout the creative process.

RESEARCH 

Students must gather screen shots including the following:

1. Landscapes

2. Plants

3. Flowers

4. Animals

5.Architecture

6. Bodies of Water

 

Kandinsky Square- Color Theory Project

This class teaches a color theory, color mixing and terminology. Canvases are divided into 9 squares then painted. Students should then mix and layer colors based on the following requirements:

Students should try to make sure that there is variety within the piece. 

 

Drawing Shading Techniques

The following are shading exercises to help students to learn a variety of shading & hatching techniques.

 

Drawing Form From Simple Shapes/Animals and Humans

Upside-Down Line Drawings- Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

The Following is from the Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Curriculum. The images are provided in the curriculum. Students will place the original drawing upside down and mostly covered by a piece of paper. Students will slowly sketch the pieces of the images while slowly revealing the image 1" at a time.

10 Minute Drawings from Life

10 Minute Drawings from Life

10 minute drawing homework. Students are are encouraged to draw 10 minute outside drawings.

This exercise is a wonderful way to keep daring skills fresh and improving. 

Drawing Negative Space- Chair Still Life

This project is for the beginner  that has already completed box drawings, and cylinders.

Students should spend time seeing the shapes then placing points. 

Students should try to sketch the wite space or the "air" around the object not the actual object.

Teachers should refer to "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Techniques."

 

Box Still Life Lessons 1-3

Warmup with a basic value scale:

The following is part of a drawing tutorial. This is a still life box drawing, perfect for beginners.

Students are very often surprised in the complexity of such a simple object.

The box drawing lesson is a basic building block to more complex pieces.

Students should learn to sight the angles using a pencil. All angles should be compared against each other. Students should sight the length of the angles using the end of their pencil.

Start with a box placed straight on, then once mastered, use different angles, stack and combine boxes.

Students should use shading techniques to give volume to the drawing. 

Drawing Everyday Objects

This project was part of a drawing tutorial: Sketching everyday objects is a wonderful way to see things in a new way!

Challenge students to see shapes and form in everyday objects.

Students should place points on the page and use sighting comparison techniques to sketch the basic outline of the objects. Students should step back and critique their own work, then rework areas that need to be changed.  The work should be evaluated when the basic outlines are ready, students should shade the object. Students should squint to find the light and dark areas and convey shading on their piece.

Thanksgiving Turkey Project (Bean Mosaics)

This is a Thanksgiving Craft that is wonderful for Elementary students.

Students should lightly sketch their hands. It is important that largest pieces are added in atop glue.

Students should then work down to the smallest pieces-in this case the rice

Valentine Wall Hanging

This is a simple & fun Valentines Day Craft.

This project is wonderful for Valentines Day, Mothers Day, ect...

Start from scratch or pre make the hearts for students.
RECIPE:
Use a straw to holes on the right and left side of the hearts (these holes are to hang ornament.)


Paint back, of the ornaments then the front with acrylic paint.
Allow paint to dry or blow dry.
Add first layer of paint: Students should paint borders or strips of color.
Students can layer designs by painting dots, hearts or other shapes and patterns over borders.

Stick on gems or glitter glue can be used for snazzy accents.
Use ribbon string or yarn to hold hearts together.

You will need to make salt ornaments then teach students about tints and complimentary colors.

It is important that students paint the entire piece then students are taught to design their own patterns.

Patterns are best when layered.

Elementary Intro to Art (4-in-one) Project

This project is a 4 in one project for elementary students. This project was designed to teach concepts and vocabulary in art. 

Image 1: Leaf painting- learning about complimentary colors, faux painting, & stipling.

Image 2: Learning the to sketch, value scale, tints, and painting a Landscape scene using tints. 

3.  Learning the to sketch, value scale, tints, and painting a winter focusing on the details.

Image 4: Learning to layer using faux painting techniques.

Drawing Fabric From Life

Drawing tutorial Fabric Still Life:

This project proceeds cube, and cylinder still life drawing sessions.

The main objective of this still life is to teach student to see shapes, angles light and shadow in fabric.

In the tutorial students should start with an outline of the fabric then begin to build the shapes and finally shadow. 

Fish Decor

This set of wall hangings was made based off of a bedding pattern for a baby's room

 

Leaf Prints

Leaf Prints are complement the LEAF RUBBING project.

Leaf prints are simple and lots of fun.

Gather a variety of leaves and dip leaves in paint then use leaves as if they were stamps.

Some additional effects:

dip leaves in gold or silver paints and use as stamps.

Christmas Card Illustrations

This illustration project focuses on creativity, color, calligraphy,and composition.

Students worked further with the best sketch of the 4 and discussed materials and color theory more in depth. The following week students brought in items to use to assemble their own illustration.

Students were given calligraphy sets to practice a-z 3 times each. Students later came up with wording researched typography in greeting cards and came up with an arrangement for their calligraphy.

This project requires student research. Students were given a subject matter: in this case it was "birds" the project was a Christmas card. Students were told to gather 10 screen shots of bird compositions that they liked. Once references were gathered the class discussed good composition and ruled out the weaker references. In the class discussion students also discussed materials, & colors.

Students created 4 mini sketches and used colored pencils then as a class we analyzed the best out of 4.

Lastly students put all concepts together into their own unique piece.

Christmas Around the World

This project could be used for a variety of seasons, holidays or purposes.

Step one:

Students will lightly sketch a globe and use water color blue to paint the globe, allow to dry then paint the continents in green.

RESEARCH:

Students were to research and find 2-3 pictures of people from each continent.

Step 2:

Sketch people around the globe.

Students painted the characters with water color paint, and used glitter pens for accents.

Step 3:

Students were given calligraphy worksheets and practiced lettering.

Students used calligraphy and interesting lettering styles on the cards.

Christmas Around the World

Italian Stain Glass Drawings

This is a wonderfully easy and fun project for Elementary students. I started with a lesson on Italian stained glass, gave examples and focused on the Last Supper Stained Glass. Students used crayons to create vibrant stained glass art. Students then used cotton ball and vegetable oil to smooth over the entire coloring sheet. Students may use dry cotton balls to blot excess oil.

Make sure to let these works of art dry for 2 days or more before transporting.

the oil creates a wonderful transparent "Stained Glass" piece.

Haitian Paintings and Henri Rosseau

Henri Rosseau was a lovable lost soul, who considered himself a great master, he told stories of world travels as inspiration for his work. The reality is that Henri got his references from local zoos and Biology books. This project teaches students to mix color and about layering objects.

Medium Acrylic paint and colored construction paper.

Students first draw 3 lines horizontally for the sky, middle ground and foreground.

Students learn that cooler colors are most commonly used in background warm colors in the foreground.

Students learn to faux paint clouds, background, middle and foreground.

Students then create there own fantasy jungle scenes using references from Haitian art and Henri Rosseau works.

Have fun and don't forget the highlights! 

Japanese Paper Lantern

Students will learn about Japanese culture. Begin by tracing Japanese characters then students should choose their favorite character and practice it 3 times.

Students will then place red construction paper horizontally.

Measure 1 pinky length around the entire page then

(draw a square in the center leaving the space around the edges)

Fold the paper in half so that you can see the line drawings, cut lines from the fold to the hand drawn lines.

These lines don't have to be straight they can be wavy.

Students can cut notches out of the sides of each strip (be careful to leave part of the fold so the piece doesn't fall apart.)

Students can decorate the lanterns using the Japanese characters (use black markers)

Students should then take a sheet of black construction paper and roll and tape horizontally.

Then glue the ends of the red lantern together and scrunch the red paper lantern.

Attach the red paper to the black rolled paper- Be sure to place red paper 1/2" from the top of the top and bottom of the black paper.

(This will scrunch up the lantern and give it body.)

Finish with a thin strip of paper glue to top to hang the lantern.

Rainbow Bubble Paper

This is a wonderful project for younger students. This is a great parent child activity.

This project is extremely simple and fun but very messy.

This project will create beautiful bubble paper! 

Take 1 part paint 2 parts water and 2 tablespoons of dish soap.

Straws, deep cake pan, and short plastic party cups.

Place mixture in cup and set cup in deep pan.

use the straw to blow bubbles- blow fast for bigger bubbles. Overflow the cup and cover the bottom of the pan. Then remove the cup take printer paper and press lightly over the bubble mixture.

Colors can be overlapped once dry.

Panda & Bamboo Watercolor

Clay Coil Pots

Simple Pinch Pots

PEAR STILL LIFE

Drawing & Water Color

LEARNING WATER COLOR BRUSH STROKES

ORANGE STILL LIFE