Mixed Media Palm Trees

This is a fun 'tropical' project that involves drawing directly with glue and incorporates 

line and texture. This is a lesson I saw in a 2004 issue of Art and Activities magazine. It was entitled:  "Breezy palm trees with mixed media" by Michelle Crosby.

So I started off by having Grade 6 students look at photos of different types of palm trees and then I demo-ed how to draw them. You might even be so lucky as to have palm trees on your school grounds and can do some direct observational drawings. 

Students then practised in their sketchbooks until they felt really comfortable drawing them.

Photos of palm trees I took in Las Terranas, Dominican Republic.

Then, on heavy white paper or watercolour paper, students draw a palm tree directly with a bottle of white glue. Add in a beach scene, ocean, coconuts, sunset, etc. Whatever they want. We didn't draw first with a pencil, but you can definitely try that if you want. Just draw lightly.

Let these dry FLAT overnight and the next day the glue will have flatted out quite a bit.

Dried glue

 Then paint the scene using watercolours. Try not to paint over the glue lines, if possible.

 Once it's painted, let it dry a bit.

Then take a black wax crayon and peel the paper off.  Use the side of the crayon to rub all over the painting- this really stresses the kids out! They all think it will 'ruin' their lovely watercolour. I always demonstrate on my own samples first; then they see it actually looks cool and takes away some of the fear. Have them verbalize how the crayon affects the painting. I use this as a lesson in risk-taking and artistic experimentation.

Having said that, if you want to lessen the stress, have the kids create TWO glue paintings- one they can leave simply painted, and the second one they can add the crayon rubbing.

When you do the rubbing, it's best if you only go in one direction- start off lightly and try to concentrate the rubbing on the raised glue lines.

Ta da!