Patterned Animals in Chalk Pastel

This is a fantastic project for exploring chalk pastels in a somewhat controlled way. 

I previously called this lesson "Reptile Relief" because we always used reptiles as our animal theme. But, each time I teach this lesson, I have so many students ask me if they can do a bird, or a fish or basically any animal other than a reptile. So now I keep it open choice- it just needs to be any animal/creature that has a pattern on it's body. 

See my previous posts about this project HERE and HERE.

I found the original lesson HERE.

So students get two sheets on black construction paper. They research a patterned animal using their laptops. On one sheet of paper they draw a simplified pattern- it can match their animal or not. On the second sheet, they sketch out a somewhat simplified drawing of their chosen animal. Make sure it's nice and big. Paint over all the lines using white tempera paint and a flat brush.

Once dry, they colour in all the sections using a minimum of two colours of chalk pastels blended together. The animal can match the background colours- then it will appear somewhat camouflaged. 

Or, it can contrast and therefore pop out a bit. 

Once finished, clean up any major chalk smudges with an eraser. Cut out the animal.

Using stacks of small cardboard squares, glue a stack here and there on the back of the animal and then glue this onto the background. This will give a cool low-relief effect.

Some finished Grade 7 - 9 artworks!

 

 

One Eyed Alien Art Project

This is a Grade 5 project I developed quite a few years ago. I was perusing my local Dollarama and found really big googly eyes (about 1" - 2" in diameter). I immediately thought of a cool one-eyed alien project. This lesson really challenges students' creative skills.

This project was published on School Arts Magazine a few years ago. 

See a digital version of it  HERE.

On regular photocopy paper, students had to design an alien. I try to encourage them to think outside of a typical 'humanoid' form but the majority of students naturally gravitate towards that familiar design.

I give them all a googly eye (#1 question I get from students: "Can I have more than one?") and they can trace around this eye so they know where it will go in the end.

Once drawn, colour with markers and cut out carefully.

This gets glued onto black paper.

Stars are painted onto the background. Glue on the googly eye.

Some Grade 5 results:

 

Rainbow Words of Gratitude

This is a lesson I found HERE that I modified a bit. It's great for the first week of classes- I've taught it to Grade 4 all the way to Grade 12. I have students choose a word representing something they are grateful for (pets are a popular choice with the younger kids!!). Can be anything in their life.

See my previous post about the lesson HERE- where it explains all the steps!

My favourite markers to use with this lesson are Mr. Sketch because they have such a crisp wide edge.

Students choose their own colour scheme. 

A great lesson to review pattern and line quality.

Some finished Grade 4 - 6 designs: