You Know it's Spring When the Zinias Zoom and...
oil pastel and watercolor resistthe art teachers start pulling out lessons
on Georgia O'Keefe's flowers.
Yes, spring has sprung where I live and the rainbow
in my backyard is blooming again! In art class last week and the week before we focused on Georgia O'Keefe.
She has a very interesting biography and you can read more about that here,
but for now I have two projects for your consideration
and a little surprise at the end!
in my backyard is blooming again! In art class last week and the week before we focused on Georgia O'Keefe.
She has a very interesting biography and you can read more about that here,
but for now I have two projects for your consideration
and a little surprise at the end!
Project # 1 Oil pastel and watercolor resist
Materials needed:
black oil pastel
water color paint
brushes
watercolor paper
masking tape
a flower of your choosing
Materials needed:
black oil pastel
water color paint
brushes
watercolor paper
masking tape
a flower of your choosing
(before you begin, use masking tape to attach your paper to a board. Go all the way around all four edges, the end result will look like a crisply edged print!)
1. Start by looking at your flower, really looking at it! Look inside as far as you can, notice the parts and their shapes.
2. Sketch out what you see. Remember O'Keefe's flowers were done in a tightly cropped and very "zoomed" in composition. Use oil pastel instead of pencil and try to capture what you are seeing without worrying about mistakes. The point of this is not total drawing accuracy, but connecting with what you see through drawing.
3. Once your sketch is done, decide what colors you are going to use- they do not have to be the same as the original flower. Paint right over the pastel which will resist the watercolor.
4. Once the painting is dry, remove the tape and enjoy!
2. Sketch out what you see. Remember O'Keefe's flowers were done in a tightly cropped and very "zoomed" in composition. Use oil pastel instead of pencil and try to capture what you are seeing without worrying about mistakes. The point of this is not total drawing accuracy, but connecting with what you see through drawing.
3. Once your sketch is done, decide what colors you are going to use- they do not have to be the same as the original flower. Paint right over the pastel which will resist the watercolor.
4. Once the painting is dry, remove the tape and enjoy!
Project # 2-(intended for older or more advanced students)
pencil floral element composition
pencil floral element compositionMaterials needed
Pencil
drawing paper(3 sheets each)
flower or picture of a flower of your choice
Pencil
drawing paper(3 sheets each)
flower or picture of a flower of your choice
1. Sketch the flower as accurately as you can. Really look at the shapes of the petals and the details of the leaves- are the veins prominent? Are the edges straight or serrated?
2. Once your drawing is done, look at that shapes again. Try to pull out at least ten elements of shape or pattern and draw them on another piece of paper.
3. Using these elements, create a new design or pattern. It shouldn't really look like a flower, just a composition made up of floral elements.
4. Once your the basics of your design are in, then shade. Really try to create an array of pencil tones and shades that go from very light to very dark. The more shades you have in a drawing then the more interesting it will be!
Have fun!
2. Once your drawing is done, look at that shapes again. Try to pull out at least ten elements of shape or pattern and draw them on another piece of paper.
3. Using these elements, create a new design or pattern. It shouldn't really look like a flower, just a composition made up of floral elements.
4. Once your the basics of your design are in, then shade. Really try to create an array of pencil tones and shades that go from very light to very dark. The more shades you have in a drawing then the more interesting it will be!
Have fun!
Now for the surprise...
Emberjayne Grace Six weeks old
