Tag Archives: Drawing

Painted Cave Walls

Students painted images of animals on simulated “cave walls.” Using crumpled bags to represent stone, they experimented with various watercolor techniques (using a limited palette) and were encouraged to show the “essence” and “energy” of the animal they were painting.

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Oaxacan Mixed-Media Animal Drawings

Students designed imaginative animals, based on images they viewed of Oaxacan sculptures. They used Sharpies, colored pencils, markers, and/or oil pastels to create these colorful, pattern-filled drawings.

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Oaxacan Animal Drawings

After looking at examples of colorful Oaxacan-style animal sculptures, middle school students created whimsical drawings of animals. They drew their animals on white paper, and colored them with brightly-colored crayons. When they were finished, they cut them out and mounted … Continue reading

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Self-Portrait Silhouettes

Digital photos were taken of each student in profile. The pictures were sized to 4″ x 5″ and printed. Students drew a 1/2 inch grid directly on the picture. They drew a 1-inch grid on a separate piece of paper, … Continue reading

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Face Card Designs

Students created self-portrait face card designs after measuring and making observations about playing cards in a traditional deck. They did not have to depict themselves as “royalty,” but they were required to develop complex patterns in their clothing, and their … Continue reading

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Sacred Circles: More Student Mandalas

These mandalas were created using Prismacolor pencils on 9×9-inch Tru-Ray black construction paper. Students could choose their designs, and their primary goal was to achieve a luminous effect in their artwork. To prepare, they worked through many exercises in Judith … Continue reading

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Sacred Circles: Circular Art and Mandalas

As part of the “Sacred Circles” course, students created circular designs and mandalas using Prismacolor pencils.

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Sacred Circles: Illuminated Hands

As part of the “Sacred Circles” unit, students worked on exercises in Judith Cornell’s book, “Mandala: Luminous Symbols for Healing.” I highly recommend this book, and the exercises in it are progressive in nature, helping students acquire specific technical skills. While meditations accompany … Continue reading

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Art Nouveau – Ink Drawings

Students studied some of the work of artist Aubrey Beardsley–noting his use of shading techniques and his use of contrast–before exploring their own artistic possibilities in ink.

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Draw What You Feel – Drawing Game

Materials: Objective: Students will produce contour drawings of hidden objects that they feel with their fingers, but do not look at. This exercise helps them become more aware of contour lines and the edges of shapes. Procedure: Have each student … Continue reading

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