Tempera and Chalk Sugar Skulls

This art lesson works well for grades 6 or 7.  It is good to start with a study of the traditional Day of the Dead customs from central and southern Mexico and learn the basics of Zentangle design (see my previous post).  This follow up lesson uses patterning and bold colors in tempera and chalk to create a brightly colored sugar skull painting on watercolor paper. 

Our mixed media sugar skulls radiate strong personalities and bold colors.

The lesson starts with a blank skull shape pre-printed on watercolor paper.  Details are added in pencil, then outlined with black marker.

Jillian draws face details in pencil.

 Trace over the pencil with a bold, black marker.

Paint in areas using tempera paints.

Jillian paints a yellow red design over the yellow background.

Using thickened tempera paints to keep the colors bold and bright, start painting the lightest colors first, then add the darker colors.  

Melody's skull has a cowboy theme.

Gretchen adds octopus tentacles to her skull.

After the paint dries, cut the skull out.

Next, mount the skull on mat board backing with glue, and use chalk pastels to add more details and a border around the painted skull.

The proud artists show their beautifully decorated sugar skulls:

Jillian

Melody

Gretchen

We are looking forward to creating more exciting art together very soon, and hope you will visit us again in the studio.

Betsy

"Draw, Paint, Grow" Art Camp - Day 4

"Draw Paint, Grow" Art Camp

June 10 - 13, 2013

Bear Paw Studio - North Pole, Alaska

Day 4

A little computer work --and viola!  A Tower of Cats!
 (from bottom to top--done by Melody, Emma, Danielle, Hailey, Aaron, Gretchen, Kaylee)

Today's Lesson included a game of "Pass the Puzzle," which was a fun way to review symmetrical and mirror drawing skills.  Each student got a design to complete the mirror image of in the allotted time, then passed it on the the left, until all designs made the rounds.  

Our painting subject was a wild cat - leopard, cheetah, lion, tiger, or other cat.  This was a more realistic depiction than the other drawings we've done this session and much more challenging to get the cat's many curves proportional and well positioned.  In spite of that, no one was intimidated and only a few required some assistance to get started--a big accomplishment for all! 

The painting lesson today focused on adding some shadows here and there to make the cats appear more rounded and realistic.  We also tried using our brushes to make natural looking grass shapes and give them depth with color changes.  It's a difficult step from flat to 3-dimensional at this age, but the students are all headed in the right direction.  

The artists with their work in progress.

Emma paints her grass.

Gretchen uses a black marker to make her tiger's stripes.

Kaylee carefully removes the tape from the watercolor paper edges.

Melody's gray lynx cat.

Gretchen's striped tiger.

Danielle's sleek cat.

Kaylee's spotted cat.

Emma's wild cat.

Danielle's bold cat.

Aaron's fast cat.

We are all done for this session of "Draw, Paint, and Grow," but will be back for more in the fall, I hope.  

Have a wonderful summer!

Betsy Bear

"Draw, Paint, Grow" Art Camp--Day 3

"Draw, Paint, Grow" Art Camp

June 10 - 13, 2013

Bear Paw Studio - North Pole, Alaska

Day 3

Today we started with an abstract drawing exercise that incorporated all our five shape elements in one fun composition.  Following oral directions, students added specific elements a few at a time, being sure to extend some to the edges of the paper and so on.  After all the elements were added, they filled in the newly created shapes with colors or patterns.  Each painting is unique, in spite of everyone following the same directions, and the variety of shapes is amazing.  This would be a great project for a rainy day!

Abstract drawing exercise

Next we used step directions to draw a bird.  This is what the directions looked like.

After drawing our birds, we learned some new techniques for painting transparent washes with watercolor to keep our colors full of light and energy.  We also learned that if we paint more transparently, we can see the drawing right through the paint, which helps with showing small details.

Aaron is working carefully on his painting. . . 

. . . and his finished painting is full of life.

Danielle paints her tail feathers . . .

. .  . which look awesome on her bird.

Gretchen draws a great duck . . . 

. . . swimming in some beautiful blue water.

Hailey works on her bird's wings. . . 

. . . and her bird is ready to fly!

Emma thinks about her colors . . . 

. .  . . and her bird ends up very color coordinated.

Kaylee likes yellows and green . . .

. . . and so does her bird!

Melody mixes some yellow up on her palette . . .

. . . for a lovely moon in her bird painting.

After paintings are done, students carefully mount them on a larger colored paper so they have that nice "framed" look.

Our sample bird stays in the studio, and all the other birds fly away to new homes with their owners.

It was another fun day of drawing, painting, and growing in our art.  Tomorrow is our last day, and it will be fun too.  Come back and see what we do.

"Draw, Paint, Grow" Art Camp - Day 1

Draw, Paint, Grow Art Camp

June 10 - 13, 2013

Bear Paw Studio - North Pole, Alaska

The objective of the "Draw, Paint, Grow" four day art camp is to develop drawing skills and watercolor painting techniques with children 7 - 12 years old.  Each 2-hour lesson is based on the well-respected teachings of Mona Brookes in her book Drawing with Children, and Betty Edwards' Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.  Both authors present excellent strategies which capitalize on the naturally creative abilities of the right side of the brain.  Anyone can draw successfully using this approach--even those who deem themselves devoid of any artistic talent!

The foundation for our four lessons is Mona Brookes' five basic and very simple shape elements--dots, circles straight lines, angled lines, and curved lines.  Along with some attention to size and relative position,  combining these simple shape elements in a series of small steps allows one to draw complex objects with confidence and creativity.  The often overwhelming complexity of an object is thereby reduced to basic elements and rendered much less intimidating.

Since the camp lasts only four days, the plan is to focus on several main concepts and learn quickly--  which these wonderful young minds do very well!

Day 1  - We start by defining and exploring the five basic shape elements using games and written practice sheets.  Then, after a quick demonstration on how to mix up and paint with tube watercolors, we apply our new ideas as we draw and paint a simplified lion.

Aaron working on practice sheets.

The whole class, minus one,  focused and involved with learning to draw.

Let the painting fun begin!

Gretchen choses oranges for her two smaller lions.

Colors and size are the artists choice.  Danielle likes her lion big and blue.

Kaylee has mixed up a great shade of orange for hers.

A very proud Emma drew and painted this handsome lion on her own!

Aaron added a blue sky behind his bright, red lion.

Artists love using bold colors, as you can see from Danielle's dazzling lion.

Hailey's lion has great personality and color, too.

Gretchen's painting shows a lot of planning and attention to detail.

Kaylee's lion stands out in bright and bold orange.

Join us for back here for another session tomorrow to see what we draw and paint next, and how we improve each day!