Invented Insects
Pratt Institute Saturday Art School, Drawing & Painting
Medium: Oil pastel on 18x24" black paper
Age: 6th grade
Students will be able to:
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mix colors by layering and smudging oil pastels
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create a variety of marks using oil pastels
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use marks to create a variety of observed visual textures
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render form using a range of value
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create a visually interesting composition that fills their page
Students will understand that:
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artists use their work to communicate their ideas about the world around them
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artists take pieces of inspiration from a variety of sources, and recombine them to invent new subjects
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observational drawing from reference photos can help artists closely observe the details of their subject
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artists alter the scale of their subject to present viewers with an alternate perspective and ideas about that subject
In this learning segment, students invented and drew an insect that solved a problem of their choice. Students developed observational drawing skills as they studied and took inspiration from different insects' anatomy to create thumbnail sketches. While enlarging their thumbnail sketches to the final paper, students learned strategies for checking the proportions of the elements within the composition. We explored oil pastel techniques for mixing color and creating visual texture, discussing how oil pastels can be used to create a variety of marks.
