Abstract Winter Trees

A simple illustration I came across in a website inspired this project.

1. Give the students 2 different sizes of narrow triangle cardboard templates, and ask them to draw 3 triangles (trees) across the middle of a sheet of paper.
2. Instruct the students to draw a curvy ground line, and then connect the ground with the trees in a straight line to make the trunks. "V" shapes may be added in the trees to look like branches.
3. Show the students how to divide the background into 3 sections.
4. Ask the students to trace all their pencil lines with a crayon.
5. Give the students watercoler to paint in all the shapes they have created.
6. Use a hole punch to create lots of small white circles. With dots of white glue, add the white circles to the painted pictures.
CA Visual Art Standard: Creative Expression, Grade Five
2.4 Create an expressive abstract composition based on real objects.

Read more »

Guest Artist: John Woolley, 5th Grader

Recently I learned about an amazing young artist named John Woolley, a 5th grader who lives in Temecula, CA. He is obviously very passionate about drawing, and has already developed a flair and talent far beyond his young years. I invited him to be my first guest post artist, and below is his description of how he drew his picture titled “Young Tiger”.

To draw this tiger:
1. I used my Rapidograph Pens and large moleskin sketchbook.
2. I started with the bottom part of the tiger first.
3. Then I drew the outline of the body and the head.
4. I had to draw most of the tiger upside down. I would turn it over once in awhile to check the drawing and add some details. I really am not able to draw portraits right side up.
5. I drew the eyes and then started to work around them.

My Flickr site is http://www.flickr.com/photos/backyardjournals/
My website is www.backyardjournals.com
Any questions regarding my art work or anyone wishing to purchase a print of my art work can contact me at Globalvu@aol.com

Thank-you,
John Woolley

Read more »

David Hockney Landscape

David Hockney, a contemporary artist living in Los Angeles, created photocollages in the 1980s, compiling a 'complete' picture from a series of individually photographed details. You can get a similar effect using one photo, cutting it up and putting it back together again.
1. I started with a trimmed photo from an old National Geographic magazine. Using scissors, I cut the picture into small square and rectangular sections, taking care to keep them still in order.
2. After I was happy that I had a good mix of vertical and horizontal squares and rectangles, I glued them to a white paper. Glue sticks work best as they minimize wrinkles. My goal was to keep the shapes somewhat in the same original placement, but all overlapping each other and rotating a bit.

Read more »