Medieval Story Scene Early Childhood
The Art Problem
Students will recall myths about
medieval themes.
Objective
Each student will create a fantasy
medieval scene that tells a story.
Materials
12 x 18" ( 35 x 46 cm) blue con-
struction paper, 6 x 18" ( 15 x 45
cm) strips of green construction
paper, assorted scraps, 3 x 3" ( 8 x
8 cm) and 3 x 6" ( 8 x 15 cm) pieces
of poster board, decorative papers,
tissue paper, aluminum foil, cray-
ons, glue, scissors
Procedures
1. Show images of artworks that
include people, castles, and drag-
ons.
2. Demonstrate how to tear the
green paper to create an uneven
horizon, then glue it to the blue
paper.
3. Show students how to use geo-
metric shapes to create a castle,
then glue the shapes to the back-
ground.
4. Use the poster board to draw
and cut out a knight, princess, and
dragon.
5. Use decorative paper scraps for
the princess’s clothing and alumi-
num foil for the knight’s armor. Use
crayons and tissue to add details to
the dragon.
6. Glue the characters to the back-
ground and add more details.
Assessment
How well does the artwork tell a
fantasy story?
By Emily Winthrop, pre-service
art education student at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff.
One-Shape Designs Middle School
Objectives
The class will create designs by
cutting one interesting shape from
construction paper and repeating
it across the page. They will show
knowledge of overlapping and open
composition. The class will choose
a two-color theme and then divide
the page with one line—straight or
curved.
Materials
12 x 18" (30.5 x 46 cm) tag board,
rulers, pencils, erasers, 4 x 6" (10 x
15 cm) construction paper, scissors,
markers, stencil shapes
Procedures
1. Discuss possible shapes to use
based on things that interest stu-
dents such as upcoming holidays,
sports, animals, etc.
2. Cut out each shape from 4 x 6"
construction paper. Students may
fold and cut on the fold to make
their shapes symmetrical.
3. Have students create a ruler-
width border around the edge of
the 12 x 18" tag board and divide
the space in half.
4. Students should trace their shape
seven to ten times across the tag
board. They should overlap and run
off the page for open composition.
5. Students should choose three
colors of markers to begin their
color segment of the lesson. Explain
to students that they should never
color two shapes side-by-side with
the same color. The other half of
the design will be an opposite of
the first half.
6. The third color is added on the
second side.
7. When all shapes are colored in,
students should use a black marker
to outline the shapes.
By Marisa Main, art teacher at
Huntington Middle School in
Huntington, West Virginia.
Dine Heart Series Elementary
The Art Problem
How can students create an artwork that contains a unified series?
Objective
Students will use analogous colors
to create three paintings that will be
mounted together in a series.
Materials
tempera paints in analogous color
pairs and black and white, 9 x 12"
( 23 x 30.5 cm) 80 lb. white paper,
paintbrushes, oil pastels, black construction paper
Procedures
1. Discuss pop artist Jim Dine and
show examples of his work. Explain
how pop artists take recognizable
symbols and make us look at them
in a different way.
2. Show students how to paint with
a “loose” technique. They should
leave the brushstrokes showing as
they mix the colors they are given.
Each table should receive two anal-
ogous paint colors, and black and
white paint. Students should paint
one heart on each of three pieces
of paper using the loose technique
and a new set of analogous colors
for each.
3. Once the paintings are dry,
students should lay them out and
arrange them however they like,
choosing the order they will go in
and whether they will be horizontal
or vertical. Students should then
draw on top of their paintings using
oil pastels, making sure to include
some elements that will unify all
three. Some students may choose
to paint each heart in a similar way,
while others may choose to tie
them all together with the oil pastel
drawings.
4. Students mount the three paint-
ings on black construction paper to
create a pop art series.
By Tisha Burke, art teacher
at Greenville Elementary in
Warrenton, Fauquier County,
Virginia.
Artwork by Brooke Lillie, grade three.
Block Printing with Contour High School
The Art Problem
Students will study the history of
printmaking while focusing on
monoprinting and its process. Using
an innovative technique, each student will create a pastel/ink-based
print that focuses on modified contour line.
Materials
scraps of Plexiglas (sizes must be
slightly larger than the paper),
waterbased block printing ink
(black), pastels, brayer, drawing
paper
Procedures
1. Utilizing still-life images or self-
directed student photographs, stu-
dents create a modified contour line
drawing on white paper. Encourage
them to use good composition and
reflect on details of the objects.
2. Once complete, students should
hang the drawing on a window and
trace the image through the paper
onto the reverse side.
3. Students go back to the original
drawing and work color into the
drawing using pastels. Bright and
lighter colors work best so that the
black ink will show up over the pas-
tel. Do not allow students to over-
work the pastel pieces—detail is not
necessary in the pastel process.
4. Once complete, students ink the
Plexiglas with a brayer and apply
the drawing pastel-side down to
the inked Plexiglas.
5. Using the reverse drawing, stu-
dents use a dull point, such as the
end of a paintbrush, and go over
the lines of their drawings. As they
trace the image, the ink is forced
to adhere to the pastel. Hands acci-
dentally rubbing along the surface
will create an aged effect on the
surface.
6. Pull the drawing and admire the
finished piece.
By Nicole Brisco, art teacher at
Pleasant Grove High School in
Texarkana, Texas.
