Bird/Insect Creative Drawing Activity

Transcription

1 Bird/Insect Creative Drawing Activity Recommended Age Group: Third to sixth grade and by simplifying, the activity can be used with second grade children. Objectives: Demonstrate fluency, flexibility, originality, divergent thinking, and elaboration with ideas, color drawing media and paper. Know and be able to identify five different types of color drawing media. Know, understand, and discriminate between the creative and traditional characteristics, limitations, and possibilities of at least five different color drawing media. Complete a composition of a new creature, in a unique environment, doing something unexpected in a manner that is imaginative, and that has a definite center of interest. Supplies: 9 x 12 inch medium weight white drawing paper Graphite pencils and erasers 9 x 12 inch newsprint A variety of color drawing media such as: oil pastels, crayons, craypas, chalks, pastels, markers, colored pencils, etc. 12 x 15 inch black construction paper Additional supplies as needed by individual students (some possibilities include: glue, scissors, hole punch, confetti, glitter, natural objects such as leaves, ball moss, twigs, acorns, sand, sawdust, etc.) Art Assignment: Complete a 9 x 12 inch color drawing of a new creature for which you have invented a name by meeting the criteria/requirements below. Criteria/Requirements: Experiment with at least five different color drawing media on white drawing paper before beginning your final drawing and keep these experiments to show evidence of your experimentation.

2 Bird/Insect Drawing Activity 2 Create some preliminary pencil or color sketches on newsprint or white drawing paper to brainstorm for possible ideas and keep these sketches to show evidence that you have brainstormed for ideas. Use the white drawing paper in an innovative, imaginative, or unexpected manner. Use a minimum of three different color drawing media in ways you have not used these media before to complete your final drawing. Complete and fulfill the assignment so that it consists of: A unique creature, Living within an environment, and Doing something. Complete a drawing that includes unique, original line, shape, form, color, space, or texture. Complete a drawing that has a distinct center of interest with subordinate parts that adds to but does not distract from this center of interest. Complete a drawing that demonstrates evidence of elaboration and complexity Matte your work using 12 x 15 inch Black Construction paper Display your finished drawing in the classroom. Please write your name on the back of the drawing. Create a nametag for your drawing and display this nametag alongside your drawing. Complete the artwork self-evaluation form taking great care to spend time reflecting and carefully analyzing your work, as well as, thoughtfully and carefully completing the form itself. Keep your self-evaluation form with your artwork or keep it in your notebook until the end of the semester. Directions: Divide the class into two large groups. One group is for birds and one group is for insects (bugs). Each student in the bird group to brainstorms a list of bird names. At the same time, each student in the insect group to brainstorms a list of insect names. Make a list of twenty or thirty names. Each student in both the bird and insect groups select three favorite names. The bird group students write their favorite names on one side of the blackboard only and the insect group students write their favorite names on the opposite side. Then the creative fun really starts. After all students have written their favorite names, each student combines bird names with insect names or vice versa to invent new creature names. Each student makes a list of twenty or thirty names. Again, each student writes three favorite new creature names on the blackboard. Afterwards, students visualize what they think each new creature sounds like, looks like, smells like, etc. Finally, students pick one new creature

3 Bird/Insect Drawing Activity 3 name and begin drawing a picture of what they think the animal looks like, doing something and within an environment. At this point, refer to the assignment and criteria. Suggestions: 1. When experimenting with the color drawing media, use them in as many traditional and innovative ways as possible. Tie the media onto a stick and draw with it. Sand off particles of color using sandpaper and then rub the media into the paper. Mix several different media together within the same area, Try dunking the color media into water first before drawing with it, or draw into a pre-moistened area with dry color media. Also, dry dunking the such media as chalk and pastels into buttermilk and watch the results. Role your square media across the surface of the paper. Stand up and dance to music with your drawing media moving across the page to the movement of your body. Perform cartwheels and other gymnastics with your color drawing media. Think of as many ways as possible to use your color drawing media before starting your finished drawing. The basic idea is to create and learn as many interesting, provocative, and creative effects as possible. 2. Experiment with altering the shape, texture, and color of the drawing paper. Cut holes in the paper. Stain the paper with mud or color. Wrinkle, wad, or stop on your paper before drawing on it. Tear it apart and glue it back together into a different shape. Cut or tear the paper into a unique or unusual shape. Glue or paste other paper on to your drawing paper. Fold, bend, or add flaps to your drawing paper. What creative ways can you think of to modify the paper? 3. Refrain from the temptation of referring to photographs or pictures of birds or insects. Rather trust your own creative instincts to be able to create original and unusual shapes and forms. Remember no one has ever seen this new creature, so the goal is not to draw parts of the creatures realistically. The goal is to be as inventive and imaginative as possible. 4. Before and during the drawing process, visualize what this new creature looks like, feels like, and smells like. Visualize its personality, its actions, and its habitat. 5. Invent a story involving this new creature and include other new creatures within the story. The story can be a source of inspiration, ideas, or motivation for your drawing. 6. Imagine what it must be like to be this new creature. Imagine that some magical power has transformed you into this new creature and you suddenly can experience the world as it does. Use these visualizations as a source of inspiration, ideas, or motivation for your drawing. 7. Do not be afraid to start over and try something new. Remember starting over is part of the process. It does not mean you failed. It means you have learned something new.

4 Bird/Insect Drawing Activity 4 8. As you draw, talk to others around you about your drawing. Share your stories, frustrations, and discoveries. 9. Write a short story, poem, song, or play to go along with your creature and use your ideas for further inspiration and ideas for your drawing. 10. Rip or cut your nearly completed drawing, and paste or weaving it back together to create an unusual, intriguing, or surprising effect.

5 Bird/Insect Drawing Activity 5 Examples of Children s Creative Artwork Madison W., Age 8,TX "The three-headed, fire-breathing dragon escapes from Mount Mauna Kae as the volcano explodes. It flies past the hot, scalding lava rocks to dive into the ocean below, safe from danger!"

6 Bird/Insect Drawing Activity 6 Jessica V., Age 10, CO "I made this fish from a dream I had Imagined & realistic fish combined with all the bright and dark colors of the world. " Emily V., Age 6,AK "A Rainbow Flying Horse flies around a lot of timesto see the beautiful Aurora - the Northern Lights."

7 Bird/Insect Drawing Activity 7 Melissa U., Age 8, PA "These are special armadillos because they have wings and they are rainbow colored and they are all different. They come from a land of all kinds of colorful, magical creatures." Kamalei P., Age 7, HI "My dream is for my family and me to always be together no matter where we live."

8 Bird/Insect Drawing Activity 8 Bradley M., OH "Every bug is different, but all are symmetrical. I wanted to give each bug a very special design and color."

9 Bird/Insect Drawing Activity 9 Mixed Up Animal by Adam C., Age 7, WI "My animal is a dragon with a tiger tail that is half turtle and half lizard. I added a squid monster and a Cyclops with a mustache."

10 Bird/Insect Drawing Activity 10 Firebird by Kelly Marie M., Age 9,TN "In the next millennium the Firebird will be extinct because people are cutting down the Firebirds trees." A Special Snake with Hands by Patrick G., Age 5, TX "A beautiful snake in a box. It is here to surprise you."