Van Gogh Flowers
Sixth graders started off the year learning about an artist that many of them had heard of before, Vincent Van Gogh. They watched a power point presentation about the artist and his life, and then used his work as inspiration for their own.
I brought in flowers that I had purchased at a local market and gave the students a demonstration in drawing from observation. I emphasized contour lines to enhance the depth in their projects and encouraged them to overlap often.
Once the drawings were complete, students learned how to use oil pastels, coloring and blending to fill in their petals and stems. They were required to use analogous colors so as to create a more interesting look to their project.
Finally, when all the flowers were painted, the students added a watercolor wash of a complementary color to the background of their project.
The results were reminiscent of Van Gogh, but unique to each student, beauty accomplished and creativity embraced.