LESSON PRESENTATION INSTRUCTIONS
VALUE
BLOWN INK TREES
Lesson Objectives: Students will create a landscape with blown ink trees using different values.
Time Required: 1 hour
Artist: John James Audubon, Black-tailed Hare
Source: The Usborne Complete Book of Art Ideas, pgs 152-153
Materials:
Watercolor paper 9×12
Black drawing ink
Paintbrushes
Cups for water
Paper towels
Straws cut in half
Q-tips
Presentation:
Discuss value: how much light there is in a color.
Procedure:
- Pass out watercolor paper. Hold it horizontally. Write names on back.
- Use paintbrush to transfer blob of ink to watercolor paper.
- Blow through straw to move the ink up the page for a trunk.
- Use the end of the straw to pull little lines of ink away from the trunk.
- Blow those lines to make the branches.
- Periodically wipe off straw on paper towel to remove unwanted saliva. Watch for lightheadedness!
- Make 3 trees using this method.
- Mix ink with water to dilute it. Using Q-tips, dab on leaves on the branches with this lighter value of black ink.
- Mix ink with even more water and paint the ground using a paintbrush. This should be an even lighter value.
- Let dry. Mount and return to students.
