LESSON PRESENTATION INSTRUCTIONS
LINE
WINTER TREES
Lesson Objectives: Students will focus on the details of line while practicing the different properties of chalk pastels. Students will create a realistic picture of a tree using mixed media.
Time Required: 1 hour
Artist: Grandma Moses, Pull Boys, A Wish to be a Christmas Tree, by Colleen Monroe (book)
Materials:
9”x 12” Light blue construction paper
Chalk pastels
1” Flat paint brush
White paint
Silver glitter
Presentation:
Review the illustrations in the book and notice the various elements; line, shape, colors, and value. Notice what colors are in the sky and how the snow rests on top of the branches.
Procedure:
- Demonstrate all the steps of the project, starting with how to use and blend the pastels to create the background.
- Demonstrate how to draw a “skeleton” of a tree, centered on the page and leaving room at the bottom to paint the ground. The skeleton will determine the size and shape of the tree. Then using a sharp edge of the pastel, add the needles, without blending to preserve the detail. Explain how different types of trees have different size needles.
- Using a small amount of white paint in a shallow dish, dab just the end of the brush into the paint and tap it along the top of the tree branches to create a row of dots resembling snow (this technique is called stippling). Explain that the chalk will mix into the paint if they apply too much pressure, or stroke the brush.
- Using the remaining paint, the students will paint the snow ground cover.
- Quickly sprinkle glitter over the wet paint.
