Underwater Scene
Have students divide paper into three sections – ocean floor, water and sky. Make the water the largest space. Discuss different types of sea animals they might like to include in their picture and draw lightly in pencil. Add details of sea grass, coral or a shipwreck. Color with crayons or markers. Outline in black […]
Tints and Shades
Tell students to turn the paper sideways to create the background first. Fold paper in half and open so you have a vertical line (you are looking at the picture sideways). Students will begin with one brush stroke of the solid color (pink in the example above) on the fold line—then stop. Explain that mixing […]
Sumi-e Ink Animals
First sketch in pencil very lightly the parts of your animal. Then have kiddos stop. Discuss painting in gray with the tippy toe of your brush for thin lines. Paint the outline. As a class, use black to create each appropriate limb, eyes, etc. It is fast! The most important part is to stop when […]
Starry Night
Students will draw a similar picture of someplace they have visited. It could be a beach, city, mountains, a lake, an amusement park, or even just their back yard. After students draw their picture, they can trace over the lines with crayons. In the sky, use dots of yellow or white for the stars. Remember […]
Silhouette
Paint the background first and let dry. While paint is drying, students can begin sketching ideas for the foreground. On top of the background, students can pencil in the silhouette image. (Another option is cutting out the design on another paper and allowing students to trace it onto the background.) Then trace in black permanent […]
Sailboat Paintings
Demonstrate how to draw the boat by drawing an upside down trapezoid for the bottom of the boat, and a smaller, right side up trapezoid for the cabin of the boat. Draw a vertical line above the cabin for the mast of the boat. On each side of the line draw a triangle for the […]
Preschool Ideas
Choose a theme, design, or idea Paint the child’s hand or foot and stamp onto the paper Add in background details with paint or marker Add the child’s name and year to the sheet, at least one inch from the edge
Optical Illusion Hand
Have students trace their hand with outstretched fingers in pencil on their paper. It does not need to be in the middle, but that is easiest. Use rulers to create 1” stripes horizontally across the paper. Demonstrate how to make these even. Skip over the hand area without drawing in it. Next, show how to […]
Mystery Pattern Picture
Choose a geometric shape such as a circle, rectangle, square or triangle. Draw it very large on your paper in pencil, leaving at least an inch margin on top and bottom. Draw your first name or initials within the geometric shape. Decide what you want your shape to be about. Be creative! A rectangle could […]