DRAWING & PAINTING is a semester-long course designed to further develop technical skill as well as high-level critical
thinking and problem-solving through theme-based 2-dimensional projects that
explore a myriad of traditional drawing and painting media.
Grid Portrait with Chalk Pastels
All students brought in a photograph of someone that they admired. It was exciting to see the variety of people that were represented: grandparents, historical figures, family members, celebrities, and friends. Students used the grid drawing technique to transfer and enlarge their images onto 18x24" paper. Value and color were added by using colored chalk pastel or hi-fi gray chalk pastels. Accents and definition were created by using India Ink with bamboo pens and bamboo brush washes.
Day of the Dead Sugar Skulls
Scholars learned about the Day of the Dead, which tied into what they were working on in Spanish class. We specifically talked about sugar skulls and other decorations used in the celebration. Students created their skull by drawing simple shapes on black paper. Then, students outlined all of their pencil lines with glue. Their drawings were colored with chalk pastels, as a way to familiarize themselves with the material for our next project. Glue lines were wiped clean with q-tips, and then the drawings were sprayed with fixatif.
Metamorphosis Drawing
Students showed transformation in steps by creating a metamorphosis drawing. They were allowed to choose any subject as their beginning and ending image, and were required to show at least five steps. Students had the autonomy to choose whether to add value and could use graphite or colored pencil along with permanent marker for accenting.
Watercolor Paper Lanterns
Students chose a theme, and then created four panels based on that theme. It could be the same design, or different designs. Students created contour line drawings and then filled them in with watercolor, keeping negative space in mind so that light would be able to shine through. Then, panels were pieced together with glue and sewn up the corners with string.