I AM AN ARTIST - Sketchbooks

Level: Primary, Junior
Grades: K - Gr. 5 | Age: 5 - 11 yrs | Written by: Eileen Urbanski
[Eileen is a teacher at Eagle & Union Elementary in Zionsville, IN]

Summary:

Here you will find a list of ideas to encourage students to work on their own sketchbooks. This is a good jumping off point for teachers and students who wish to try creating sketchbooks during the school year.

Objectives:

Students will understand what being an artist means and demonstrate this through:

The use of a sketchbook to record their ideas.

Students will be:

drawing from their imaginations
drawing from real life objects
using "how to draw" instructional resources

The creation of their own Art Book (portfolio).

Students will create:

several pictures about famous artists
paintings/drawings using new materials like pastels, oil crayons, paint
drawings/paintings using new techniques like crayon rubbing, pointillism, computer art, printmaking

What You Need:

Sketchbooks
Pencils/erasers
Markers
Crayons
Craypas®
Paint
Brushes
Printing ink pad and stamps
Watercolor
12x18 paper
Plastic binding combs
Tagboard

Resources/Books Used

Drawing Lessons From A Bear by David McPhail
Badly Drawn Dog by Emma Dodson
The Artist by John Bianchi
Hands Growing Up To be an Artist by Lois Ehlert
"How to Draw" books
Art Reprints (search on Art.com)

What You Do:

Big Idea:

Everyone is an artist - it is our very special skill! Out of all the creatures on the earth only humans possess the ability to be artists!

Introduction:

Ask the students if they know what a sketchbook is and ask if any of them have one at home.
Discuss how an artist uses a sketchbook.
Discuss how they will use a sketchbook.
Tell the students that because some of them work fast (rabbits) and some work slow (turtles), everyone will be getting a sketchbook to use for the rest of the year in art class. Tell them that It is used whenever there is extra time in art - if they finish their work before other students. It is a special place just for their art ideas!

Day 1:

After Intro, read the book Drawing Lessons from a Bear.
Have the students say out loud "I AM AN ARTIST!"
Hand out sketchbooks and give the following assignments:

Draw a picture of yourself on the cover (this is a self-portrait) and write your name and grade on it.
Draw one picture inside using your imagination.
Draw one picture inside from a "how to draw" book (students can look through the books you have on hand).

Day 2

Read the book - The Artist.
Write a list of jobs that an artist can do on the white board.

Assignment (in the sketchbooks):

Draw a beautiful sunrise
Draw a rainbow
Draw anything you wish (free choice)

Day 3:

Read the book - Hands Growing Up to Be An Artist
Enjoy the format of the book.

Discussion (talk about the following):

How the family works on hobbies/projects at home.
Talk about how the students will be creating their own Art Book. Emphasize that it will take a while to do each picture, but when they are done, they will be able to take it home and show everyone what they learned.
Talk about famous artists' paintings.
Talk about materials like pastels, oil crayons, paint.
Talk about new techniques, pointillism, computer art, printing.

Assignment:

Make a picture inside the sketchbook using a new material.

Day 4-8

Activity/Vocabulary Ideas for the Sketchbook:

Van Gogh - Starry Night Crayon Rubbing, Markers, Expressive, Texture, Brushstrokes [lesson plan here]

Edvard Munch - The Scream Oil Pastel, Crayons, Bold Colors, Movement, Emotion [lesson plan here]

Piet Mondrian Compostion in R-Y B - Paint, Primary Colors, Shape, Line [lesson plan here]

Leonardo DaVinci - Mona Lisa Watercolor, Crayons, Portrait, Depth (showing near and far)

George Seurat - Sunday Afternoon In the Park Marker, Dots, Computer Pointillism, Landscape [lesson plan here]

Wassily Kandinsky - Improvisation Printing, Non-Objective [lesson plan here]

Conclusion:

Continue to come up with ideas for the sketchbook. When the school year is complete, students can take the books home and share with family and friends.

Recommended Books/Products:

Drawing Lessons From A Bear by David McPhail
Badly Drawn Dog by Emma Dodson
The Artist by John Bianchi
Hands Growing Up To be an Artist by Lois Ehlert
"How to Draw" books
Art Reprints (search on Art.com)

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www.KINDERART.com