Polar Bear Portraits

We completed a one day project with my second graders today. We discussed what a portrait was and fun facts about polar bears. Usually we draw snowman portraits, but I thought it would be fun for a little change.

These are the steps for this drawing. I showed students each step and they first drew together with pencil on light blue paper. Then traced with black crayon. We drew "rainbow" lines for ears, two circle eyes, an upside down triangle nose, and a smile.

Students colored their scarves with patterns. Patterns were colored with construction paper crayons (love them!). Then students colored in the body and drew snowflakes with a white oil pastel. I have used white crayon for the coloring before, but white pastel really does turn out so bright!

We completed these drawings in one forty-minute class. I love the way these turned out. Each one is unique!

One quick pointer, when coloring oil pastel emphasize the importance to color 'around' the face detail with the oil pastel and not on top. That oil pastel can cover up all that hard work quickly if done without notice.

Materials:

9 x 12" light blue paper (although you could use any color)

Pencils and erasers

Construction paper crayons

Black crayons (could substitue with permanent markers)

white oil pastels (or white crayons)



Winter Collage

Winter time is here which makes for excellent subject matter!

This week at the primary level I have students creating "Snovals". Typically one thinks of a snowman being created from circles, but we are trying to make our snowmen unique with an oval instead. This idea came from an Arts and Activties lesson I saw several years ago.

I like this project because its another opportunity to recycle. I love wrapping paper especially for the variety of prints and ease to cut.
We begin by reading Snowmen at Night. Excellent book! And I point out the variety of shapes in the snowmens' clothing. Then we then practice drawing an oval in the air by "stretching" a circle. When they have the hang of it in the air, then we draw it on a 9 x 12" piece of white paper (although smaller can work too). Students cut out their oval then draw two black circles for coal eyes and additional circles for the mouth.

After that students use a scrap of orange paper to cut and glue on a carrot nose (triangle). Then the fun begins. I tell all students to create special clothes to keep their snowmen warm on cold nights. This can include mittens, scarves, hats, boots, etc. Students use scrap wall paper and wrapping paper to clothe their snowman. Students could also draw on buttons with black crayon or cut out of color paper.
Each one is unique and incredibly fun! I did this with K, 1st, and 2nd graders.

Love the hat on this one!

Materials:
scissors
 glue
 white paper
black crayons
orange construction scrap and all sorts of fun printed papers (wrapping paper is great after the holidays)

This project can take 1 to 2 forty minute classes depending on how you present it.

Next week, I originally planned to create snowman portraits... but I'm thinking of changing it a bit. Polar bear portraits may add a bit of variety to our usual subjects. They appear very much the same other than changing the face and a few other details. Yes... Polarbear Portraits seems like a fun venue.

This looks great with construction paper crayons and white oil pastel. We draw out the shapes first with pencil, then trace with black crayon and color. This project is great for discussing portraits and perspective/view.