Saturday, October 18, 2014

Pumpkins in Puddles

Around this time of year I ALWAYS have a yearning to draw pumpkins, or to teach kids to draw pumpkins. However, because of parent conferences and Halloween scheduling I almost never am working with students these last weeks of October. So we will probably get around to this lesson next month as an Autumn theme art project, but I just can't wait until then to post it here because it's really fun to do and would be great for Halloween!

We'll start with drawing step-by-step pumpkins.  I use regular copier paper for this. First, you fold it in half. Students draw their pumpkins on the fold, leaving the bottom of the paper blank. I have to make a run to Target tomorrow to stock up on Crayola Classic Watercolor Markers -- the best I've found for this reflection technique. (See a previous post using markers and water to create reflection in a city scene by clicking HERE.)

 Notice that we draw with a darker color first, brown or purple works well. This creates the look of depth in the creases of the pumpkin.
 When coloring in with the orange it is important to leave spaces white where the highlights would be. I usually bring a flashlight and a pumpkin to school so that kids can actually see how the light source creates that highlight. It also helps to add darker color shading on the underside of the pumpkins. We often add a few tendrils as a last step.
When their drawings are done, students paint plain water (lightly) on the bottom half of the drawing and fold it up onto the drawing. They press the entire area and then pull up to reveal the reflection.

All of this can be completed in one 45-minute session. However, if you would like to go a step further, when the print dries, kids can add crayon details for the straw the pumpkins are sitting on, extra shading on the pumpkins, etc. The first example at the start of this posting has that and some pencil details to delineate the puddle effect.

There, now I have satisfied my yearning for pumpkin drawing. When we finally get around to doing this little project in class, I'll be sure to post student results:))
Happy Halloween, everyone:))

10 comments:

  1. How lovely! I might have to try this out. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. These are beautiful! I might steal this for my third grades next week! :)

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  3. Gorgeous Christie! I'll have to try this sometime.

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  4. Thanks!! I hope if any of you tries this that you post the results. I'm still in the mood to see LOTS of pumpkins!!

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  5. This is AWESOME!! Definitely doing! :)

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  6. Very cool. Thinking about autumn art, and I just got an *idea* for a blog post. I believe we are close in age - do you remember the John Gnagy Learn to Draw kits? I loved it!

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    1. I'm pretty sure I must have had at least one of his books or kits somewhere along the way -- maybe on how to draw dogs or horses. I do remember watching him on TV in those early years of television!!!!

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  7. Brilliant project- hope I have time to try it out next week! I love drawing pumpkins too :)

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  8. Christie- tried this with an enrichment class of K through 5. Each one was lovely!
    Laurel ( manic713@aol.com)
    Side note: Starbucks next Tuesday 11/25 AM? I've lost your email. Hope you can join us
    Please contact me.



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    1. Thanks, Laurel. I just finished mounting 150 or so of these. I love how they all turned out so different. When we did this in class I had a variety of pumpkins, other squash and gourds for the kids to try drawing. They had fun with the colors and textures of the various types. (I'll e-mail you now about Tues.)

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