The Great Pumpkin!

Third graders did an outstanding job in their first experience drawing with glue and working with chalk pastel.  We looked at the work of Rembrandt and discussed how he was a master at value and a "special effects" artist through his use of chiaroscuro.  The students decided on a tall pumpkin or wide pumpkin; some wanted to put more than one pumpkin in their drawing, some wanted jack-o-lanterns.  Once their pencil drawing was finished they carefully traced over the pencil line with white glue.  After the glue dried they got to work on exploring value using chalk pastels.  We discussed how they could add white to the orange pastel to lighten it or mix yellow with it to brighten it.  The students were given a "sun chip" to remind them where their light source was coming from.  Once the pumpkin was finished they worked on the background.  The variety of skies are beautiful--sunrise, sunset, evening sky.  The bulletin board with their artwork is quite a crowd-pleaser!