This project began without a real plan and developed for each child through their own discoveries during the process. Intuitive painting can be hard to grasp at the beginning, but I love this concept because it frees a child from worrying about the end result.
6 year old
This child's work at the beginning had only the small bird in the middle. I suggested she repeat the bird in a medium and large size, actually drawing one bird partly on the table (they always love that idea) so that it would in the end bleed off the page. I love the way this turned out in the end.
7 year old
I handed each child two pieces of cut scrapbook paper with random designs on it at first to glue onto the acrylic paper. I emphasized that they should not get too attached to the paper as they would be painting and drawing over it, so very little would probably show at the end.
6 year old
More than one of them asked me what was the point of the paper then? Valid question. I explained that not only would it add texture to the final work, but create depth also. Then I gave each of them a dollop of white paint to randomly brush across the papers.
7 year old
Once the paint was dried, I asked each child to pick out a bird from the reference material provided. I gave each of them a paper plate with a hole in the middle and told them to push the pencil through it. With their hands underneath the plate, they each did a blind contour drawing, really practicing the observation skills while looking at the reference material. This method of drawing forced them to really observe the bird reference, since they could not see their hands, and gave them some great shapes on their papers to begin to create an imaginary bird.
8 year old
Once they had a "crazy" blind contour bird on paper, I told them they could take the water soluble pencils and/or charcoal and modify the drawing so that it pleased them. They could add branches, leaves, or anything else they wanted to put their birds into an environment.
Or they could just simple focus on the bird, their choice.
Then they ran over the drawing with water to create some interesting tones.
9 year old
At this point, I put out the chalk pastels, I let them color in their birds and background however they wanted. Then I handed out watercolor pans with no paintbrush. I simple had them dip their fingers into the water and apply some watercolor to their works however they wanted.
The works were looking a bit of a hot mess of color and more than one of the kids were beginning to wonder if they should really trust me anymore. But I knew what would begin to happen as I handed out yet again the white paint.
8 year old
I asked them to go back in with the white paint and paint out whatever they needed to in order to make their bird stand out. When the white paint mixes with the pastel and watercolor, it creates some lovely color. For fun I even suggested they add finger tip marks on the painting.
6 year old
And finally, the most popular part of the project! The fountain pen. I have yet to meet a kid that is not completely fascinated by dipping a pen into ink in order to draw. They LOVE it and this is one of my top 5 favorite art supplies because of how interesting and engaging it is to children of all ages.
With the fountain pen, I told them to slow down and add small details to their birds. We talked about line and how to use it to add interest and texture to their artwork. I gave them the opportunity to outline their birds in order to bring them to the forefront and encouraged them to not make the line "solid" like a coloring book but let it break in places.
6 year old
And just for good measure, I showed them how they could flick the end of the pen to add some ink spots to the art for a final layer of interest. Then they signed their names and were done.
7 year old
This is a great project to explore nothing more than process. By continuously adding a new medium to the mix just as their interest begins to wane with the last, these multi-layered, sophisticated works develop since each new medium rejuvenates the kids' excitement.
I love the unique way each child interpreted this project. I loved watching them explore, problem solve, and genuinely get excited when they made some new discovery. I think they were all very happy with their "weird" birds and happy to have followed their "weird" art teacher down the proverbial garden path, where no doubt each and every one of these extraordinary imaginary birds call home.
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