Art Lesson Plan: Mixed Breed Animal Drawings

Submitted by: Linda Wood, St. John's Lower School, Houston, Texas
Lesson written by Judy Decker using student work submitted by Linda Woods
Unit: Drawing/Medieval Art
Lesson Plan: Mixed Breed Animals
Grade Level: 3 thru 6 (these are fifth grade)
School Web Site: St. John's Lower School (Go to Art Stories - Linda Woods)

AnnaZ_HybridAnimalDrawing_5th

Objectives:

Create an imaginary animal by combining parts of two or more animals
Show pattern and textures with Prismacolor pencils
Show highlights and shadows using complimentary colors - add white for high lights
Develop center of interest at eyes using white for highlights
Create an environment for their imaginary animal.
Demonstrate skill in cutting and gluing

Materials:

Animal handouts (packet for each table), newsprint, pencils,
black construction paper,
colored construction paper,
Prismacolor pencils, scissors, glue

Resources:

Notice to Teachers: Dover publications has books with copyright free illustrations of animals. You may use these - or use published photographs. I feel your use here passes the "Fair Use" test as students are using the photographs for research and creating something new and original. If you want your students to search on line for animal sources, Roger Hall will allow students to use his scientific illustrations to use for inspiration. When permissions are easy to get (as in the case of Roger Hall Scientific Illustration Wildlife Art ), teachers should make an effort to get the permission ahead of time to make a "derived" work using a copyrighted work for reference. Many zoo sites also give permission for in class use right on their web site. Read the terms of use).

Instruction/Motivation:

Discuss a little about life in the Middle Ages. Present some of the animals shown in the Bestiary.
Demonstrate using Prismacolors - show how to to do highlights and shadows - show blending of colors. Demonstrate coloring of eyes to show reflection
Review color planning. Review animals in their environment/habitat

Procedures:

Look through animal pictures and select at least three animals that appeal to you. Plan some combinations on newsprint. For example: select the head of one animal, body of another and tail section of a third. Plan in what kind of environment your animal will live.
Select your best plan -- Draw your animal on the black construction paper. Make it just about fill the page. The animal is to be the main focus of the composition. Focus on transitions: Wings must appear to grow out of the body....patterns must be repeated for unity (zebra tail? how about some hoof stripes for unity, or maybe some more in the face?)
Draw in details of the environment. In what biome does your animal live? What kind of plants would be there (note from Judy: I have had actual plants in the room for students to draw).
Plan colors - try analogous or complementary colors.
Color composition. Use a variety of pencil pressures to obtain different values. Use white and lighter values to show highlights, Use complementary colors to show shadows. Use directional strokes to help shape the animal (making it look more three dimensional).
Develop a center of interest around the eyes - put a reflection in the eye, develop pattern and texture in the iris, use of black and white pencils for texturing and adding depth
Color background/landscape to enhance animal - repeat colors.
Cut out and mount on colored construction paper (select a color that is complementary or analogous to drawing). Put tiny drops of glue on back of drawing (leave face down on table) - lay construction paper over and gently smooth to join the two together.

Evaluation:

Did students show imagination and creativity in combining different animal parts to create a mixed breed animal?
Did students show values by varying pressures of the pencil - showing highlights and shadows with complimentary colors?
Did students create a center of interest at the eyes by adding a white reflection?
Did students exhibit skill and craftsmanship in cutting and gluing?