Project – Contour Line Leaves
What you need:
- White construction paper, cut in half
- Leaf stencils to trace
- Black Sharpie markers
- Crayons
- Colored construction paper for mounting
- Glue sticks
- Pebble, scratch sheet of paper, and black marker for demonstration
Set up:
- Each student will receive a piece of white construction paper and a black marker (or Sharpie)
- Students can choose leaf pattern to trace
- Students can share crayons set out at the tables
Discussion:
Ask students examples of Line in art they know: prompt cartoons, stick drawings, etc. Explain how Line is the most basic element of drawing, basically a moving dot. Lines can go up and down, back and forth, straight, and curvy. Today we’ll discuss Contour Lines and how they can make art work look more interesting and realistic. (Follow slides below)
Contour Lines can make an object look 3-D as on the above slide of the Contour Map. Show students how straight lines look flat but curved lines and the closer together they are giving more dimension.
Independent Practice (Project):
Explain to the class that they will be outlining a fall leaf in this same way. Have the students choose a leaf stencil and place somewhere on their sheet of paper. After tracing the leaf then it can be put aside. Encourage the students to keep outlining the leaf over and over to the edge of the paper.
When the outlining is complete, students can choose cool, warm/ Autumn colored crayons to fill in the spaces.
The pieces can be mounted on construction paper with glue sticks or staples.
Review:
If time permits, review the elements of Contour Lines:
