Mini Hand Zentangles

Art level: Middle School
Materials required: white construction paper, pencil, crayons, colored pencils
Concepts taught: Line and exploring types of line design

Title of lesson: "Mini Hand Zentangles"
Objective:
To be able to identify different line variations.
To produce a zentangle using several line types.


Here's a fun lesson that I did with my 10-13 year olds when we learned about line! Most students don't realize how many different things they could do with line and how they could use line quality to enhance their projects.

First, I went over what a line is and gave them a hand out showing them all of the different kinds of lines that exist.

They had to finish this worksheet, which I found easier than having them just copy lines. They had to continue the visual which worked in their favor!

 Then, I had students trace their hands onto a piece of white construction paper. They were then instructed to divide their hands into sections using line.

 After learning about all of the different types of line, they then were allowed to fill in those sections with line designs. However, they weren't allowed to have 2 sections of the same design next to one another. Then they colored!

This student took it to the next level and did line design outside the hand! Zentangle artist in the making :)

I love all of the shapes and line design in this one!

This lesson was great. The students learned a lot about line and it really stuck with them. I kid you not, every lesson after that they would bring up how they could use line and wanted to refer back to their line worksheets. Having visuals always helps!

Starry Night (with a twist!)

Art level: Middle School
Materials required:

• 2 worksheets given prior to project for practice
• Black construction paper
• Oil Pastels (they were encouraged to use cool colors)

Concepts taught: Line design, balance and mood

Ahh, Starry Night. This is one of my absolute favorite Van Gogh pieces. I always thought it would be cool to make a Starry Night piece but to do a rendition on it. So, for my art internship at Ringwood Public Library last semester, I had my middle schoolers approach this piece in a different way. I call this, Starry Night (with a twist!)

Students were asked to examine Van Gogh's Starry Night painting, and then create their own masterpieces. They did not have to recreate the original piece. Instead, they were allowed the freedom to replace elements of the picture with something completely different. For instance, they could get rid of the big tree on the left and make it into a whole new landscape. After practicing different line variations that are present in the piece (swirls, broken lines, etc), the students were to think about how to incorporate Van Gogh's line design into their Starry Night pictures. So, while the students could change the scene, they still had to include Van Gogh's line variations and 11 stars.



This is the worksheet they worked on prior to starting the project. We experimented with expressing various moods through pattern/color. They loved this.

 

Then, I provided students with a "movement" worksheet to practice line. They traced over an existing pattern and added to it. 

Then, they got started on their Van Gogh pieces in pastel. Needless to say, I was completely impressed by how well these kids were doing. Mind you, they're only 11!

This student consistently refused to use color. However, we were using oil pastels on black paper so he HAD to. He ended up pushing himself and doing really well! I love the illumination affect from this one.

Love the different lines developing in this one! ^

This was definitely a success. The students loved it and felt really proud of their own masterpieces!