This is a fun way to build a textured canvas. Children use black glue on black construction paper to outline the frog. Then use colored oil pastels to fill him in. The results are stunning and worthy of any classroom gallery!
Materials:
- Black Construction Paper
- Glue
- Black Paint
- Oil Pastels
- Inspiration Photo
There is so much to explore in the Amazon! Readers are taken on an adventure through the Amazon rainforest to learn about the lush plants and beautiful animals, deforestation, and rainforest conservation in this fascinating nonfiction reader that features striking photographs and riveting facts.
Step 1
Using your inspiration photo, draw an outline of your rainforest animal. Use pencil so that it can be seen but easily covered up.
Step 2
Add some black paint to your glue bottle and stir. Carefully outline your animal with black glue.
Step 3
Set your drawing aside to dry. I put mine outside with a rock on top so it wouldn’t blow away. You could use a hairdryer to speed up this process just be careful not to blow your glue too hard.
Step 4
Using your inspiration photo again and your oil pastels begin to add color to the appropriate areas. In this case my frogs eyes are black and red, and I added in bright green on his face, and legs.
Step 5
Look carefully at the colors. I see blue in the belly and chin. Yellow and orange at the tips of the feet. And more blue and purple in the middle of the legs. Use your finger to blend.
Step 6
Add in white along the belly and chin area. Blend the blue towards the center of the belly.
Step 7
Highlight the edges of the face with a lighter green (or mix green and white if you don’t have a lighter color) I added a white highlight stripe on some of the legs as well.
Step 8
I colored my leave in orange and read so as to contrast with the green of the frog. You don’t have to make your image exactly like your inspiration photo, it is only meant to be a guide!
Comments (6)
I LOVE this! Thank you so much for sharing!!! Never thought to add color to my white glue, wow! My kiddos are 4 and 6 so I’ll have to build up some courage before i do oil paints with them but I’m definitely thinking of adding it to my summer plans as it is so cool!
Hi Lisa,
We use Crayola Oil Pastels, (I linked them in the Materials list above) they are super bright and not so bad if you do “outside” art, or schedule the project before bathtime :)
Most adorable! May I suggest including a link for us to e-mail to friends or to like and share on Facebook.
[…] Tree Frog Oil & Pastel Art Project from The Crafty Classroom […]
I loved this idea and modified it slightly to use some black puffy paint I had on hand rather than colored glue. That worked really well.
[…] Tree Frog Oil Pastel […]