DRAWING WITH OIL PASTELS – Composition, Space

Students will be able to:

• create a narrative drawing of an imaginary scene using oil pastel techniques;
• use placement of objects to create areas of emphasis;
• use diminishing perspective in a crowd scene to create the illusion of depth;
• demonstrate technical accomplishment and creativity;
• support their ideas with evidence found in the works.

Have students:

• photograph their drawings;
• create a digital class book using their drawings to illustrate each section;
• write in the voice of their animal describing life before this scene, and life as it is now;
• share their work with another class.

1. Prior to this lesson have students experiment with oil pastel techniques in their sketchbooks using the Exploring Oil Pastels lesson plan available on this website.
2. Download and display the Space, Balance and Emphasis posters available on this website.
3. Teach or review the element of space and principples of balance and emhasis.
   Space - the area around, inside or between shapes or forms.
   Balance - the arrangement of elements so that they seem equal in weight or importance.
   Emphasis - highlighting part of an artwork to draw attention to it.
4. Download images from the Internet, or find images in books or magazines of a variety of crowds.
   Crowd
   Busy Crowd
   Brueghel Crowd
   Tug of War
   Manet Crowd
5. Prior to this lesson have students create an edition of prints using the A World Without printmaking lesson available on this website – Make sure they save some of their artist proofs.
   OR 
6. Or have them find a photograph of an animal they want to draw and work through the drawing process in the lesson Portrait of a Pet available on this website to draw it on a piece of coloured construction paper.

1. View and discuss images of crowds focussing on common characteristics.
   - colour gets lighter and duller as it gets farther away
   - size of objects gets smaller as they get farther away
   - overlapping - objects block out other objects
   - details get fuzzier as things get farther away
   - objects placed higher on picture plane seem farther away
   - foreground - the space that seems closest to the viewer
   - middle ground - the space between the foreground and the background
   - background  - the space that seems far away from the viewer
2. Discuss the composition of the pictures, the placement and colour of objects to create areas of emphasis, and the use of diminishing perspective - the idea that things that are closer to the viewer appear larger than things that are farther away.
3. Introduce the challenge

1. Once all the drawings are complete display them for a group discussion. Remind students of the challenge.
   - Look closely at the drawings.
   - Choose one that interests you for some reason.
   - Share thoughts about the work.
2. During the discussion include references to:
   - Placement - how it has been used to create areas of emphasis
   - Diminishing perspective - how size and colour create the illusion of depth
   - Technique – how different techniques have been used to create the sense of space

1. Observe students as they work – thoughtful focus, discriminating, seeking more information, elaborating, experimenting.
2. Observe students as they discuss their drawings – speaks with a clear voice, looks at audience while speaking, points to areas in the picture, provides accurate information, answers questions from the audience effectively.
3. Observe students as they listen – looks at presenter, asks effective questions, supports ideas with evidence found in the artwork.
4. Use a checklist to track progress. (Downloads – Narrative_tracking.pdf)
5. Have students use the self-assessment form to evaluate their work. (Downloads – Narrative_self-assessment.pdf)