EXPLORING OIL PASTEL – Resist

Students will be able to:

1. Create a variety of marks using oil pastels;
2. Use watercolour paint to create resist paintings;
3. Compare the effects of different colour combinations in resist paintings;
4. Build on their own and others’ discoveries to generate new ideas;
5. Explain their process;
6. Express opinions about the works; and
7. Support their ideas with evidence found in the paintings.

1. Display a large sheet of painting paper on a bulletin board and have students add marks on it for a week. Label it Add a Mark.  Once enough marks have been added set the paper out and allow them to add patches of watercolour paint to create a large resist painting.
2. Tear the completed painting into smaller pieces and give each student one piece. Have them glue this piece into their sketchbook (or onto a 22.9 cm x 30.5 cm (9” x 12”) paper. Ask them to use their imagination to extend the patch into a drawing of something wonderful.

1. Place students in groups so they can share the oil pastels and paints.
2. Spread newspaper on tables for easy clean up.
3. Provide paper towel, water containers and paintbrushes for each student/group.
4. Make a sample.

1. Explain what oil pastels are - a drawing tool like a crayon and chalk pastel combined. The pigment is mixed with an oil and wax binder that doesn't dry in the air. Eventually they do harden, but it takes a long time so pictures made with oil pastels always seem a bit oily to touch. Oil pastels can be used in a lot of different ways.
2. Ask how many students have used oil pastels before, and how they have used them. 
3. Explain that because oil and water don't mix if we paint over oil pastel the marks will still be visible. This technique is called oil pastel resist.
4. Explain that today's class is for experimenting with the oil pastels and watercolour paints. It's a time to play with ideas and see what happens.
5. Introduce the challenge.

1. Have students work with a partner or in small groups. Ask them to:
   - Discuss the effects of the paint and oil pastel.
   - Talk about how the different colour combinations make them feel. 
   - Compare the exercises and describe to each other what they did to get certain effects.
   - Consider how doing this exercise might help them if they were creating a picture.

1. Observe students as they work. Ask questions about process and discoveries.