Lesson Plans All Grade Levels

Children of preschool age and younger can make colorful pictures of their own that look great on all Art to Remember products. Here are several examples of handprint and footprint art used to make anything from fun bugs, tame or wild animals and funny frogs and fish! See more at www.ArtToRemember.com!

Preschool Art Ideas

Objective Children will learn about colors, textures, and different art mediums. Textured Background Sponged Background

Required Materials

Pictures of flowers from seed catalogs or calendars, fresh flowers, silk flowers, and artists floral paintings

8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Washable paint (tempera or poster paint), crayons (with paper removed), texture boards or any textured material, paint brushes, and Styrofoam trays or cookie sheets

Instructions 1. Prepare background. Place paper over textured surface and rub surface lightly with broad side of

a crayon. You may overlap several colors for a different effect. Sponge painting the background is another option.

2. Painting process. Pour small amounts of paint in trays. Press child’s hand in desired color and carefully press on paper (this will become the flower). Add one or more flowers to complete stamping. Using paint brushes, have the children add leaves and details to complete their paintings.

3. Print name legibly on the front of the paper (at least an inch from the edge so the name will not be cut off).

Hand Stamp Flower Painting Preschool

Objective What do bugs do? What environment do they live in? Let your students use their imagination and create a wild and colorful world for one or more buggy creatures. Have them use various shapes to create bugs and their surroundings.

Required Materials 8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Markers

Pictures of different bugs

Instructions 1. Draw your composition lightly in pencil. Make sure students fill up the paper sheet of paper with

color. Draw large! Geometric shapes can be used to draw a bug, like a beetle, by drawing a circle for the head and eyes, an oval for the thorax, and an oval shape for the abdomen. Add additional lines and shapes for patterns.

2. Add color. Use colors that are vibrant and contrast. Do not use metallic or neon colors because they do not reprint well.

3. Outline in black markers for emphasis. 4. Print name legibly on the front of the paper (at least an inch from the edge so the name will not

be cut off).

Bugmania Elementary

Objective Students will discover new ways to add color and texture to their drawings, which are two of the elements reinforced in this lesson.

Required Materials Lots of resource pictures that students can reference when they begin their preliminary sketch. If

the students are using stuffed animals as subject matter, they could bring their favorite animal from home to make the product more personal to them.

8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Pencils, erasers, colored fine point markers.

Instructions 1. The student will sketch the animal or subject matter on the white paper, drawing large enough to

fill the paper. 2. After sketching the picture with pencil, the student will use fine point markers to fill in the picture

with very small. Do not begin randomly. Work in small sections. Don’t forget the background! 3. Print name legibly on the front of the paper (at least an inch from the edge so the name will not

be cut off).

Color Texture Drawings Elementary

Objective: Students will learn to paint or draw realistic flowers using complimentary colors.

Required Materials 8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Paint (semi-moist watercolor or tempera paint), markers

Flowers, silk flowers, calendars or floral paintings by artists like Georgia O’Keefe

Instructions 1. Choose a flower shape and draw in pencil a large version of it, taking up most of the paper.

2. Using bright colors, fill in the flower image. Be creative - the flowers can be any color!

3. Carefully color in the background with a contrasting color. 4. Optional – outline the flower in a dark color. 5. Print name legibly on the front of the paper (at least an inch from the edge so the name will not

be cut off).

Flower Power Elementary

Objective To learn how to use geometric shapes to draw flowers and insects.

Required Materials

Pictures of flowers and insects from magazines (i.e. Better Homes and Gardens)

8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Pencils, markers or crayons

Instructions 1. Ask students to name different kinds of flowers: daisies, roses, sunflowers, tulips, lilies,

dandelions, etc. Show students how to use basic geometric shapes to draw flowers. Ask students to draw the same number of flowers as their age. The flowers should be fairly large.

2. To include a science element into the lesson, discuss with students how insects use flowers. They can include some of these insects in their picture.

3. To include a butterfly, draw a circle for the head, and oval shape for the thorax, and a longer skinnier oval for the abdomen. Next add the eyes and antennae. Butterflies have two sets of wings on each side of their bodies. Draw a large circular shape on each side of the thorax. Under that shape draw a large U-shape that touches the bottom of the body and curves around to the edge of the first wing shape. The wings need to be symmetrical, another vocabulary term that students can be introduced to.

4. Color the picture with crayons. If time allows, students can add a sun, clouds, or a rainbow. Finally, for extra pizzazz, trace the drawings with a black crayon.

5. Print name legibly on the front of the paper (at least an inch from the edge so the name will not be cut off).

How My Garden Grows! Elementary

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Objective Students will identify the layers in a landscape picture and recognize which is progressively at a further distance away.

Required Materials 8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Pencils, paint

Instructions 1. Discuss with students the layers in the picture and how it creates perspective 2. There are three rules of distance to observe:

a. Size of objects: Generally, the closer the object, the larger it appears b. Distance to the bottom of the page: Generally, closer objects near the bottom down c. Detail: The closer the object, the greater detail it might have

3. With a pencil, sketch the landscape in layers. Ideas: grass, bushes, trees, mountains, body of water, sky with clouds.

4. Outline the important parts, then color or paint in with a thin paint 5. Print name legibly on the front of the paper (at least an inch from the edge so the name will not

be cut off).

Layered Landscape Elementary

Objective To learn how to use shapes to create a lighthouse and how to use art materials effectively to add color and form to the shapes.

Colored with crayons Painted with tempera cake paints

Required Materials

Pictures or photographs of lighthouses (American artist Edward Hopper painted a number of lighthouses)

8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Pencils, markers, tempera paint, or semi-moist watercolor (basic watercolors not recommended)

Instructions 1. Draw a horizon line near the center of their paper. Next, draw two vertical lines that intersect

with the horizon line to make the sides of the lighthouse. The lines will be closer together at the top and gradually move farther apart towards the bottom. Leave a couple of inches at the top and bottom of the paper for the roof and cliff.

2. Connect the tops of the lines together with a curved line (like a frown). This will be the top of the lighthouse without the roof. To make the bottom of the lighthouse, draw another curved line (like a smile).

3. Draw a triangle or half circle to make the roof for the lighthouse. On top of the roof add a decorative finial.

4. Add stripes or diamonds on the lighthouse. Any horizontal lines on the lighthouse that are above the horizon line will curve down (like a frown). Any horizontal lines below the horizon line will curve up (like a smile).

Lighthouse Drawings Elementary

5. Add a small lighthouse keeper’s house on the side. Draw a cliff around the lighthouse. 6. Make sure to leave a space at the top of the lighthouse next to the roof for the light to shine out

over the water. Large boulder shapes can be added at the bottom of the paper. 7. Color with crayons, colored pencils, or markers. Students can trace drawings with thin

permanent markers and paint with watercolors or tempera cakes. Try to add darker shades of color on one side of the lighthouse to make it look rounder. Use yellows and oranges to make the light look like it is glowing at the top of the lighthouse.

8. Print name legibly on the front of the paper (at least an inch from the edge so the name will not be cut off).

Objective Students will learn to draw from pictures and add their own creative touches.

Required Materials

8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Crayons or markers

Pictures of the students’ pets from home or examples

Instructions 1. Talk to students about their favorite pet or animal; ask them to bring in a picture if possible. 2. Tell students to observe the shape of their pet and draw it lightly in pencil. Pay attention to the

pet’s surroundings. Is he running, playing or doing a trick? 3. Color with markers, crayons or a combination using a variety of lights and darks.

4. Outline in black markers for emphasis. 5. Create an interesting background. Be sure to fill in the entire background in color. 6. Print name legibly on the front of the paper (at least an inch from the edge so the name will not

be cut off).

My Favorite Pet Elementary

Objective Students will learn how to incorporate patterns into their artwork and utilize shapes and colors.

Required Materials Artwork by Henri Matisse

Wallpaper books or fabric samples

8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Pencils, markers, crayons, tempera paint, or semi-moist watercolor

Paintbrushes, water bowls

Instructions 1. Choose a geometric shape such as a circle, rectangle, square or triangle. Draw it very large on

your paper in pencil, leaving at least an inch margin on top and bottom. 2. Draw your first name or initials within the geometric shape. 3. Decide what you want your shape to be about. Be creative! A rectangle could be a van, house or

billboard. A circle could be a fish, a planet in outer space, or a ball. Create an interesting background for your shape.

4. Create repeat patterns and draw them in the spaces between your name. 5. Color with markers or colored pencil. Outline areas you would like to emphasize. 6. Print name legibly on the front of the paper (at least an inch from the edge so the name will not

be cut off).

Mystery Pattern Picture Elementary

Objective To learn about American Artist Winslow Homer and to use watercolor paints. Using shapes, lines and contrasting colors is also important for this project.

Required Materials If possible, find pictures of American artist Winslow Homer’s paintings of sailboats. He painted

them while he was in the Bahamas. If his work is not available, any pictures of sailboats and palm trees would work.

8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Pencils, markers, crayons, tempera paint, semi-moist watercolor (basic watercolors not recommended)

Paintbrushes, water bowls.

Instructions 1. Demonstrate how to draw the boat by drawing an upside down trapezoid for the bottom of the

boat, and a smaller, right side up trapezoid for the cabin of the boat. 2. Draw a vertical line above the cabin for the mast of the boat. On each side of the line draw a

triangle for the sails. They are more interesting if they are not the same size. Students can add stripes on the sails and on the boat. They can also add windows and doors to the cabin.

3. Behind the boat, which should be located near the center of the paper, show students how to draw a horizon line. Near the bottom of their paper, they can draw another line for the beach.

Sailboat Paintings Elementary

4. On each side of their paper, students can draw palm trees or tropical plants. To draw a palm tree, draw a very skinny tall trunk. At the top of each trunk, draw five or six lines coming out like spokes on a wheel. On each side of the line draw a curved or zigzag line for the edges of the palm leaves.

5. Optional – drawn an outline in black marker for emphasis. 6. Next, students will be either coloring their art with crayons or markers, or painting with tempera

paint cakes or watercolors. Paintings will be more successful if students paint the boat, sand and trees one day, and the water and sky on another day. Remind students to use contrasting colors. Avoid making the boat a color that matches the water or sky too closely.

7. Print name legibly on the front of the paper (at least an inch from the edge so the name will not be cut off).

Objective Students will learn about the difference between foreground and background by creating a colorful background and a black silhouette foreground.

Required Materials 8" x 10.5" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Paint, pencils, Sharpie markers (optional)

Instructions 1. Discuss with students whether the palm tree or sky is closer in the picture. 2. Critique the background and discuss how to create it by painting with watercolor washes and

fading colors together. 3. Paint the background first and let dry.

4. While paint is drying, students can begin sketching ideas for the foreground. 5. On top of the background, students can pencil in the silhouette image. (Another option is cutting

out the design on another paper and allowing students to trace it onto the background.) Then trace in black permanent marker for a crisp edge, and paint the foreground shape in black.

6. Print name legibly on the front of the paper (at least an inch from the edge so the name will not be cut off).

Silhouette Elementary

Objective Students will learn about still life art, artists and the use of patterns.

Required Materials Pieces by Paul Cezanne, Henri Matisse, and Pablo Picasso

Objects for a still life model – musical instruments, fruit, flowers and books

8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Markers or crayons

Instructions 1. Draw one or more objects for your picture lightly in pencil. Overlap shapes that are in front or

back to show depth. 2. Create repeat patterns in several areas of your picture. This can be the objects or the

background. 3. Color with markers or crayons using contrasting colors so that your still life will be the center of

interest. 4. Optional outline in black markers for emphasis. 5. Print name legibly on the front of the paper (at least an inch from the edge so the name will not

be cut off).

Still Life a la Pattern Elementary

Objective: To learn about endangered birds and create a picture that incorporates their environment while utilizing bright, vivid, contrasting colors.

Required Materials Books about tropical birds or the rainforest

8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Markers or tempera paints

Instructions 1. Draw the bird lightly in pencil surrounded by colorful flowers, plants and trees. Draw the bird as

large as possible so that it is the focal point or center of interest. 2. Color your picture using saturated, exotic colors like bright orange, lemon yellow, hot pink, lime

green and peacock blue. Contrast light against dark for emphasis. 3. Outline in black markers for emphasis. 4. Print name legibly on the front of the paper (at least an inch from the edge so the name will not

be cut off).

Tropical Feathered Friends Elementary

Objective To learn to draw the ocean, floor and sea creatures, leaving no white space.

Required Materials 8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Crayons or markers

Pictures of underwater scenes, animals and plants

Instructions 1. Have students divide paper into three sections – ocean floor, water and sky. Make the water the

largest space.

2. Discuss different types of sea animals they might like to include in their picture and draw lightly in pencil. Add details of sea grass, coral or a shipwreck.

3. Color with crayons or markers. Outline in black for emphasis.

Underwater Scene Elementary

Objective

Students will learn about Vincent van Gogh and his art, while using crayons and watercolor paint to effectively to create his swirly sky.

Required Materials

A picture of Vincent van Gogh’s painting, “The Starry Night”

8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Pencils, markers, crayons, tempera paint, semi-moist watercolor (basic watercolors not recommended)

Paintbrushes, water bowls

Instructions 1. Have students look at the painting, “The Starry Night.” Notice how the stars and sky are swirly.

What are the main colors in his painting? Students will draw a similar picture of someplace they have visited. It could be a beach, city, mountains, a lake, an amusement park, or even just their back yard.

2. After students draw their picture, they can trace over the lines with crayons. In the sky, use dots of yellow or white for the stars. Remember to add the moon! Use white and yellow crayons, markers or pencils to create short dash lines around the stars. Fill the spaces in between the stars with dash lines of light blue, dark blue, and purple. Try to make the sky look wavy and swirly. Leave space in between the lines for the paint.

3. The spaces can be painted with watercolor paint, or simply colored in lightly with crayons if paints are not available. Paint yellow over the circular stars and blue and purple paint in the rest of the sky.

4. Set paintings in a safe area to dry.

Van Gogh Starry Nights Elementary

Objective Students will explore optical illusions and practice using line and color to create their own!

Required Materials 8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Pencils, paint, markers

Pictures of the pet portrait gallery by Becca Fischer, artist known for fanciful and colorful pet portraits http://beccavision.com/

Instructions 1. Discuss with students what makes Becca Fischer’s artwork exciting and original. 2. Have students choose an animal to look at while drawing. Becca Fischer looks at a photo to

create her work. 3. First sketch in pencil.

4. Next, you may want to trace designs in a Sharpie marker. 5. Fit colors and interesting shapes into your animal. 6. Paint colorful outlines around your animal and create background 7. Print name legibly on the front of the paper (at least an inch from the edge so the name will not

be cut off).

Fanciful Pet Portraits (Becca Fischer Inspired Art) Elementary

Objective Students will explore sumi-e ink

Above image from “Super Simple Sumi-e” by Yvonne Palka (http://yvonnepalka.com/)

Required Materials 8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Pencils, water, brushes, black ink or black watercolor

Book “Super Simple Sumi-e” by Yvonne Palka (recommended)

Instructions 1. Intrigue students by showing them the first step of an animal—the gray reduction that is not yet

recognizable. Then show the next steps until they say “It’s a ___!” 2. Sumi-e uses only watered black reduction (gray) and black ink. It is hard for younger students to

think about leaving white spaces for a purpose, so this works best as a step-by-step project as a group.

3. First sketch in pencil very lightly the parts of your animal. Then have kiddos stop.

4. Discuss painting in gray with the tippy toe of your brush for thin lines. Paint the outline. 5. As a class, use black to create each appropriate limb, eyes, etc. It is fast! 6. The most important part is to stop when it is done! Students might like to freely paint the frame

around their picture to look like a design, bamboo, fish, etc. for the end of class. 7. Print name legibly on the front of the paper (at least an inch from the edge so the name will not

be cut off).

Sumi-e Ink Animals Elementary

Objective Students will explore optical illusions and practice using line and color to create their own!

Required Materials 8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Pencils, rulers, black Sharpie markers (fine) and water based markers with a wide tip (Crayola are best)

Optical illusion prints, a variety by M.C. Escher

Instructions 1. Discuss with students what they see in different optical illusions. What is the purpose of an

illusion? Observe how the artist is trying to achieve tricking the eye. 2. Have students trace their hand with outstretched fingers in pencil on their paper. It does not

need to be in the middle, but that is easiest. 3. Use rulers to create 1” stripes horizontally across the paper. Demonstrate how to make these

even. Skip over the hand area without drawing in it. 4. Next, Show how to gently curve lines to connect over the hand creating a “bulge.” 5. Trace all lines in black Sharpie marker. (A water-based black marker will bleed as you use more

colors and look smudgy.) 6. Have students pick two colors that are either both hot (red, orange, yellow, peach, pink) or both

cold (blue, green, turquoise, purple, violet) and color in the stripes NOT including the hand shape, alternating colors. Then be sure to alternate colors opposite on the hand, as pictured in the example. Happy Optics!

Optical Illusion Hand Elementary

optic

Objective Students will get the chance to express their excitement with favorite games by drawing their story!

Required Materials

8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Pencils, markers

Instructions 1. Students use art to communicate emotion and tell their story. Games are an exciting and

reoccurring part of their story to tell, from football to checkers to video games! First, ask students to brainstorm games with you.

2. Once students pick a game, ask them to draw it out in pencil. They can either map the game as a whole or they can pick a favorite part to show, such as catching a football. Pictured above is a Lego video game, with sounds and thoughts shown in bubbles. (NOTE: Please have students color in the background for the best results!)

3. Students may want to trace in permanent Sharpie marker before coloring in.

4. Color the background and details in bright, bold colors. 5. Print name legibly on the front of the paper (at least an inch from the edge so the name will not

be cut off).

Telling a Story with Games Elementary

optic

Objective Students will mix paint with white to make tints and black to make shades in a gradual succession!

Required Materials

8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Paint in a color of choice in addition to white and black

Paint palettes, brushes, water

Instructions 1. Tell students to turn the paper sideways to create the background first. Fold paper in half and

open so you have a vertical line (you are looking at the picture sideways). 2. Students will begin with one brush stroke of the solid color (pink in the example above) on the

fold line—then stop. 3. Explain that mixing white with a color makes it lighter. This is called a tint. Mix a bit of white in

your pink and do another stroke on the left side of your first stroke. 4. Next, add a bit more white, and continue tinting each stroke a little more. 5. When students are ready for black, ration them a TINY bit of black paint and warn that it is

powerful. 6. Mix your original color (not the tint) with a bit of black and continue in a similar fashion. 7. When you’re all finished with the background, paint a foreground silhouette in black. 8. Print name legibly on the front of the paper (at least an inch from the edge so the name will not

be cut off).

Tints and Shades Elementary

Objective Students will learn about the HOT colors on the color wheel.

Required Materials 8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Pencils, crayons and watercolor paint

Instructions 1. Discuss with students the colors on the color wheel. Which ones appear warm? Which colors

look like fire? Fan yourself as though you are very warm when talking about red, yellow, and orange. Shiver and be cold is they mention blue, purple or green.

2. Encourage students to draw something they would see in a desert with the hot colors.

3. To fill up the entire paper, provide a watercolor wash to paint over the crayon in orange or yellow.

4. Print name legibly on the front of the paper (at least an inch from the edge so the name will not be cut off).

Hot Colors Desert Elementary

Objective Students will learn about creating a focal point and a background around it.

Required Materials Books or magazines about animals in their natural habitats, like National Geographic

8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Pencils, markers, tempera paint, semi-moist watercolor (basic watercolors not recommended)

Instructions 1. Discuss different animals from various geographical areas. Have them choose animals that are

protected, extinct animals, arctic animals or whatever animals they are interested in. 2. Draw the animal lightly in pencil as the focal point of your picture. Create an interesting

background. 3. Wash the sky and land in very light watercolor. Use several shades for each area. 4. Color the animals and areas you want to highlight. Add details such as grass, clouds and trees.

Animals in the Wild Middle School

Objective Students will learn about artist Henri Matisse and his style of art by drawing and creating large flowers utilizing vivid, contrasting colors and detail.

Required Materials

Botanical garden books, silk flowers, and garden flowers. Artwork by Georgia O’Keefe, Andre Derain and Henri Matisse.

8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember

Pencils, markers, crayons, tempera paint, semi-moist watercolor (basic watercolors not recommended), paintbrushes, water bowls

Instructions 1. Study a flower for your fauve flower study. Draw the flower outline lightly in pencil. Your flower

can go off the edge of the paper. Sketch in the details of the flower, petals, stamen and leaves. 2. Wash in watercolor to create color for the lightest flowers and leaves. 3. When your painting is completely dry, highlight overlapping areas in shades of colored pencil.

Hint: the colors can be imaginary like the fauves. 4. Paint in watercolor around your flower in a contrasting color. You can emphasize area with

contrasting colored pencil or fine line black marker. 5. Print name legibly on the front of the paper (at least an inch from the edge so the name will not

be cut off).

Fauve Flowers Middle School

6.

Objective Students will learn about impressionism and pointillism, and the use of the color wheel to create light and dark areas in a piece.

Required Materials

Paintings of the Impressionist Claude Monet and Post-Impressionist Georges Seurat

8" x 10" art paper provided by Art to Remember Pencils, crayons or watercolor pencils, paint brushes and water bowls

Instructions 1. Explain the terms impressionism and pointillism. Show students how patches of colors close

together are blended by the eye (like yellow next to blue green). 2. Decide on the composition that you would like to do in the impressionist style and sketch in

guidelines lightly in pencil. You can choose from still life, portrait, landscape, or a floral. 3. Working from light to dark, create the background. Use several colors in a variety of shades. 4. Use a variety of contrasting colors to emphasize your focal point or center of interest. 5. Print name legibly on the front of the paper (at least an inch from the edge so the name will not

be cut off).

Making an “Impression” Middle School