Garden Weaving

Working from photos of a garden or wildflower field this project encourages young artist to think in term of foreground and back ground. It also can be used as a how to draw lesson for children who want more instruction on composition.

Visit a local garden or take the children out into your own. Photograph some of the flowers or do the initial part of the assignment, En plein air, out in the open air. If you chose to photograph the garden, allow the children to take a picture or two of their own. Talk about framing the photo. Use a mat frame as a view finder. Explain they can move the camera around until they find the "picture" they like.

Print the photos out. I like to cover my reference work with sheet protectors to keep the photo smudge free.

Help the children's think about their drawing before they begin. There is too much to draw in the photos. They need to think about the flower or plants they like the best. Tell them to draw what they like. Tell then it is not possible to draw ever leaf. Encourage them to draw a few leaves. On the light colored paper have them draw their garden using crayons or oil pastels. If they use oil pastels explain how oil pastels are like crayons but better. Crayons are made of wax and the colors are not as brilliant as pastels which are made from an oil base. Oil pastels can be blended with a finger, a tissue or a tortillon, a tightly rolled pencil shaped paper tool artists use to smudge. Have the children experiment on a scrap piece of paper with the pastels.

If you are breaking down the drawing for then have them choose the colors of crayons or pastels that they see in the photo or garden. Have then also use different shades of the color, for example green, dark green and light green. Show them in the photo or garden view where the green looks lighter and darker.

In my sample I used green for the stems and some of the leaves. I took light green and used it for some leaves or shapes in the background. I use dark green to outline my white flowers and then colored white on top. I simplified my Queen Ann's Lace by drawing simple circular shapes.

Set the light sheet aside.

On the green sheet have the children draw leaves and different colors of green shapes using various shades of green and blues and yellows. Explain that green is made by mixing yellow and blue light. If using oil pastels have the children blend some of the yellow and blue shapes.

When the two drawings are done have the child turn them over. On the light sheet draw horizontal lines 1" a part. Use a piece of cardboard cut in a 1" strip about 12" long. On the back of the green paper have the child draw vertical lines 1" apart. Cut the lines up to about half an inch of one side. Lay the light colored paper on top of the green paper and tape the side of the drawing that has the half of inch border. Starting at the bottom of the drawings and weave the two drawings together. Have the child tighten the weave as they go by sliding the strips close to each other as they weave. When they are done with the weaving tape the edges with scotch tape as needed to keep them in place. Frame the finished work in a mat. Mats can be purchased pre-cut from at craft suppply stores.