5th Grade Winter Birch Trees

Fifth graders focused on the art principle of contrast and the painting technique of masking with this lesson.  First, we looked at the photography of  Ansel Adams, a master of using contrast, to better understand the concept and effectiveness of contrast.  Then, using a 9"x 12" piece of drawing paper, students drew a ground (snow) line and then used masking tape to compose what would become their birch trees.  They were urged to think about asymmetrical balance.  Students then painted the areas between their trunks with dark blue and/or purple watercolor paint.  On a second day, students used black tempura and tiny brushes to bark details to their trees while studying some photographic examples on the Smartboard.  On a third day, for a final touch, they used cotton swabs to add snowflakes and watercolors to paint blue shadows across the snow.