Eric Carle-Inspired Art

"Arnie Albatross spies on flotsam."

Children's author and artist Eric Carle uses his own methods. He paints his own tissue paper to create unique textures and color patterns. Then he sketches a page in the actual size it will be seen. After lining the sketch onto a dry tissue paper, he uses an Exacto knife to cut each piece of the art. He glues each piece in place after he has everything set in the right spot.

Extension activities
1) Language arts: create a book
2) Language arts: vocabulary
3) Math: illustrate math concepts like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division

Display

Van Gogh-Inspired Art

Tissue paper

Tissue Paper
Process
1) Choose a color of construction paper. This will be your background.
2) Cut or rip different colors of tissue paper to represent your sky.
3) Use decoupage glue to secure your tissue paper to your construction paper.
4) Choose another color of construction paper. This will be your foreground image/landscape.
5) Cut out your foreground image/landscape (rural, urban, trees, etc.) and glue to the top of your main construction piece.
6) Use oil pastels and sharpie to add line and movement.

Finger painting

Tips
1) Layer tissue paper for extra color and texture.
2) Even out decoupage glue over entire construction paper.
3) After dried, place the art under a heavy, flat object to flatten it.
4) With oil pastels, use light pastels on dark tissue and dark pastels on light tissue.

Extension Activities
1) Recreate a historical scene
2) Create visual music with line and movement

Finger Painting
Process
1) Tape finger painting paper to table.

Display

2) Using Van Gogh's "Starry Night" as a model, create a piece of art that contains a background, middle ground and foreground.
3) Finger or tempera paint will be your only medium.
4) Attempt to use Van Gogh's art techniques while painting, especially his use of line.
5) Allow your art to dry.
6) Cut out a construction paper frame.
7) Glue the frame down around the edges of your art.

Tips
1) Blend primary colors to make other colors, tints, and shades.
2) Press hard to add deep texture and press softly to add light texture.

Extension Activities
1) Phoneme awareness: Practice alphabet and draw a picture that starts with the letters sound
2) Explore patterns and texture