Chalk and Pastel City Scapes

Lesson Plan Submitted by: Kathy Black
Elementary art teacher in North Syracuse, NY.

Procedures:

I discuss and show examples of the early 20th century Ashcan Artists of New York City and how they painted their environment as it was, with wash hanging on lines between buildings, fences, broken windows, the elevated trains and of course, trash cans.

Then I have students select 2 large sheets of paper, a pair of scissors and either cray-pas or colored chalk, and a piece of paper towel or scrap paper. One sheet of paper is cut in one continuous line, from one side of the paper to the other in the shape of a city skyline consisting of a variety of buildings of different heights. The student selects one of the cut skyline "stencils" and applies the coloring material on the edge.

This stencil is placed on the background paper and the color is pushed up off the stencil and onto the background paper. More than one level of stencil color may be applied to simulate overlapped buildings. The student then places details of what he/she may find in the city, such as people, street lights, vehicles, signs stores, airplanes, etc.

Material

• Scissors

• Cray-Pas or Pastels

• Paper towel or scrap paper

Links

• Smithsonian Institute's Ashcan Artist section (Archive)

• New York Historical Society's Ashcan Artist page

• Ashcan Artists- A collection of many links

• Detroit Institute of the Art- Their ashcan artist page. (Archive)

Resources

Books

The Ashcan Artists and Their New York, 1897-1917 - This book presents 100 of the greatest paintings, pastels, drawings, and prints by a group of artists derogatorily dubbed the Ashcan School by the critics: George Bellows, William Glackens, Robert Henri, George Luks, Everett Shinn, and John Sloan

The Ashcan Artists' Brush With Leisure, 1895-1925 - Featuring some of the Ashcan school's most vibrant and outstanding works, this book demonstrates unequivocally the zeal with which these artists and their circle embraced the world of play enjoyed by all levels of society.

Poster

Robert Henri - New York Street in Winter, 1902

Everett Shinn - 34th Street

Chalk and Pastels Lesson Idea

CHALK AND PASTELS LESSON IDEAS
ELEMENTARY- MIDDLE SCHOOL

Barbara did this with 2nd and 3rd grade.

1) To start: draw block or bubble letter names on black Construction Paper with white Charcoal Pencils.

2) Using vanishing point and one point perspective, draw in the "back" of the letter, making it appear to be in 3 dimensions.

3) Using their knowledge of warm/cool colors and shading, pretend that the vanishing point is the sun. Shade and highlight accordingly. Use warm colors for the fronts of the letters, and cool for the 3-D effect. Students used soft Pastels.