Insects in art

In second grade 1st semester they are learning all about insects! Well, there's really not a lot of famous artists that specialize in bugs. But, there are some really cool art works from really talented artists starring bugs!

I put together a slide show here.....Insects in Art
You can ask the kids what kind of bugs they are? Talk about the fun ways artists differ from creating each insect painting.

Project: the children will create their own bug on a tree stump.
Using water colors and sharpies.






Materials needed:
8 x10 watercolor or thick artists paper, white
Thin brown water color marker
Water color palettes ( for shades of green) brushes,
Small cups for water
Lots of different colored sharpies, NOT REGULAR MARKERS, they won't adhere. Only the permanent sharpies will draw on the plastic.
Black sharpies for outlining insect
(all of the above should be in the art room)
I do like the art paper from hobby lobby, the thick watercolor paper comes in pads of 50 and it's pretty cheap!
You will need those clear plastic Avery type paper holders that go in the kids notebooks. I cut 4 inch circles out of them, you can get 8 (4 double thickness) circles form each page. I would have enough for 2-3 circles per child .








Paintings on wood by Mara Minuzzo


During class, after you give the slide talk,
Pass out white paper, names on back in pencil.
Explain that they will first draw a large tree stump, they will want it as wide as the paper, it looks great if it extends past the edge

1. Take the thin watercolor brown marker and draw a huge circle for the outside of the tree stump, show the example.
This Is an IMPORTANT PART! If the circles are too small, they'll have to start over, make sure to SHOW them how BIG the stump should be.
2. Ok, now they need to find the middle of their stump and start with small circles or spirals, make the rings of the tree.
3. Take out the water colors, they can use yellow/brown water color to fill in the stump, if they used enough brown pencil, this will make a nice wood color.
4. Here's what the kids ask...it's too dark, add water or yellow, too brown add yellow, too yellow add brown, someone added a tiny bit of orange and it looked great.
5. Have them clean and wipe brushes, then generously apply shades of green water color for the grass. Fill it all in.




6. Now they will use the printouts of how to draw bugs, have them choose an insect, then they will draw their insect step by step on the plastic cut out circles. Then they can fill them in with colored sharpies. If the black smears, they can color on the opposite side. Link to bug drawings




7. If there is time, they can do more bugs, when they are done, and the watercolor has dried, put some clear glue stick on the back, and place on the stump where they want their bugs.
8. If you want, you can "frame" them by mounting them on larger black construction paper.