Third Grade Organic Forms - Pastel Drawings and Clay Sculptures

The third grade students learned about organic forms from nature and how they differ from the common shapes we learn about in school. Form versus Shape is a common practice in studying visual arts. This sculpture lesson started with a study of the nature forms by enlarging it's size and adding colors that were not actually present in the original form. 

I collected items like seashells, coral and tree bark, items that contained various curves and texture.

 

Using pencil and then pastel, students colorful blending techniques to show texture and depth.

 

  

  

We then began making a sculpture of the organic form using additive and subtractive methods.

 

 

  

The last step is to add color using acrylic paint because of its opaque qualities. I gave the students very fine brushes to help them paint different colors in tight areas and to be able to add fine details.

I instructed the students to paint more than one layer of paint to allow the sculpture to have thicker color and more value.