Mixed Media Landscapes

After working "close up" with nature last week making leaf prints, this week we backed way up and took a long view of nature and worked on landscapes. After a quick reminder of what it means to arrange our paper for landscape (wide side to side) we set right to work.

Following along with the group lesson we began a pencil drawing of hills in the foreground. We added some pattern (kids choice) and texture to hills. Then we moved back to the sun (setting with rays spreading through the sky). The kids were then free to add any details they liked to their composition. Clouds, trees, animals and flowers were all in evidence.

Then the kids traced their pencil drawings with permanent marker. Then they added color using oil pastels. Then came the exciting part, painting with watercolors over the oil pastels. We talked about how because oil and water don't mix well and because of that you can get some really neat effects using oil and watercolor together. The oil in the pastel resists the water in the watercolor and lead to some bright and unusual effects. Take a look!