Active Lines & Dancing Buildings

Dancing Skyscrapers Active lines elementary art lesson teaches students about line and the artist Janet Karam.

There are 5 types of lines: horizontal, vertical, diagonal, zig-zag and curved.

• Horizontal & vertical lines give off feelings calmness.
• Active lines are zig-zag, curved and diagonal lines.
• How to make a building look 3D.

We studied the artist Janet Karam & her “Funkytown” Series of abstracted cityscapes. Some of her art can be found at the Mary Karam Gallery.

Supplies: 12×18″ Construction Paper, Crayola 28ct Colored Oil Pastel Sticks, plastic forks, tempera paint

Instructions:

1. Draw buildings in PENCIL using the 3 kinds of active lines. Use 3D techniques to make the buildings look 3D.
2. Outline all lines with oil pastels-each building a different color.
3. Using 2 values of each color (a light & a darker value), color the front of the building the light value & the side of the building the darker value.
4. Use broken forks (2 prongs together) & tempera paints to paint in fire works.

Oil Pastel Outline on colored paper

Color with 2 values

Painted Fireworks

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