Georgia O'Keeffe skull lesson
The American artist Georgia Totto O'Keeffe was born November 15, 1887 in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. She was best known for softly colored enlarged flower paintings. She also painted skyscrapers when she lived in New York + skulls, mountains, + sunsets when in New Mexico. O'keeffe painted the American Southwest, bones, flowers + nature. One can recognize her work by her use of color + the magnified or "zoomed-in" oversized composition. When her eyesight started to fail, she worked with clay. She died at age 98, March 6, 1986.
Photograph of Georgia O'Keeffe
by Alfred Stieglitz, 1918 |
Georgia O'Keeffe, 1974 with her
signature skull |
draw bones like Georgia O'Keeffe
This Georgia O'Keeffe style skull drawing can be used for other grade levels as well as 2nd grade. Students will use chalk pastel or colored chalk to create this illustration. Easy to follow step-by-step instructions are below. Students can choose their own background color but should keep in mind Georgia's love for the desert landscape.
1. draw rectangle - allow space underneath 4 nose + mouth - space on sides 4 horns
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2. under 1st shape draws thin, long rectangle - indent from sides as shown
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3. draw slight curve on top
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4. erase straight, horizontal line under curve
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5. draw 2 diagonal lines each from corners of 1st shape down to approx. middle of vertical rectangular shape
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6. erase horizontal line on bottom edge of 1st rectangular shape drawn
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7. add irregular shape on bottom for nose area
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8. erase horizontal line above irregular nose-area shape
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9. make 2 ovals on each side where the 2 original shapes joined
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10. draw 2 slightly upward curved lines for horns on both sides on top of head shape
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11. curve, not point, ends of horns - extend, widely, back to skull
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12. erase vertical lines at inner edge of each horn
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13. place a clean tissue/ soft cloth under least dominant hand - prevents smudges on artwork
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14. use tissue or soft paper, squeezed into a ball to blend charcoal
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15.
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16. using edge of charcoal/black pastel draw the crack down center of skull + outline the edge of nasal cavity
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17. using black chalk/charcoal draw 2 curved lines at edge of eye socket
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18.Thicken or softly darken the eye socket + nose area.
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19. add in texture on horns - uneven, slightly waves lines + spots
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20. add details - black shapes representing holes in skull
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21. choose any medium colored chalk pastel - using side of chalk, color a thick border/outline around entire skull - on the pencil outline
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22. thicken the colored outline - make edges of color uneven, shaped in an oval surrounding skull image
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23. finished artwork - students/artist may choose background color - darker colors cover smudges better
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24. project completed
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Georgia O'Keefe lesson plan
objective
Students will gain knowledge of the artist Georgia O'Keeffe + will be able to illustrate a skull head, using charcoal + chalk pastels in the style of Georgia O'Keeffe.
materials
- 12"x18" white drawing paper
- pencils
- erasers
- colored chalk
- charcoal
- tissues or soft paper towels
- paper to cover tables
- if prefer; a fixative spray to eliminate smudges + smears
- pencils
- erasers
- colored chalk
- charcoal
- tissues or soft paper towels
- paper to cover tables
- if prefer; a fixative spray to eliminate smudges + smears
activity
- Introduce artist Georgia O'Keeffe + show some examples of her artwork to students.
- Point out the details in her art pieces. (e.g. soft colors, large, exaggerated flowers)
- Students can start drawing the basic skull shapes in pencil, then go to charcoal or black chalk pastel + last background color.
- Demonstrate drawing large enough for all students in class to see details.
- See example pictures for illustration steps.
vocabulary words
- Background - The part of a picture plane that seems to be farthest from the viewer
- Balance - Visual equilibrium in a composition; achieved by organizing the weight and attention of all elements in an artwork. Types of balance are symmetrical, asymmetrical, radial, and crystallographic.
- Color - The visual sensation dependent on the reflection or absorption of light from a given surface. The three characteristics of color are hue, value. and intensity. Color Harmony; The use of compatible colors to help unify a composition.
- Line - A point moving in space. Line can vary in width, length, curvature, color, or direction.
- Outline - A line or set of lines enclosing or indicating the shape of an object in a sketch or diagram. To draw, trace, or define the outer edge or shape of (something). (verb)
- Patron - a supporter or benefactor, as in "patron of the arts
- Protogege - one whose training or career is helped along by an influential person or by a patron
- Space - An area in which objects or images can exist.- Variety - The differences which give a design visual and conceptual interest; notability, use of contrast, emphasis, differences in size and so forth.
- Value - Lightness or darkness of a hue or neutral color. A value scale shows the range of values from black to white.
CA state visual arts standards
1.0 Analyse Art Elements and Principles of Design
1.3 Identify the elements of art in objects in nature, the environment, and works of art, emphasizing line, color, shape/form, texture, and space.
3.0 Role and Development of the Visual Arts
3.1 Explain how artists use their work to share experiences or communicate ideas.
1.3 Identify the elements of art in objects in nature, the environment, and works of art, emphasizing line, color, shape/form, texture, and space.
3.0 Role and Development of the Visual Arts
3.1 Explain how artists use their work to share experiences or communicate ideas.