draw an insect

The following is a 4th grade art lesson or project on line + illustrating a creative insect. Each student adds his or her own unique line work to their art piece.   It is a lesson on line using black marker + watercolor paints.  It is aimed at 4th grade students but age or grade level can be varied.  This lesson can also be related to artist Georgia O'Keeffe in the way she enlarges + exaggerates her subject matter.  Most lessons in this site leave room for individual expression.
Scroll down to find:

1. examples of insects, along with wing details
2. examples of line work patterns for student inspiration
3. step-by-step instructions with pictures of the project
4. a lesson plan (including California State Visual Art Standards)

photos for reference

line work patterns for  student  inspiration

Students may look at these examples, use them, adjust them, or invent their own.  Inspiration can be from anywhere or anything with a pattern of repetition.

step-by-step instructions

Easy to follow step-by-step instructions for lesson follows.  All decorative line work can be left to each students' creativity to alter my shown examples.  More sections can be added to the arms/legs.

 1. draw a circle above center of page - body part of insect 

4. draw 6 ovals with circles at ea. end - 3 ovals evenly spaced on ea. side of 1st circle drawn



​

7. continue to draw curve lines on ea. section + fill-in with creative line work 

10. fill all legs with lines 

2. draw an oval above circle - off to right side - 2nd body part of insect

5. draw 6 ovals - same size - circles on ea. end - may point up or down - curve line ea. section

8. continue to work up ea. section + fill-in with dots, lines, curves, black some

11. draw tear drop shapes - a few of the - radiating from a point - smaller + smaller, inside each other as shown

3. draw 2 circles - overlap on line on top edge of oval - be creative

6. decorate ea. lower section of 3 body parts - be creative with line work - lines, circles, repetition



​

9. Continue to work up ea. section - fill-in with creative line work

12.  have students choose the color - paint background - DO NOT PAINT WINGS

13. watercolor wash on wings -   more water used with LESS paint for wings

14. finished piece

15.

objective

Students will be able to draw a creative, enlarged bug.  Students will be able to draw various patterns using black line work.  Students will have knowledge on painting a watercolor wash.

materials

-12"x18" white construction paper
- pencils
- erasers
- thin, black markers
- watercolor paints
- cups for water
- watercolor brushes
- rags or paper towels
- bug references 

activity

- Observe picture of actual bugs.  Have students sketch while observing actual insects.  Notice all details.
- Work with class showing + getting input from students of a variety of linear styles + ideas. 
- Follow step-by-step drawing examples above.
- Students can each choose background color.  
- Background field painted dark.  Wings painted lightly using watercolor wash method.
​- Watercolor wash - Paint area with water 1st, then add a drop of color.  Spread paint with water.

clean-up

• End class at least 10 minutes to allow for clean up.  Depending on how fast your class works.
• Select an area to place artwork to dry.
• Give selected students clean-up jobs (e.g. clean brushes, collect materials, etc.)

vocabulary words

• Background - The part of a picture plane that seems to be farthest from the viewer
• Balance - The way in which the elements in visual arts are arranged to create a feeling of equilibrium in a work of art.  The three types of balance are symmetry, asymmetry, and radial.
• Bug - Small Insect.
• Composition - The organization of elements in a work of art.
• Content - Message, idea, or feelings expressed in a work of art.
• Curvature - The act of curving or bending.  One of the characteristics of line.
• Curvilinear - Formed or enclosed by curved lines.
• Figurative - Pertaining to representation of form or figure in art.
• Harmony - The principle of design that combines elements in a work of art to emphasize similarities of separate but related parts.  
• Insect - A small arthropod animal that has 6 legs and generally one or two pairs of wings. 
• Line - A point moving in space.  Line can vary in width, length, curvature, color, or direction.
• Line Quality - The unique character of a drawn line as it changes lightness/darkness, direction, curvature, or width.
• Negative - Refers to shapes or spaces that are or represent areas unoccupied by objects.
• Observational Drawing Skills -  Skills learned while observing firsthand the object, figure, or place.
• Positive - Shapes or spaces that are or represent solid objects.
• Shape - A two-dimensional area or plane that may be open or closed, free-form or geometric.  It can be found in nature or is made by humans. 
• Space - An area in which objects or images can exist. 
• ​Unity - Total visual effect in a composition achieved by the careful blending of the elements of art + the principles of design.
• Variety - The use of different lines, shapes, + colors in artwork.
• Watercolor - Transparent pigment mixed with water.  Paintings done with this medium are known as watercolors.

variation

- use an alternate bugs to illustrate
- vary the background (e.g. multiple colors)
- use black maker on colored paper background
- multiple images

ca state visual arts standards

2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION
Communication and Expression Through Original Works of Art
2.7 Use the contrast (light and dark) expressively in an original work of art.

4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING
Make Informed Judgement
4.5 Describe how the individual experiences of an artist may influence the development of specific works of art.

5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONASHIPS, APPLICATIONS
Connections and applications
5.4  Identify through research twentieth-century artists who have incorporated symmetry as a part of their work and then create a work of art, using bilateral or radial symmetry.