Middle School

How can we convincingly place a figure within a ground?

Students will draw an animal figure and place it in a painted jungle environment.

• large brushes
• tempera paints
• 9 x 12" (23 x 30 cm) heavy drawing paper or construction paper (two sheets per student)
• markers
• glue sticks
• scissors

Step 1
Introduce students to the jungle paintings of Henri Rousseau (nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/henri-rousseau-surprised), noticing how he fills the background with many shades of green and places animals in the foreground or middle ground. Discuss ways to show distance such as size, height on the paper, or overlapping.

Step 2
Distribute materials. Have students paint along as you demonstrate completely covering one paper with different colors of greens, yellows, blues, and browns (creating the background), then swirling in trees and vines (creating the foreground). Allow the paintings to dry.

Step 3
On the other paper, guide students through drawing a tiger, bird, or other jungle animal using basic shapes. Mona Brooks’ Drawing With Children or Art Projects for Kids are ideal for this. Have them color their animal, cut it out carefully, and glue it onto the painted paper.

Step 4
If a student wants to “hide” the animal, have them paint blades of grass or tree branches on top of it. To show overlapping, student can cut slits in the background paper on two sides of a tree trunk or vine and weave tails or paws out the back and to the front again.

Step 5
Extension: Have students mix varying shades of green from blue and yellow primaries, or add additional animals.

Did students clearly show where their animal is located by placing it on, behind, or in front of plants?

Margaret Hespen is a middle school educator at Alliance Charter Academy in Oregon City, Oregon.