Monet Inspired Art Lesson

Claude Monet Lily Pad lesson

 

Supplies needed –

Paper, oil pastels, water colors, large paint brush and rag for blending colors, paper towel, cup of water

 

1)      Draw a bridge on the top third of the paper using oil pastels – I used brown and black.  Then draw several lily pads below it – I used two shades of green

2)      Add in some trees (you may want to be sure at least one is a weeping willow), a bush and a line to show where the pond starts

 

    3)      Add another bush and a second color to your trees and bushes

 

 

   4)      Add in some black for shadows and depth

 

 

 



5)    Use a soft rag or paper towel to blend all your colors and give the drawings a soft look

 

 

6)      Add in some flowers and blend smooth with your cloth

 7)      Use a bit lighter of a color to add your reflections of the trees into the water

 

 

8)      Add in some blue and white for the sky and water (I used white and afterwards I wished I hadn’t).  Blend and smooth anything you feel needs a softer look.

 

 

 

9)      Using a large paint brush cover the whole paper with a wash coat of plain water, then give the entire sheet a wash coat of either blue or black watercolor.  I used black.  You will see that the paint sort of bubbles up or pools in spots.



 

 

 

10)      Give the paint a minute or two to soak into the paper, then dab the excess runny color away with a paper towel.

 

 

11)      Then mount on desired background paper or card stock.

 

Here are a few samples that actual kindergarten through fifth grader students made.  I modified the lesson a bit for the younger students, as you will see in their artwork -