OVERVIEW
This week is the beginning of our winter anatomy lessons on the parts of the face. Students will sculpt a human eye as they follow along with a video. They’ll learn to draw accurate eyes by understanding the form and structure of the eyeball and the skin around it. Lighting is demonstrated so that shadows are also understood. There is a “before” and “after” version of their work so they can see the progress from today’s instructions.– – –
Grades 3 – 5
Week of Feb 11 – 15
1 Hour & 45 Minutes, or two 52-minute sessions
STANDARDS For This Lesson
SUBMIT YOUR SUMMARY
Copy and paste the text below to send your abbreviated lesson plan with national standards and learning targets to your supervisors and colleagues. Or access the WORD doc by using the blue button below.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Week of Feb 11 – 15
OVERVIEW:
This week is the beginning of our winter anatomy lessons on the parts of the face. Students will sculpt a human eye as they follow along with a video. They’ll learn to draw accurate eyes by understanding the form and structure of the eyeball and the skin around it. Lighting is demonstrated so that shadows are also understood. There is a “before” and “after” version of their work so they can see the progress from today’s instructions.
NATIONAL STANDARDS:
Grade 6 –VA:Cr1.1.6 – Combine concepts collaboratively to generate innovative ideas for creating art.
LEARNING TARGETS:
Students know how to see light and shadows
Students know how to draw a human eye
LESSON PLAN:
1. Warmup (10 minutes)- Draw eye without reference
2. Clay Model (32 min) – Sculpt an eye by following tutorial
3. Slideshow (10) – Show how light and shadow affect each part of the eye
– – – – – –
Break – end of part one if dividing into 2 sessions
4. Draw Clay Model (15) – Draw the clay model
5. Demo (20) – Video – “Drawing the Eye”
6. Draw (25) – Draw from photo reference
7. Clean Up (2) – Everyone helps
Tap the Plus Icon (above right) to open STANDARDS information, including an Overview, Learning Targets and a Syllabus. Copy and paste to send to your Administrators or use the button below to download a Word document with the same information that you can add your info to and email to them as an attachment.
Student Work
Lesson At A Glance
Here’s a brief overview of the complete lesson. It’s also on your prep page in the Ready, Set, Go! section (below the lesson).
Colored buttons jump to each section in the full lesson plan below.
PART ONE: 52-minutes (Do one long session or split into two shorter parts)
10 Minutes – Draw an eye without reference
32 Min – Sculpt an eye by following tutorial
10 Min – Show how light & shadow affects each part of the eye
PART TWO: 52-minutes
15 Min – Draw the clay sculpture
20 Min – Video – “Drawing the Eye”
25 Min – Choose eye photo reference & Draw
2 Min – Everyone helps
Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.
SCROLL & TEACH
LESSONPLAN
Each section is a different color. Read over once and then you can SCROLL & TEACH using any device you like. It’s designed to work well with your phone.
STEP 1. Warm Up
Students will start by drawing an eye from memory for a “before” picture. 10 MinutesLEARNING TARGETS
Students know how to draw an eye from memory
M A T E R I A L S
- 14″ x 17″ sketch pad
- 4B pencil
- White and kneaded erasers
All materials are suggestions and may be modified as you see fit. We have tried many items, and these seem to allow the most versatility for the cost.
1.1 draw
“Draw a line across the page in the middle, from left to right. Then draw another line from the top to the bottom in the center.”
1.2 draw
1.3 draw
Advanced Student Lesson
CREATIONS - tap here to open
Our Creations lessons are for students who have completed the two years of Foundations and are ready to begin using all that they have learned to create new work. These more challenging versions of the same concepts and techniques are easily taught along-side students in the Foundations course. This allows for excellent review, and is encouraging for students to see progress from each viewpoint.
Use the Student Instructions printout below to distribute to your Creations students. Tap the image to open the PDF in a new window.
Eye Detail Painting
Overview: Students should use the eye references from the PDF in STEP 6 to create one or more practice paintings of the eye. The painting should be larger than life, with the eye at least 5 inches wide or more.
Choose a medium to begin:
- Watercolor and ink
- Acrylic on canvas
STEPS:
- Draw 3 to 5 warmup sketches.
- Set up workspace
- Draw guidelines
- Paint
- Ink lines over color if doing watercolor
- Early finishers can do a second eye in different media, different side of the face, and different size if they want.
Tap images to open Creations Student Instructions and Reference Materials in new windows
Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.
STEP 2. Clay Model
Students will follow along, watching a step-by-step video, to create an anatomically realistic model of the human eye. 32 MinutesLEARNING TARGETS
Students know how to sculpt with clay
M A T E R I A L S
- 11″ x 17″ copy paper for placemats
- Pencil
- Palette knife or disposable knife
- Modeling clay (white works best)
- Paper towels
2.1 teach
Modeling clay is oil-based, and never dries out. (cheaper clays will get sticky, slimy, or lose pliability over time). See our article about purchasing clay here. You can go over these as you hand the clay out, or after you’ve at least stated the first two items.
Here are the things your students need to know about using clay.
- Always keep clay ON the paper, not the table (protects the table from oily clay, and the clay from dirt and debris)
- Never throw it, or use clay like a toy
- Twist off small pieces. Clay is very stiff and the bigger a lump, the harder it is to work with.
- Roll out worm shapes to warm it up. This makes it more pliable.
- Go slow & Don’t try to mash out a lump. Even leaning on it won’t work. Lots of small presses with your fingers is the way to make it change.
- Press all over instead of smearing to make it look smoother
- This is not yours to take home today. The clay belongs to the classroom.
- Clean your hands by wiping as much as you can with a dry paper towel first. Then you can wash your hands. Soap alone won’t remove the clay.
Let everyone work with the clay to warm it up.
2.2 teach
Explain the Project
“We’re going to use this clay to make an eyeball and the structure around it. Making a model is a great way to learn to draw things.
I’m going to show you a video that you can follow along with. Make sure you pay close attention. I will come around and help everyone as you work.”
2.3 DEMO
Sculpting the Human Eye
Tap the 4 arrows icon to enlarge the video to full screen.
Review the demo video and demonstrate to your students, or you can simply display the video on a larger screen for them to watch.
Here’s an outline of the steps in the video, in case you want to review or learn the demo yourself.
- Make 3 golfball sized balls
- Flatten one into a pancake. Thin, but not so thin it tears easily. Turn as you pinch to flatten it.
- D E M O – Show next 2 steps up close and then have students do them
- how to make eyeball using 2nd ball.
- Use back end of a small brush to create a hole (Pupil). Rock it around until it’s bigger; the size of the hole in a life-saver candy.
- Use a palette knife to etch a circle around the pupil. Not too big, but very circular and concentric.
- Cut slit.
- Place eyeball on middle of pancake
- Use Palette knife in vertical position to mark width of eyeball on each side – be sure to barely press the pancake though.
- Draw a line between the 2 marks with the knife, and then again to cut through just slightly past the marks
- D E M O – rest of the steps – then students do them
- Push the eyeball through to open the slit. The pancake is the skin. Make sure that the iris is higher – covered some by the top eyelid but just touching the bottom lid.
- Shape the skin around the eye. Be extra careful to keep the sharp edges of the eyelids intact. Ask the teacher to help at any step:
- Decide which corner is next to the nose
- Pinch the teardrop shape in that corner & add tiny ball of clay for tear duct
- Pull the side of the skin forward to indicate the side of the nose
- Push the other side of the skin back to indicate the side of the head
- Fold the top over the eye to make a crease & bend some of it back up to indicate the eyebrow
- Place thumb on lower lid and gently bend the bottom forward to make a soft curve and roundish cheek.
- Use the last clay ball to shape into a short log and prop up the eye sculpture in as vertical position as possible.
Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.
LEARNING TARGETS
Students know how to see light and shadows
M A T E R I A L S
- The clay model to look at
Light and Shadow (tap any image to open viewer)
ClayEye
Here is a clay eye model. Light almost always hits a face from above, so lets look at how that affects lights and darks.
ClayEye1
The forehead above the eyebrow slants back. Since it faces upwards, it catches the light.
ClayEye2
Under the eyebrow the skin faces downwards, so the whole area is darker. Many people also have a deep fold that is visible, and that is very dark.
ClayEye3
The edge of the upper eyelid faces up even more than the forehead, so it’s even lighter.
ClayEye4
The eyelid is not quite as thick as the clay model in real life, but the model helps us realize that there is a thickness to it. Since the upper eyelid edge faces very downwards, it is in shadow. It also casts a bit of shadow along the top of the eyeball. You can’t see eyelashes on the model, but they extend out and create even more shadow all along this edge
ClayEye5
The “whites” of the eye are actually a light warm gray in real life. On the model they don’t show as the whitest area, and that’s realistic. They don’t face upwards, so they’re not bright white.
ClayEye6
The edge of the lower eyelid faces almost straight up. That makes it usually the lightest area of the eye, if you don’t count the shiny highlights on a real eyeball.
ClayEye8Split
Light and dark areas alternate, almost like stripes.
ClayEye7
The lower eyelid can sometimes catch a pretty significant shadow as seen here. It will be darkest right at the top, next to the edge. Under this area, the cheek is light again.
3.1 teach
Display slideshow
Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.
STEP 4. Draw the Model Eye
Students will draw what they just created with their own hands. 15 MinutesLEARNING TARGETS
Students know how to set up their work area for painting with acrylics.
M A T E R I A L S
- Clay model with overhead lighting
- 14″ x 17″ sketch pad open to divided page
- 2B or 4B pencil
- Kneaded eraser
- Eye shadows PDF (below)
4.1 print
Insights
Eye Light and Shadow
Hand out prints. Make sure each student gets one to keep. If your students keep notebooks or binders, you can 3-hole punch them ahead of time.
1 Page – Opens in new window
4.2 draw
“This guide I just gave you is so you can see the lights and darks. I want you to draw your clay model.
Approach your sculpted clay like it was a still life object. Don’t draw a human eye, draw the piece of clay itself. This is important because it connects what your hands did with what you see, in your brain. You can begin with lines that define edges you see. Then you will use shading to make the darker areas.
Notice the edges of the upper lid edge and the lower lid. They are not one single line. To make it look like the edges you see, you have to draw two lines for each edge.”
4.3 draw
Walk around several times and help students with these points:
- Eyelid edges have two lines (the front of the edge, and the back of the edge)
- The top edge is dark. The bottom edge is very light
- “Whites” of the eye need a bit of shading
- Draw your clay, not your idea of an eye.
Students may want to use blenders to smudge the shading, and that’s fine. Fingers work too.
When finished have them write, “clay model” by this drawing.
Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.
LEARNING TARGETS
Students know how to draw a human eye
M A T E R I A L S
- TV or Ipad to watch demo
5.1 DEMO
Drawing the Human Eye
Tap the 4 arrows icon to enlarge the video to full screen.
Review the demo video and demonstrate to your students, or you can simply display the video on a larger screen for them to watch.
Students set up their work area. Ask several people to go get water tubs filled, and others to find smocks. That way you have two or three groups in different areas so you don’t get backed up with lines.
Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.
STEP 6. Draw the Eye
Students will use reference photos to draw from observation and apply what they’ve learned. 25 MinutesLEARNING TARGETS
Students know how to draw a human eye
M A T E R I A L S
- 14″ x 17″ sketch pad on divided page
- Reference photo of eye (PDF below)
- Ebony or 4B pencil
- Kneaded eraser
- Paper clips or reference stands (cheasels)
6.1 Print
Reference
Eye Photos
Cut images apart and print enough for each student to choose from several.
Hand out reference prints. Set all of the images out on a table or counter, and let groups of students come choose what they want..
1 Page – Opens in new window
6.2 choose
6.3 draw
Students can place their pad in their lap or on a table. Anything is fine, as long as they feel comfortable. You might even see kids sit on the floor. Use a paper clip to attach the reference photo to their pad.
NOTE: Use the bottom right section of the divided page, underneath the first eye they drew today.
TIP
Many artists like to prop their feet on a stool or the rungs of another chair. Then their lap is at a great angle for placing the pad on to draw.Make sure that all of the wet items (brushes, water, paint, and palette) are on the same side as the dominant hand of each artist. This prevents spills and drips on the artwork.
6.4 draw
Tell students to try and draw without smudging this time. Use small shading strokes called hatch shading (link opens in a new tab).
Walk around and encourage your students. Point out things you think are accurate. Ask if they want help if you see something or think they’re struggling with it.
TIP
Take a clipboard with you, full of copy paper. You can draw and write out quick demos that pertain to a single student’s accuracy, and then let them have the paper to keep..
6.5 sign
When anyone is finished, have them write their name and the time they completed the last eye drawing. Point out the obvious improvement from their first eye drawing of the day. Ask students if they think they could draw a realistic eye from memory right now. Encourage them to draw eyes all week! The more an artist practices, the better your work is.
Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.
LEARNING TARGETS
Students know the importance of cleaning up.
M A T E R I A L S
- Paper Towels
- Cleaning wipes
- Sink
- Waste baskets
- Well-lit spot for photos
- Camera or phone-camera
7.1 CLEAN
Students set up their work area.
- Wash hands
- Super-wash brushes if used
- Put art supplies away
- Wipe tables & toss trash
- Remove any smocks (last)
- Check for items on floors and tables
7.2 PHOTO
Try to get photos of your student’s artwork. Find a good spot for quick lighting without highlights or shadows from your hands and device. Ideally in-between two strong lights on each side.
7.3 CONNECT
Make sure you see the kids connect with parents and tell them about the class if you can!
Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.
Hand-crafted by the folks at The Art Instructor
Like a three-legged stool, our art room curriculum has been built as a complete foundation for students, using three deeply connected principles.
%
INSIGHT
Connect the Mind
This lesson provides understanding
%
SKILLS
Connect the Hand
This lesson shows application and movement
%
JOY
Connect the Heart
This lesson is about fun and self-expression
OBJECTIVES
- Practice and improvement in drawing accurately
- Understanding how to make the eye look realistic
- Accomplishment in seeing an improvement from the beginning of class
- Fulfillment in choice of eye reference
TROUBLESPOTS
Mashing out the clay and losing details. This is especially common on the eyelid edges. This is easy to do, so be watching, and use your fingers to pinch up the edges again for them. If they haven’t done it themselves, it’s probably not going to happen without a lot of coaching, so it’s far easier to adjust the clay for your students.
Not using observation to draw – Students often learn to draw eyes by copying cartoons like anime. They feel accomplished with these drawings, and will want to do things they’re comfortable with, and also to show off to friends. Gently explain that this is different, and that we’re trying to draw photo-realistically today. Today’s lesson will help their anime drawings look even better!
ART WORDS
Shadow under the top eyelid and eyelashes not thick enough. Drawing the eyelashes thick and dark, and also the shadow they make underneath them, will make it look more realistic.
Eye whites – These are actually light gray. If a student has left them the white of the paper, have them use a finger or blender stick (stump) to smudge a bit of gray onto them. They also gradually get darker at the top.
CLASSROOM
PREP
Print all of your PDFs from the lesson plan and cut any references apart as needed.
What your room needs
Here are your printable lists and room prep instructions.
Opens in new window
CLASSROOM
MATERIALS
- 11×17” Copy Paper
- Paper towels
- Modeling clay (white works best)
- TV or Ipad to watch demo
- Reference stands (cheasels)
- Cleaning wipes
- Sink
- Camera or phone-camera
STUDENT’S
MATERIALS
- 14” x 17” Sketch Pad
- 4B Pencil
- White and kneaded erasers
- Palette Knife
PREVIEW
Week 26: The Weird Nose
Feb 18 – 22
Students will make a clay model of the nose and then draw it. They will learn insights about the form of the nose and how to shade it. Then they’ll use reference to draw eyes and nose together.
Week 27: Mouth & Face
Feb 25 – March 1
Students finish off a 3 lesson series on faces by drawing and discussing the mouth. Then, they will have fun creating an expressive face out of air dry clay that they will get to take home.
Use this button to view our parent’s blog. Share the link: http://parentart.org, with your student’s parents so your they can read about the lesson each week.