Description
Celebrate the northern skies. Participants will use a chalk pastel technique to create an art piece inspired by aurora borealis.
Number of Participants
For any number of participants
Space Considerations
An indoor space where participants can be seated to do a craft
Competencies
- Artistic expression
- Eye-hand coordination
- Following directions
Materials
- Dark blue cardstock for base
- Scrap paper to tear
- Chalk pastels or coloured chalk in various colours: pink, orange, blue, green, yellow, etc.
- White chalk pastel or chalk
- Scissors
- Glue
- Black construction paper for horizon details
- Paper towel
- White paint
- Paintbrushes
- BBQ skewers for adding larger stars (optional)
Preparation
- Prepare the room with stations for each participant and decide if there are any materials they will need to share
- Consider showing images of aurora borealis in a book or a PowerPoint presentation
Implementation
1. Instruct participants to choose a horizon for the art piece and mark it with a white piece of chalk.
2. Then, participants will tear a piece of scrap paper in a similar way to the image below.
3. After laying the scrap piece of paper down on their background anywhere above the horizon line, participants will select two or three different coloured pieces of chalk and outline the raw edge of the scrap paper with their colours.
4. Then, participants will use their fingertips or a dry paper towel to smudge the chalk upward onto the paper to achieve the effect shown below.
5. Participants can then reuse the same piece of scrap paper by tearing a new rough edge. They can repeat the previous steps of chalking and smudging the chalk lines upward.
6. If the scrap paper is thick enough, participants can continue to reuse it by tearing a new edge. Otherwise, they can use a fresh scrap piece of paper to redo the steps above and add to their northern lights.
7. Allow participants to continue with the chalk pastels until their sky seems finished, but remind them not to smudge any northern lights beneath the horizon line.
8. Then, participants will use the black construction paper and a pair of scissors to cut out tree and mountain details that will lie along the horizon. They can sketch out the shapes with pencil first or do a free-handed cut. Once this paper addition is completed, participants will glue it along the horizon line.
9. Now participants can address the space beneath the horizon by creating a reflection of the northern lights in the “water” below. Using the same colours as their northern lights, they will draw short lines beneath the horizon to be smudged horizontally this time, not vertically.
10. After the northern lights reflection is smudged, white chalk can be used to define any trees or snow-capped mountain peaks, as well as thicken the horizon line as shown below. The following two steps will also illustrate how participants can add stars to the sky.
11. To make a sprinkling of stars to surround the northern lights as in the picture above, participants can dip a paintbrush into white paint, then flick it on the paper.
12. Larger stars can be added with the rounded end of a wooden skewer. The paintbrush could also be used.
13. Finally, allow the paint to dry and give each participant an opportunity to show their finished art piece to the group, if desired.
Accessibility Considerations
- Offer easy-grip scissors
- Assist participants with cutting and gluing as needed
- Offer large glue sticks or a plate of liquid glue to be shared
Book Suggestions
Freddie the Flyer by Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail, Fred Carmichael and Audrea Loreen-Wulf
Glow: A Family Guide to the Night Sky by Noelia González and Sara Boccaccini Meadows
Kitcikisik (Great Sky): Tellings That Fill the Night Sky by Pawaminikititicikiw (a.k.a. Wilfred Buck) and Mistawasis Buck
Space: Science Is All Around You by Izzie Clarke and James Lancett
Download Links
Images
