HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON

by Joan Waites

Most of us are familiar with the classic children’s book Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson, first published in 1955. It’s a book I often checked out of the library as a child, and then later read to my own children. Now the book with its worn dust jacket sits upon a shelf in my art teaching studio. I have read the book many times to my young students, using it as an introduction to a lesson on line and shape.

In the story, using just one purple crayon, Harold draws himself a magical imaginary adventure. There are no limits, parents or rules for Harold to obey; his imagination and one purple crayon can take him anywhere.

Using the illustrations in the book, have students identify straight lines, zig-zag lines, curvy lines, wavy lines etc. Next, ask students to identify the basic geometric shapes that make up some of the drawings.

For an art and writing activity, make up individual blank books using any size white paper stapled or glued at the fold. Have each child draw themselves (using a purple crayon or marker) into their own imaginary story that begins and ends at their bedroom window. Ask older students to write text to accompany the illustrations, have younger students explain their drawings to the class.

Where will a purple crayon and their imagination take them?

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MAP COLLAGE

by Joan Waites

         School begins in the not too distant future, but for now, it’s time to savor the long summer days and special adventures either far from home or in your own backyard.

          A fun art activity to do with children incorporating these summertime experiences is to make a work of art using a map for an interesting background texture.

       

Collect a map from a travel stop, hotel, museum, local landmark or a roadside gas station. To create a drawing or painting, use the map to either paint on directly instead of paper, or use the map as a collage background. Paint or draw something you saw or an experience you had at the place visited. This could be a landscape or cityscape, a particular animal you saw, or a special person you met. The map collage can be glued to paper, cardboard or a small canvas. Use any materials you have on hand to execute the artwork-markers, paints, or colored pencils. 

To make a collage painting with a map background, follow the steps below:

1.    Gently tear a portion of the map into interesting shapes.

2.    Adhere the map pieces using school glue or Mod Podge onto the canvas, piece of cardboard or heavy weight paper.

3.    When the glue has dried, brush a light coat of either white acrylic paint or gesso over the map and entire canvas so the map fades into the background. Let the paint or gesso dry.

4.    Using acrylic, tempera, oil pastels or other drawing media, depict your subject matter of choice on top of the collaged pieces. Remember not to use the paint too heavily-you want some of the map to show underneath your artwork.

  Enjoy the rest of the summer, where ever your travels take you!

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