Drawing at Dusk

This activity was born by our two oldest children witnessing the blood moon.  Along with the moon itself, they were interested in the silhouettes of trees and buildings created against the light.  Our son borrowed a reading light from his Nan another night and experienced sketching the trees as the sun set (We would definitely recommend this!). The kids then experimented with charcoal to draw more trees, based on what they saw.  What a fascinating trajectory this process took!

Part 1: The Blood Moon

Part 2:  Drawing at Dusk

Materials

• Clip board
• Paper pencil/eraser
• Book light, flash light, or battery operated night light

Directions

• Go out with an adult observe the setting sun and/or the moon.  Look at all the silhouettes of buildings, trees etc..  You may want to take photos to help you with your future drawing.  Sketch out what you see.

Part 3:  Charcoal Trees

Materials

• Watercolour paint
• Brush
• Charcoal (or conte or similar material)
• Fixative spray (to be used by an adult in a well ventilated area)

We always find these items helpful too:

• Smock
• Craft tray

Directions

• Don your smock.  Paint your moon.  We used diluted watercolour and then added a few drops of concentrated colour to one side and then tilted our paper to allow it to travel, creating a bit of dimension.  Allow to dry overnight.  We started out with a small version and then expanded to a bigger collaborative piece.

• With your charcoal draw replicate your dusk or moonlight scene.  If you child is right-handed start on the left side to prevent smudging.  Or vice-versa.

• Have an adult spray your work with fixative spray in a well ventilated space.  We suggest outside.  Allow to dry and hang up your work.

• Here is a larger, collaborative version.  (We stuffed the moon with a grocery bag and glue gunned the edges.)

Purpose

• Getting out into nature.
• Exploring different lighting to draw with.
• Experimenting with different materials to create with.

Safety Notes

• Be sure to go outside at dusk/in the night with an adult and to exercise caution.
• We suggest that you wear a smock and use a craft tray to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• Use scissors with care and adult supervision. (If you are doing the larger version)
• Fixative spray should be used by an adult in a well ventilated area.  Follow the product directions and store out of children’s reach.