How to Make a Nativity Silhouette - Art Project

Here is an amazing art project. I wish I could take credit for it but I can't. A former Grade 1 teacher at the school used to do this project with her kids every December. They always left me in awe as they are so striking.

This year one of the Grade 2 teachers did a similar project only as a torn paper collage...again very effective due to the high contrast in the composition.

MATERIALS REQUIRED:

- paper

- blue paint

- white paint for color mixing

- purple paint

- black paint

- black paper

- yellow paper

- scissors

- glue stick

-TEMPLATE if needed

Tape down your paper to get a nice finish edge. I know some of you find this a bit tedious but it really makes displaying your art work so much easier and much more professional looking.

Using parts of the template figure out where you want your white center to be. We will be using the white of the paper for this. I lightly marked with pencil where the center will go.

Mix some white paint with your blue paint to make a light blue. Start painting around your white center. I wanted to have some brush marks showing movement. If you look at the two finished pieces you can see what I was going for.

Continue painting now making your blue darker by mixing in some purple or maybe a little black.

Paint until you are right off the page keeping that circular motion in your brushstrokes.

Now you can use the template or try to make your own . Trace out your figures on black paper. Use the yellow paper for the star.

Cut them out.

When you have your silhouettes cut out place them on the paper, you are trying to position your horizon line. Lightly pencil in where you want your horizon line to be. You want to center the Baby Jesus in the white.

Mix up a very dark blue, try to make a shade that you haven't already used in the painting. I've seen black used but I think a dark blue looks better as it doesn't compete with the silhouettes.

Let dry.



Glue down your black paper cutouts. It's good to start with the Baby Jesus.

And there you have a very striking piece for Christmas. Give it a try.

see you next time.

gail