Exploring Trompe l'oeil With Autumn Leaves
This project can be explored with nearly any media that can be mixed or overalpped, and at all levels of school aged children. It can be paired with a color mixing lesson, or an exploration of nature and trees/leaves, etc.
I use it as an alternative to holiday art that can sometimes be considered cultural appropriation, or insensitive to those who do not celebrate such holidays. Though most of my lessons tie back to student self-expression, this one is more skills-based but everyone will have a unique image at the end because no two leaves are alike. I never promote or do projects where everyone has the same image in the end.
That said there are self-expressive opportunities...
One could research the origins of trees and find trees that come from their own cultural background. Another avenue to explore is the symbolic meanings of trees. Here is just a few trees...
Oak = Courage and Power
Cherry = Good Luck and fortune
Birch = Hope and new beginnings
Maple = Longevity, generosity, and intelligence
Dogwood = Loyalty, safety, and kindness
Ginseng = Simplicity and harmony of the nature
Aspen = Rebirth and heroes
Pear Tree = Comfort
Apple Tree = Truthfulness, love, and appreciation
It can be fun to identify the kind of leaves students find and then search out their given symbols and include that in some way into their work. Students could even gather leaves and trade them so their final artwork is a symbolic personal statement of character.
Here is my video introduction:
I use it as an alternative to holiday art that can sometimes be considered cultural appropriation, or insensitive to those who do not celebrate such holidays. Though most of my lessons tie back to student self-expression, this one is more skills-based but everyone will have a unique image at the end because no two leaves are alike. I never promote or do projects where everyone has the same image in the end.
That said there are self-expressive opportunities...
One could research the origins of trees and find trees that come from their own cultural background. Another avenue to explore is the symbolic meanings of trees. Here is just a few trees...
Oak = Courage and Power
Cherry = Good Luck and fortune
Birch = Hope and new beginnings
Maple = Longevity, generosity, and intelligence
Dogwood = Loyalty, safety, and kindness
Ginseng = Simplicity and harmony of the nature
Aspen = Rebirth and heroes
Pear Tree = Comfort
Apple Tree = Truthfulness, love, and appreciation
It can be fun to identify the kind of leaves students find and then search out their given symbols and include that in some way into their work. Students could even gather leaves and trade them so their final artwork is a symbolic personal statement of character.
Here is my video introduction:
For distance learning, I calculate it takes about 45 minutes to do one leaf from start to finish for the average student. For a 1 week lesson, I would require 5 leaves of varying sizes as a submission. They can do all 5 on one paper, or submit 5 separate image. To add more interest, twigs and other natural objects could be included.
If leaves are not readily available, or it's the "wrong" time of year, you can look up autumn leaves on Google Images, print a few leaves, cut them out, and wrinkle them. Then use those wrinkled print-outs as your reference "leaves."
If leaves are not readily available, or it's the "wrong" time of year, you can look up autumn leaves on Google Images, print a few leaves, cut them out, and wrinkle them. Then use those wrinkled print-outs as your reference "leaves."
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