Mural, Mural on the Wall...
Collaborative painting with a group of young students can be challenging and a whole lot of fun! These group compositions are great for murals as well as backdrops for plays. My guiding principle, as an art teacher, is to be careful not to get in the way of my young artists’ creativity and let them have ownership over what they are painting as long as it's on topic.
Speaking of topic, that is where we begin. The topic may be predetermined by the need, especially if it is for a play backdrop. Other times the topic can be more flexible. Once chosen, the group can brainstorm ideas for what images and style can best represent the topic. I record these ideas and read them back to the children for their consideration.
Once each child has a starting idea, we go over the ground rules:
Talk to each other
Use one color at a time, return it to get your next color
Things don't have to be "real" colors, you are the artist and can make decisions about what you are creating
Don't walk on the paper when it's on the floor
Don't paint on/over someone else's work
Materials Needed:
At the end of our project, I stand back in awe at their ability to cooperate and problem solve. They talk, work things out and give and take and end up with an amazing painting that I am proud to hang on a feature wall in our Art Center. :-)
Roll of paper, either brown or white 42" wide
paintbrushes 2"-3" wide
tempera paint & containers for paint
smocks