Art Lesson w/ Ms. Jennifer: Draw & Paint Edvard Munch's Mural "The Sun"

Afternoon Art (ages 6-11)

This week's featured artist is the late Edvard Munch. Born in Norway, he endured a childhood filled with tragedy and illness. He used art to express his emotions, so we call him an expressionist painter.

His most famous work is this piece, called "The Scream." Looking at this piece, how do you think he was feeling at the time he painted it? Do you ever feel strong emotions that you don't know what to do with? Next time, dry drawing or painting your feelings - you might create a masterpiece!

Today, we are going to focus on his mural called "The Sun." This is on the wall in a building in Oslo University. It reminds me of a sunrise over the ocean, viewed from cliff tops. It gives me a peaceful, calm, happy, hopeful feeling. How does it make you feel?

Let's draw and paint "The Sun" today. You will need:

• Paper (medium or heavyweight drawing paper or student watercolor paper is best, but even copy paper will work.)

• Crayons or Oil Pastels

• Washable Markers

• A cup of water

• A paintbrush

Gather your materials, and let's create!

Don't forget to email your finished artwork to Jennifer@BlowingRockMuseum.org or post on our Facebook page.

For Doodlebugs (ages 1-5):  

Watch Kevin Henkes read his book "Egg." Talk with your preschooler about the different animals that hatch from eggs. Take some sidewalk chalk outside and practice drawing eggs (ovals and circles). If you don't have chalk or the weather is wet, use markers or crayons to draw inside.

If your child is able, draw a zig-zag line at the top of a smile, like Mr. Henkes did at the end of his video. Now, draw an animal hatching out of the eggshell. What did you draw?

What other things can you draw with circle or oval shapes? Can you draw a sun? Draw many straight lines coming out from the sun in a radiating pattern like sunbeams. Send Ms. Jennifer a photo of your egg and sun drawings.

View full instructions here