O'Keeffe inspired desert landscapes with cow skulls

I'd you have never drawn bones with middle schoolers, you must do it quick! The shape is so unfamiliar it forces them to really concentrate and study the bones. Effectively, they get on the right side of the brain. On a side note, if you have not read Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards, it is now your homework. It explains that whole right side of the brain thing. Also, if you search her on YouTube you will find the book in video form.

I found a really good skull on google one day and printed a bunch off for the students. I wish I had a real cow skull...le sigh. Drawing from observation is always best, but when you are a young art teacher that doesn't have a massive collection of "stuff", you have to make do.

After students drew out the cow skull I got out the Sketch-and-Wash. It is a wonderful water soluble pencil. You need to explain to students to shade a little lighter than normal with the sketch-and-wash. Students can then activate the graphite with a wet brush to get a watercolor feel. Students love it.

The backgrounds were painted with Kimberly watercolor pencil. I had a bunch of different desert landscapes to choose from but they all picked the same one.

Supplies: watercolor paper, sketch and wash pencils, pencil, Kimberly watercolor pencils, pictures of skulls and different landscapes