Nothing can steal your breath away like a stunning sunset on a beautiful landscape scene. As difficult as it is to capture a sunset’s magic in a photo or on a canvas, this lesson comes pretty darn close! Landscapes allow viewers to see places they have never visited or be transported back to a place full of memories. Robin Mead is an artist who does just that by creating whimsical landscapes with bright, blended colors. Using Sakura® Cray-Pas® Oil Pastels, students will create their own stylized landscape inspired by the work of Robin Mead.
Legendary Sunset Landscapes Lesson Objectives
- Study the work of artist Robin Mead and identify concepts in her artwork such as the creation of landscapes, the use of warm and cool colors, blending colors, creating a sense of space, the inclusion of sun and water in each, and outlining areas of color with thick black lines.
- Explain how artists document observations around them in their artwork.
- Interpret nature, bringing personal ideas about nature to the artwork.
- Use Sakura Cray-Pas Oil Pastels as students create their own Legendary Sunset Landscape.
Watch a Video Demonstration
Cross-Curricular Ideas
- Tie this activity into an ELA lesson by having students write a short descriptive paragraph or poem to accompany their artwork, focusing on sensory details and vivid imagery.
- Connect this activity to a science lesson by having students research how the atmosphere creates colorful sunsets.
- Create a vocabulary lesson by having students write a paragraph describing their drawing without using any of the predetermined common words you provide on a list.
- Create a Social Studies extension activity by having students choose a beach anywhere in the world and research its history, current culture, and any other interesting facts.