Cartoon Skeletons

Learning Targets

I can...

• Create an original Cartoon Skeleton using drawing techniques learned in class
• Use neutral colors (black white grey brown), value (lightness darkness highlights shadows) and space (positive negative) inspired by Contemporary Artist (1995-Present) Michael Paulus
• Use drawing techniques (proportional rules basic forms shading methods) and design principles (composition repetition proportion) based on Contemporary Art
• Define Cartoon (a motion picture using animation techniques to photograph a sequence of drawings rather than real people or objects)

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

1. Salve Cattus Sine Oris (Hello Kitty) (2025) Michael Paulus

2. Read Bonaparte Falls Apart: A Funny Skeleton Book For Kids and Toddlers by Margery Cuyler 

3. Discussion Questions "Have you ever thought of what kind of skeletons might be holding up that weird character? What is the difference between a real skeleton and the cartoon version? Why do artists alter anatomy for an artistic effect? What are the basic shapes and how do they connect to form a skeleton? How can we use measurement and proportion to make our skeleton look realistic? What kind of story can we tell through a skeleton's pose? What do we notice about the skull? Where are the eyes, nose, and mouth located? How do the ribs connect to the spine? What are the key bone landmarks to look for drawing this figure? What are some examples of artists who have explored the skeleton in their work? What did they express through this subject matter? What happens when we combine different drawing or painting media to create our skeletons? What affect can we achieve by contrasting different textures in our artwork? How does understanding the bone structures (skull, spine, rib cage) help us draw people and animals?"

Lesson Activities

1. Choose 12" X 15" Drawing Paper 

2. Use pencil to add line types (horizontal vertical diagonal) of subject matter (skull, bones, outline) of the Cartoon Skeletons

3.Use line types (horizontal vertical diagonal) to add details (roses feathers fabric) to the negative space (background) of the Cartoon Skeletons 

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Cartoon Skeleton for Assigned Tables 

2. Callidus Canem (Snoopy) (2016) Michael Paulus

3. Discussion Questions "How is photography from inside your body different from a regular photograph? What colors do you see? What kinds of lines can you find? What kind of shapes can you find? What new title would you give this artwork? Why do you think the artist made the artist this way? How would you tell someone about this artwork? What are some photograph techniques you could incorporate into your own artwork? How was Michael Paulus inspired by other artists? Does an artist need firsthand experience to represent it successfully? How might an artwork be interpreted differently at different moments in history? Do you think artists see the world differently than nonwartists? Is being an artist a stewardship? Do artists have a responsibility to share their artwork with the world? Can artists interact with cartoons as subject matter in different ways?" 

Lesson Activities 

1. Use drawing techniques (blending, smudging, smearing, shading) to add value (highlights shadows contrast) to the Cartoon Skeletons 

2. Look at images of photographs of different human bones (skull, teeth, femur, rubs) when adding details (highlights, shadows, contrast) to the Cartoon Skeletons 

3. Use permanent markers to add contrast to the positive space (bones, foreground, middle ground) and negative space (background, shadow) of the Cartoon Skeletons 

Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Cartoon Skeletons for Assigned Tables 

2. Set Up Studio Area (erasers, permanent markers, washable markers, felt tip pens)

Lesson Activities

1. Use drawing techniques (blending, smudging, smearing, shading) to add value (highlights, shadows, contrast) to the Cartoon Skeletons

2. Use drawing materials (kneaded erasers, conte crayons, pencil sharpeners) to blend in the negative space (background) of the Cartoon Skeletons

3. Use drawing materials (kneaded erasers conte crayons pencil sharpeners) to add finishing details (bones, foreground, middle ground) to the Cartoon Skeletons 

Artist Examples

Student Examples

 Gergely Dudas Search Drawings

Learning Targets

I can...

• Create an original Gergely Dudas Search Drawing using collage techniques learned in class 
• Use shape variation (geometric, organic, free form), line types (horizontal, vertical, diagonal), and color combinations (analogous, secondary, primary) inspired by Hungarian Artist (2019-Present) Gergely Dudas
• Use drawing techniques (shading, blending, overlapping) and design principles (composition, repetition, movement) based on Seek And Find Cartoons
• Define Repetition (the use of two or more of the same or similar elements such as colors, shapes, or lines)

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

1. Find BB-8 (2024) Gergely Dudas 

2. Read Bear's Spooky Book Of Hidden Things (2018) Gregory Dudas

3. Discussion Questions "Did you ever play "I Spy with my Little Eye" game? What are your favorite games to play at home and in the classroom? What does "I Spy" mean? Where did "I Spy With My Eye" come from? Have you played I Spy games indoors or outdoors? Have you played the I Spy game with friends, family, or adults? How do you play "I Spy with my little eye?" What are the rules of this game? When you play I Spy, do you use yes or no questions to help find the answer? Does I Spy use number recognition or shape identification for young children? Why would visual perception be an important skill for learning to read? What are some of your interests? What do you notice in your surroundings?"

Lesson Activities

1. Use three geometric shapes (rectangle, oval, circle) to create a three dimensional silhouette of a fall animal (fox, moose, squirrel, deer) for the search compositions

2. Add details (eyes, nose, claws) to the three dimensional silhouettes of a fall animal (fox, moose, squirrel ,deer) for the search compositions 

3. Outline the positive space (foreground, animals) with neutral colors (black, grey, white) for the Gergely Dudas Search Drawings 

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Gergely Dudas Search Drawing for Assigned Tables

2. Sheep Among Goats (2024) Gregely Dudas

3. Discussion Questions "What do you notice is different with the shapes, colors, and arrangement within this artwork? What is the same and different about each picture? What colors are being used in this artwork? Which area of the artwork is emphasized by the artist? How would you describe this artwork to someone who has never seen it? How does the artist use rotation and translation to create a search composition? Do you think a circle or oval could fill the search composition? Do any spaces cover the space exactly? How can you explain the movement of one tile to another tile? Did everyone use the same number of shapes in their search compositions? Why might the number of shapes vary between students? How many different arrangements did you discover?"

Lesson Activities 

1. Add finishing details (eyes, nose, claws) to the positive space (animal, foreground) of the search compositions 

2. Use neutral colors (black, grey, white) to outline the positive space (animal, foreground) of the search compositions 

3. Add embellishments (salt, glitter, metallic) for the negative space (background, negative space) of the Gergely Dudas Search Drawings 

Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Gergely Dudas Search Drawings for Assigned Tables

2. Set Up Studio Area (colored pencils, erasers, markers, sharpeners) 

Lesson Activities

1. Add embellishments (salt, glitter, metallic) for the negative space (background, negative space) of search compositions 

2. Add neutral colors (black, white, brown, grey) to the three dimensional silhouettes (animal, foreground) of the Gergely Dudas Search Drawings 

3. Add value (lightness, darkness, highlights, shadows) to the positive space (animal, foreground) of the Gergely Dudas Search Drawings 

Artist Examples

Student Examples

 

 Loud Mouth Monsters

Learning Targets

I can..

• Create an original Loud Mouth Monster using drawing techniques learned in class
• Use shape variation (geometric, organic, free form), form (two dimensional, three dimensional) and space inspired by American Artist (1982-Present) Greg Mike
• Use collage techniques (cutting out, combining, stamping) and design principles (composition, variation, proportion) based on Street Art
• Define Speech Bubbles (a graphic symbol used in comics to represent words or thoughts of a given character)

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

1. Lands Music Festival (2015) Greg Mikes

2. Read Smile A While by Kyle Brooks

3. Discussion Questions "Where do you think the artists finds his inspiration? Do you recognize any of these cartoon characters? Do you notice how he combines realistic and cartoon styles together? What does your loud mouth have to say? What do they want to share with the world? How does this artwork make you feel? Do you remember being interested in art and drawing as a child? When and how did Greg Mike's career in art begin? What artists influenced him when he was growing up? Are there any cartoon characters that have influenced you growing up?"

Lesson Activities

1. Choose 12" by 12" Construction Paper

2. Add shape variation (geometric, organic, free form) to positive space (facial features) of monster collages

3. Add shape variation (geometric, organic, free form) to negative space (background) of Loud Mouth Monsters

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Loud Mouth Monsters for Assigned Table

2. Top Of Mountain (2020) Greg Mike

3. Discussion Questions "What is your first memory of art? What can you learn about his background from looking at his artwork? How would you describe his style of artwork? Who and what has had the biggest impact on your art? What is the best thing you have ever painted? What is contemporary art to you? How do you think the artists style has evolved? What do we know about the artist when looking at his work? What was your first reaction when looking at this artwork? What types of colors are in this artwork? Which area of the artwork is emphasized by the artist? Which area of the artwork is most important? How did this artist use space? How did this artist use balance? How did this artist use proportion? How does your eye move through the artwork?" 

Lesson Activities

1. Use complementary colors (red green; blue orange; purple yellow) to fill in the positive space (facial features) of the monster collages

2. Use complementary colors (red green; blue orange; yellow purple) to fill in the negative space (background) of the monster collages

3. Add details (teeth, tongue, chipped tooth, mustache, eyelashes) to positive space (facial features) of Loud Mouth Monsters

Day Three, Art Start

1.  Retrieve Loud Mouth Monsters for Assigned Tables

2. Set Up Studio Area (construction paper, scissors, glue sticks) 

Lesson Activities

1. Add highlights (reflective light, light source) to fill in positive space (facial features) of monster collages

2. Add shadows (cast shadow, reflective shadow) to fill in the negative space (background) of the monster collages

3. Add details (bow tie, hair bow, horns, har) to positive space (facial features) of Loud Mouth Monsters

Artist Examples

Student Examples 

Masked Heroes 

Learning Targets

• Create an original Masked Hero using drawing techniques learned in class
• Use line types (simplified, gesture, curved), exaggerated shapes (cape, mask, gloves), and value variation (lightness, darkness) inspired by comic book illustrators Steve Ditko, Stan Lee, and Jack Kirby
• Use cartoonist style (exaggerated facial gestures, simplified shapes, isolated graphics) and design principles (proportion, composition, gradation) based on 1930s American Comic Books
• Define Portrait (a picture showing a person's face, head, and shoulders) 

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start 

1. Choose 12" by 15" Drawing Paper
2. Use gesture lines to add facial features (big eyes, large head) and facial proportions (head, shoulder) to Super Hero Portrait
3. Use gesture lines to add costume characteristics (cape, mask, boot, gloves) to portrait

Reminder:

• Initials & Home Teacher on Back of Paper

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Masked Hero for Assigned Table
2. Read How "To Be A Hero" by Florence Parry Heider

3. Discussion Questions "Do you remember Under Dog, Atom Ant, Mighty Mouse, or Bullwinkle? Do you know about the Power Rangers? What is your hero's name? What were their super hero powers? What do you notice about the powers of the characters we learned about? How are these characters similar or different?"

Lesson Activities 

1. Use cartoonist style (exaggerated gestures, simplified shapes, isolated graphics) to add details to portrait
2. Add highlights to subject matter (mask, facial features, gloves) within the portrait
3. Add shadows to background (buildings, landscapes, wall) within the portrait

Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Masked Hero for Assigned Table
2. Set Up Studio Area (paint brushes, water bucket, water color pencils)

Lesson Activities

1. Use watercolor pencils to fill in positive space (facial features, costume characteristics) of portrait
2. Use watercolor pencils to fill in negative space (buildings, landscape) of portrait
3. Use clear finishing spray to cover Masked Hero Portraits 

Artist Examples

Student Examples