Leaf Silhouettes

PROJECT OVERVIEW: For kids 10+
Abstract Art: art that does not attempt to represent external, recognizable reality but seeks to achieve its effect using shapes, forms, colors, and textures.

Silhouette: the dark shape and outline of someone or something visible against a lighter background

Contrast: enhancement of the apparent brightness or clarity of a design provided by the juxtaposition of different colors or textures.

SUPPLY LIST:
- BIG piece of scrap cardboard roughly poster size (16x20).
- pencil
- 2 different contrasting colors of acrylic paint (1 light color and 1 darker color).
- paint brush and rinsing cup/paper towels
- sunny day with shadows (mornings and late afternoons work best)

DIRECTIONS:
1) Find a large piece of cardboard/matt board, as described above.

2) Choose 2 different paint colors to use (again, 1 light and 1 dark).

3) Paint your entire piece of cardboard with the lighter of your 2 colors. Let dry (acrylics dry fast but this could be done in 2 days if in a classroom).

4) When your base color is dry, take cardboard and pencil outside. Find a shadowy spot under a tree that has good leaf/branch shadows on ground. Lay your cardboard on ground so that shadows cover it and overlap across it.

5) Lightly trace the silhouette of tree/branch shadows on your cardboard. *NOTE: just trace the OUTLINE of shadows, it might not look like individual leaves to you, just COPY the shadows. **TIP: trace rather quickly, so that the sun/shadows don't move :)

6) When you are finished tracing shadows, bring everything inside and PAINT the shadows in with your darker paint color.

7) Let dry and you're done! You've made your own exclusive abstract print!