Art Lesson: Skyscapes in 2 weeks

Lesson for 9th or 10th grade,  2 weeks, acrylics

I hadn't done this lesson in years, but I forgot how quickly it goes. It was perfect for year's end, when kids are good at painting and have a few weeks to fill. 

Guidance for students:

1. You're painting from a high-res reference of a side-lit cumulus cloud (side lit creates 3-dimensionality)
2. No black. Mix warm and cool greys from brown and ultramarine.
3. Warm up your sky by mixing yellow ochre into your blue
4. Experiment with ultramarine (purplish) and cobalt (blue-bluegreen); feel the difference in your mixes.
5. Sky gets darker and purpler at top, lighter and more cerulean at bottom.
6. You can invent or exaggerate the hues as long as the values match your reference.