Backward Coloring Book

Karleena Graham

In this lesson, students will explore their creativity and imagination by creating backward coloring book pages inspired by Kendra Norton’s, the “Reverse Coloring Book.”  On the first day, the students will practice their line work and mark-making skills on a practice sheet from Kendra Norton’s book. On the second day, students will use watercolor paint and brush, only, as they start their pages. They can choose to paint abstract or realistic paintings while considering the paint-to-water ratio of their medium. This technique will provide the students with pastel-color-type paintings and will make their line work more visible. For the next step, students will work on their dry paintings by outlining, filling in, and adding to the images they find in their artwork. For example, students may see faces, plants, flowers, cars, dinosaurs, cities, etc., and may choose to outline and/or fill in these images with mark-making techniques using a permanent black fine marker. Students will consider art elements and design principles: color, contrast, line, pattern, proportion, repetition, shape, space, and variety.

Final Product
The final project will be three or more original 9×12 artworks. On the last day, if time allows, students will share the work they are most proud of with the class and discuss their process and what they learned from this residency.

Learning Outcomes

Suggested Grades

• K-12

Pricing Breakdown

•  4 visits; 45 min each
•  3hr prep per residency
•  Travel from Eugene
•  $3.00 per student

In this lesson, students will explore their creativity and imagination by creating “reverse coloring book pages”. Inspired by Kendra Norton, the “Reverse Coloring Book” is full of pages that are copies of watercolor prints. On the first day, the students will practice their line work and mark-making skills on a practice sheet from Kendra Norton’s book. On the second day, students will use watercolor paint and brush, only, as they start their pages. They can choose to paint abstract or realistic paintings while considering the paint-to-water ratio of their medium. This technique will provide the students with pastel-color-type paintings and will make their line work more visible. For the next step, students will work on their dry paintings by outlining, filling in, and adding to the images they find in their artwork. For example, students may see faces, plants, flowers, cars, dinosaurs, cities, etc., and may choose to outline and/or fill in these images with mark-making techniques using a permanent black fine marker. Students will consider art elements and design principles: color, contrast, line, pattern, proportion, repetition, shape, space, and variety.

Final Product
The final project will be three or more original 9×12 artworks. On the last day, if time allows, students will share the work they are most proud of with the class and discuss their process and what they learned from this residency.

Learning Outcomes

Suggested Grades

• K-12

Pricing Breakdown

•  4 visits; 45 min each
•  3hr prep per residency
•  Travel from Eugene
•  $3.00 per student