Pen and ink leaf drawings

I'm using my day off today to prep a lesson for the charter school I will be teaching at this Friday. Students will be using India Ink and a quill (feather) to draw with the ink. I use a disposable container to put the ink, since it stains. I also put down newsprint on my work surface. Students will start with pen and ink techniques making a value strip that practices the techniques going to dark.

Then using pressed natural leaves students will draw a contour outline of the leaf and use the pen and ink techniques to draw the leaf. 

Mixed media collage

I have been teaching some lessons at a small charter school. Our lessons thus far have focused on shading and using light to dark colors with smooth transitions. These collages use construction paper and scrap vinyl sign adhesive.We used oil pastels and  focused on blending.

We also discussed organic shape, geometric shape and pattern.