Eye to eye with insects.

In order to make the right choice, they first have to see the right choice to make. That is the goal of this particular lesson.

This project is from a high school curriculum for a half year Drawing I art elective. It is part of a unit on animals. The simple idea of drawing from direct observation could easily make it applicable to a wide range of grade levels. Teachers involved with lessons that can be applied to science may also find it interesting.

Magnifying the Details

This project can be enhanced if more than just the art department is involved. I am fortunate to be working in a school where one of our biology teachers collects insect and animal specimens. I am equally lucky in the fact that he is willing to share the collections with the art department. The collection he lent us contained a variety of insects including butterflies, moths, bees, flies, beetles, ants, and spiders. Each specimen was mounted separately on a cork base. The corks enabled the students to pick up the insects and observe them from every angle without touching the fragile specimen. Each student used a magnifying lens to get a good look at the bugs.

On the first day of this lesson I continued with my year long theme of looking for details in the drawing subject. I passed around a tray of a variety of insects. Some had wings, some did not, some had six legs and others eight, some were furry and others shiny. Some students found them "creepy" or "gross" while others found them "cool." They all thought they were interesting though. With the help of a magnifying lens the intricacies of the colors, patterns and textures became more apparent.

Large Observations

I instructed each student to take a look at insects from a variety of families, to inspect each specimen from every angle, and to note differences. The students made a page full of thumbnail sketches of their first day observations.

I gave the particulars of the assignment on the second day. Students were to draw one insect, of their choice. The colored pencil drawings were to be done on 9 x 9" 122.9 x 22.9 cm) paper. The insect had to be drawn large enough to extend off the edges of the paper on at least three sides.

Enlarging makes students look for those details. They must see those details in order to represented them accurately on the paper. Even the tiniest of features is now amplified to become a significant element of the final drawing. It also helps to make an intriguing composition.

A New View of Nature

As the students began to work on their final drawing, I reminded them to spend as much time looking at their subject through the magnifying lens as sketching.

This lesson took about one week to complete. Its goal, for me as an art teacher, was to help students draw better by being better observers of the world around them. The goal of the science teacher, who loaned me the insects, was to better appreciate the beauty of nature, even in the most unlikely of places.

Materials

Sketch paper Drawing paper Pencils Color pencils Magnifying lens An insect collection

Amy King is an art teacher at Highland High School in Highland, New York.