When planning an art project for children who have different interest and ability levels, teachers and parents need to have some sure-fire, fun, easy activities. This easy art project will appeal to the teacher and to the art student. Both will find it motivating and enjoyable. The art materials are simple to acquire and the procedure straightforward. Also provided are tips for making everything go smoothly. Enjoy this simple easy art project.
The Larger Than Life Project
This project involves drawing an everyday object such as shoe, a cell phone, a camera, a stapler so that it appears to be larger than it is in reality. After sketching the object in pencil on a standard 9 X 12 cm piece of paper (or it can be larger such as 12 X 18 cm), students add miniature people who are sitting on, climbing on, or hiding in the object.
The little people should be drawn in a fine colored marker with not much detail on them. This will make them stand out. The size and color of the miniature people draw your attention to them and make the object appear larger than life. The tiny people should not be stick people, but have a basic people shape. They should have clothes on and a hairstyle so you can tell whether they are boys or girls.
Sample Ideas:
Camera
The people can be drawn using a theme. For example, you can draw construction workers in blue overalls and yellow helmets who are working all over a camera. Some can be on a scaffold cleaning the camera lens; some can be walking on top of the camera, some standing on scaffolding next to the camera, and some sitting eating their lunch.
Doll
Another theme would be to draw a sitting doll with all little girls playing all over it. The little people can be hiding behind the hair strands, in the ruffles of the dress, or crawling over the legs. By drawing the people in and around the object, it gives it more of a three dimensional look. The object should not look flat.
Shoe
If you draw a running shoe or sports shoe, the sports theme can be achieved by drawing active people all over the shoe. Some people can be skateboarding off the shoe, some skiing off the tip of the shoe, some climbing a rope to get up the shoe, and some can be belaying down the shoelace. Finally there can be some climbers drawn placing a flag at the highest point on the shoe.
Stapler
You can show small people doing the same activity (e.g. Sports) on an object not related to the activity (eg. A stapler). Some can be hiking on the slope of the stapler, some doing yoga on the flat base, some skiing off the stapler edge and some camping under the stapler’s edge.
Hints and tips for the project
Have students draw objects they can see in front of them such as a water bottle, Kleenex tissue box, or roll of tape, rather than drawing from memory.
The size of the object should not be too large to begin with. For example, don’t try to draw a large computer or desk. Draw an object that would fit on a desk such as a phone, a camera, a tape dispenser, a shoe, a laptop, or a pencil holder.
The object should be drawn with some detail such as a label on a glue stick, but not be filled with too much exact detail. Too much detailing may overwhelm the student so keep it to a simple basic outline.
Try to make the object look 3 dimensional such a tissue box where you can see the top. Students might want some help drawing cubes or things in 3 dimensions, so the objects should be fairly simple and observable. For example, draw a clock looking at it directly or from an angle if the student can draw the sides.
Do not try to make the object into something it is not. For example, do not add windows and doors to a water bottle to make it look like a hotel. This will make it look less realistic.
Do not draw too many objects used by the miniature people. For example, some students try to draw a hot air balloon with a person in a basket hovering over the object. Some try to add a ladder to the side of the object but make it too long or not in correct proportion. Avoid lots of extra objects. Just add the little people.
Draw all the tiny people the same size. Don’t make some larger than others. They should look the same so that the object is what looks large.
There should be a large number of people crawling all over the object. 12-20 is a good range. If only 5 people are drawn, they won’t be noticed or they will be too large in comparison to the object.
Show an example of a completed project to the students to reinforce all these hints and suggestions. There is not a right or wrong way to do this project. However, a few tips will achieve the desired effect. The fine motor skills involved in drawing the little people can aid the overall effect. The detail needed to make the object look realistic is up to the student. At grade 8 level I have found amazing results in the details and precision achieved in this project. It involves lots of creativity with not too much skill. The students will have a lot of fun with this easy art project.
