2nd Graders learn about Hokusai

Second graders loved  learning about the famous Japanese artist Hokusai. His woodcuts are powerful pictures of nature and life in Japan. We studied "The Wave". Students listen to a fictional book about "The Wave", saw a short animated clip about the artist, and translated their learning into art. First they used black chalk to create an underpainting, shading lighter as they moved up the page. Next they were given blue and turquoise tempera to paint a wave. When that dried we used real sea sponges to pounce on sparkly white paint for foam. Brown and white paint was used to paint a small Mt. Fuji off in the distance. Students drew people in a canoe or boat riding the wave, just like in the famous painting!