Audubon and a little cross-hatching

Third grade PES artists have been studying the painter John James Audubon. They explored Audubon's bird paintings and used our classroom books, encyclopedias, and the internet to find images of birds that were interesting to them. The artists lightly drew their birds with pencil, then began using Sharpie markers/pens to add value and details using a cross-hatching method.

Cross-hatching is a drawing technique in which an artist uses small lines- or hatches- to create value in a drawing. The closer the lines are together, the darker the value. Here is a great example of cross hatching, but the video is a little long. Fast forward to the good part!

Our plan is to add color using watercolor paints, but I am so excited about these drawings that I wanted to share them a little early! Aren't they beautiful?

Now, Audubon was a lot more than an artist. He was a scientist, a naturalist, and an explorer. He travelled North America extensively looking for birds to draw and document for his book, Birds of America. This book features life-sized paintings of birds from throughout our continent and the first part was published in 1827. The National Audubon Society was named in John James Audubon's honor. They are a group dedicated to the conservation of birds and they continue to do great work for animals and wildlife protection.

The National Gallery of Art has a great collection of paintings and prints by Audubon on their website!

Update!