Sunflower Directed Draw - Hello Spring!

I'm not a good artist. At all. I'm really quite awful.  My horses look like zombie cats and my people look like odd little aliens.

But the one thing I can draw is a Sunflower! I learned in 8th grade from a girl named Joanna. Thanks, Joanna! In the 1990's, when I was in high school, sunflowers (and The Brady Bunch Movie) were all the rage.  I perfected this little project over many years of practice.  I promise you'll be able to master it a lot faster.

I can't promise that you'll be listening to The Cranberries...


Anywho... So this Spring, I was a bit inspired by Traci from Dragonflies in First's adorable Sunflower bulletin board! It made me inspired to have my kiddos make their own sunflowers.


Here is a cute little Directed Draw project that you can easily do to Spring up one of your walls, or like me, a window!  In case you don't know, a Directed Draw is a drawing you do with your class, step by step.  So you're doing the drawing and they're following along as you go and narrate what you're doing, 'directing' them. :)

Your kiddos need a black felt tip marker, watercolor paper, and watercolors.  You could use any paper that works with watercolors, though!

First you need a pretty big circle in the middle of the paper.  It looks like it will be a turkey. But it will not be a turkey.  It is Spring.


Now just turn the paper around as you go, making the petals all around.  The kids don't have to worry about any accidental spaces because they'll fill them in on the next go-round.



Now you add a layer of petals behind the first layer.  Really all you're doing is making a petal in between the other petals.


In the center, you'll make the 'seeds'.  Draw lines across the circle, fairly close together, all across the whole circle.


Now do the same exact thing in the other direction.


When you're finished, paint with water color! I use yellow first on the petal, then blend in some orange for shading.


Here are some in the middle of the painting...




Students then cut out their flowers very carefully - and then you hang them somewhere nice to brighten up your class for Spring!




Happy Spring, everyone! Hope you can use this cute project!



4 comments

  1. I love directed drawing with my 2ndies. Good perceptual development! They think I'm an artist and are so surprised when their own drawings turn out well.

    Jill
    a-little-red-wagon

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  2. So pretty! LOVE them. Thanks for the shout out!

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  3. Stunning, just like you. I can't wait to meet you!

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  4. How gorgeous!!! I need to get into doing directed drawing more often!
    Would have SO loved to meet you on Saturday! Katie said it was absolutely fantastic!! GREAT job, hostess! :)
    Smiles - Lisa
    Growing Firsties

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