COLLABORATIVE STARRY NIGHT MURAL
Artist Connection: Vincent van Gogh
Grades: K–8
Time Required: 1–3 class periods
Project Type: Collaborative
Materials
- Cardstock or watercolor paper
- Tempera, acrylic paint or oil pastels
- Brushes
- Printed reference image
Instructions
- Divide a famous painting (such as Starry Night) into a grid.
- Print out the example paintings and draw grid lines onto the painting
- Hand out papers (scaled up versions of each grid square)
- Label the grid squares and assign one section to each student. You might also consider cutting the painting into individual squares so they are looking at only their square, not the whole piece.
- Students recreate only their assigned square.
- Assemble the finished squares into one large image.
- Mount on bulletin board paper or foam board, or if the paper is rigid, the pieces can be taped together along the seams on the back
Display Tip
Go big! And hang it in a hallway or large wall where it can be appreciated. This is also a great project to do with multiple classes; it’s exciting to see all their work come together in one whole.
Why It Works
Students feel ownership of their section while contributing to something much larger than themselves
Lesson example: https://cassiestephens.blogspot.com/2013/09/in-art-room-andy-warhol-mural.html