Nutcracker Close Ups
Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without the Nutcracker Ballet! Students draw an extreme close up of a nutcracker with oil pastels.
Materials
oil pastels
black sharpie
12 x 12 square of light colored paper for the background
9 x 6 oval cut from tan or manila contruction paper for the head
Directions
1. To help students make their drawing large enough to fill the 12x12 paper, give each student a pre-cut head shape.
2. Begin with the top part of the mouth. Draw a rectangle along the bottom of the head with 4 hills inside for teeth. Don't make the mouth too large or you'll end up with a scary, evil nutcracker! Draw another line around the rectangle for the lips.
3. Add the nose in the middle as a long, rounded triangle.
4. Add the mustache by making two letter Cs and adding a rainbow shape underneath that gets thinner as it goes to the end.
5. Next, draw the eyes. Start with a straight line on either side of the nose. Draw a U shape underneath. Add two circles in each eye for the iris and pupil.
6. Eyebrows are drawn like upside down mustaches.
7. Outline all of the features with a black sharpie and color in any black areas.
8. Next, glue the heads to the background paper.
9. Draw a line horizontally across under the head for the shoulders.
10. Draw the bottom part of the mouth. Draw the beard.
11. Draw a crown and add hair to the sides of the head.
12. Color everything and add details to the crown and jacket using the oil pastels.
13. Finally, add cheeks with light pink crayon.
The most beautiful book about the Nutcracker!
This project adapted from a Lesson Starter at artsonia.com.
