Watercolor Dolphin Painting

Art Lesson: Grade 3-8 – Download the “How to Draw A Dolphin” .pdf Description: Art project explores the natural habitat of dolphins and their ecosystem. Students will learn about the many fascinating facts about dolphins as well as learn some exciting watercolor techniques that combine science and art. Materials:

1. Watercolor  Paper  2. Watercolor  Paints  3. Fine  Point  Sharpie  4. Watercolor  Brush  5. Pencil  &  Eraser  6. Table  Salt  

SKILLS LEARNED: 1. Drawing 2. Watercolor Techniques – Wet on Wet Painting 3. Composition 4. Chemical Reaction With Salt

Lightly  sprinkle  salt  on  the  picture  while  it  is  still  wet.  Watch  the  texture  increase  as  the  salt  absorbs  the  water  around  it  but  leaves  the  pigment  behind.  This  takes  just  a  few  minutes.  The  chemical  reaction  leaves  light  spots  where  the  salt  grains  landed.  

STEPS

1. Use the attached sheet on “How To Draw A Dolphin” for step 1 2. Add other sea life to your picture

3. Outline with a Fine Sharpie

Once  you  have  outlined  your  picture,  you  can  erase  all  your  pencil  lines.  

4. Start painting the ocean water first using a “Wet on Wet” technique. Wet small sections of your paper first. Apply blue and green paint to the wet areas. The wet on wet technique will make it appear like a tie dye effect. Then apply small sprinklings of salt to the areas painted. Let the salt dry completely. The salt effect looks like small crsytals as you see the reaction. This only works on wet painted areas. Be sure not to paint over it once you have sprinkled the salt.

5. Continue to paint the ocean water and you can see the effects of the salt starting to work.

6. Complete your painting and let it dry completely.

Once your painting has dried, carefully brush off all the salt. If your painting has rippled, you can press it overnight under some books to flatten it out.