Sculptural Eclipse Drawing Activity
Using the shadows of clay sculptures to create drawings with organic and geometric elements.
Grade Level Focus: 2nd
School: 21st Century Primary
Teaching Artist: David Sprecher
Classroom Teacher: Andrea Mele
Materials: non-air-dry clay, flashlights, paper, drawing utensils
Class Periods: 3
Unit Connections: Colors, Shapes, and Symmetry
SummarySculpted clay shapes and flashlights create shadows to trace and color.
Lesson SequenceLesson 1: Discuss hands and the shapes the hands can create. Sculpt hand-like images using oil-based clay.
Lesson 2: Share work of Kumi Yamashita or others as examples of how light placement affects shadows. Work in pairs to create multiple shadows using flashlights shined at various angles at the sculpted shapes, tracing the overlapping shadows on paper. Use crayons, oil pastels, or paint to add color to the tracings.
Lessons 3: Present the final shadow tracings to classmates or others.
Next Generation Science Standards
2-PS1-2
Common Core Math Standards
2.G.1
National Visual Arts Standards See National Visual Arts Standards to align to your grade level for these Anchor Standards:
Anchor Standard 1
Anchor Standard 2
Anchor Standard 3
Anchor Standard 5
Artist Connections
Kumi Yamashita
Wayang Kulit
Kara Walker
Mario Martinelli
Cornelia Parker
Additional Resources
Lesson SequenceLesson 1: Discuss hands and the shapes the hands can create. Sculpt hand-like images using oil-based clay.
Lesson 2: Share work of Kumi Yamashita or others as examples of how light placement affects shadows. Work in pairs to create multiple shadows using flashlights shined at various angles at the sculpted shapes, tracing the overlapping shadows on paper. Use crayons, oil pastels, or paint to add color to the tracings.
Lessons 3: Present the final shadow tracings to classmates or others.
2-PS1-2
Common Core Math Standards
2.G.1
National Visual Arts Standards See National Visual Arts Standards to align to your grade level for these Anchor Standards:
Anchor Standard 1
Anchor Standard 2
Anchor Standard 3
Anchor Standard 5
Artist Connections
Kumi Yamashita
Wayang Kulit
Kara Walker
Mario Martinelli
Cornelia Parker
Additional Resources
Eclipses for kids
The Wayang Puppet Theatre
Work examples:
![discuss hands]()
![sculpt]()
![create and trace shadows]()
![create and trace shadows]()
![add color]()
![add color]()
![present work]()
![present work]()
