Guide 2nd and 3rd graders to combine human and animal elements using visual references and their imagination to create linear character drawings that will later be used to form overlapping designs.
Incorporating both human and animal features nurtures creativity, enhances observational skills, and supports flexible thinking, encouraging students to blend diverse characteristics into expressive art.
Audience
2nd and 3rd Grade
Time
3 sessions, 50 minutes each
Approach
Step-by-step guided art activities over 3 sessions with a focus on combining human and animal elements.
Materials
Drawing Dreams Lesson Plan, - Drawing paper, - Pencils and erasers, - Erasable markers, and - Visual resource examples (digital or printed)
Prepare visual resource examples that include both human and animal features to stimulate a mixed-imagination approach.
Arrange drawing materials and ensure adequate space for group work.
Plan additional support for students experimenting with merging human and animal characteristics.
Step 1
Session 1: Introduction & Exploration
50 minutes
Introduce the concept of combining human and animal features in linear drawings.
Show visual resource examples that mix human and animal elements to inspire creativity.
Have students practice drawing basic human and animal shapes on paper.
Encourage experimentation with different shapes and lines to create characters that merge both sets of features.
Step 2
Session 2: Character Development
50 minutes
Recap the previous session and discuss favorite elements from practice drawings.
Guide students in refining their characters by incorporating clear human and animal attributes (e.g., human eyes with animal ears or a tail).
Allow free drawing time where students blend and adjust their characters using imaginative combinations.
Provide individual guidance to help with proportion and creative integration of features.
Step 3
Session 3: Overlapping Design Creation
50 minutes
Introduce overlapping designs, emphasizing how individual hybrid characters (human and animal) can interact in one artwork.
Instruct students to combine their refined character drawings into a collaborative overlapping design project.
Organize group discussions on how characters with blended features interact or complement one another in the shared space.
Conclude with a sharing session where students reflect on their creative process, discussing how the mix of human and animal elements enhanced their artwork.
Activity
Drawing Dreams: Creating Characters with Imagination and Overlapping Designs
Welcome to our art adventure! In this activity, you'll create unique characters by combining human and animal features using your imagination and visual inspiration. Then, you'll work together to design an overlapping piece that brings everyone's hybrid characters into one amazing artwork.
Activity Overview: Character Creation and Overlapping Design
Objective: Create multiple linear character drawings by blending human and animal elements using visual resources, and then combine these designs into a collaborative overlapping artwork.
Materials Needed:
Drawing paper
Pencils, erasers, and erasable markers
Visual resource examples showcasing both human and animal features (digital or printed)
Sessions: 3 sessions, 50 minutes each
Session 1: Introduction & Exploration
Introduction:
Learn about linear drawing and the concept of merging human and animal features.
Look at visual examples where characters combine elements of both humans and animals.
Exploration Activity:
Practice drawing simple, linear characters by following these prompts:
Draw a face using only basic shapes (circles, ovals, lines) and then add features like eyes, a nose, or a mouth.
Next, add an animal twist: perhaps animal ears, a tail, or distinctive markings.
Student Work:
Use the space below to sketch your initial character ideas, combining human and animal elements.
Session 2: Character Development
Review:
Share your favorite parts of your sketches with your classmates, highlighting the creative human-animal combinations.
Discuss what makes a character unique and interesting when blending two sets of features.
Development Activity:
Choose one of your sketches and refine your character by adding more details:
What emotion does your character express?
How can you embellish features like hair, clothing, or animal traits (such as stripes or a bushy tail) to show personality?
Student Work:
In the space below, refine your character drawing, adding details to emphasize the blend of human and animal characteristics.
Session 3: Overlapping Design Creation
Overlapping Design Introduction:
Learn how independent character drawings can be merged into a single, unified artwork.
Explore examples where characters interact or overlap to form one cohesive design.
Design Activity:
Combine your refined character drawing with those of your classmates onto one shared sheet of drawing paper.
Work together to decide how the characters with hybrid human-animal features will interact or complement each other.
Student Work:
Use the space below to plan your overlapping design and jot down ideas or compositions:
Reflection:
Write a short paragraph about what you enjoyed most about creating characters with both human and animal features.
How did blending these elements influence your creative choices? How did teamwork contribute to your final design?
Happy Drawing! Let your creativity soar and combine the best of both worlds—human and animal—to create truly unique art!
