Art Project - Raahat Kaduji’s The Sea Turtle
Recreating and teaching with another artist’s artwork for my art classes is challenge in itself, as I am trying to figure out how they made it…AND I have to simplify it for my kids who can be as young as 7. I always tell the kids who it was that created the original artwork, when it’s not my own, in this case it’s Raahat Kaduji, so they understand copyright/ownership. I picked this sea turtle because it has a great composition, it started conversations on what the turtle is actually feeling, and there are so many interesting layers - so let’s get started!
The Goal:
To create depth using one colour (monochromatic).
The Materials:
I used watercolour paint, neocolor ii wax pastels, and coloured pencils.
The Process:
As you can see below, my printer changed the colours to blue but you can go by the original, which is green (above)
I start with watercolours, painting the turtle and background turtles and fish first. Let it dry. I continue with the watercolour paints by covering the entire page with a light grey and at first I try to remove paint with a wet paint brush but I realize I had to add darker paint instead. While the paint is wet I add a darker wash to the bottom half of the page. Let it dry or start working while it’s still wet and get a washed effect that you might like.
Continuing with the watercolours, I’m going to keep going darker and darker to the turtle, the background underwater plants, and to the rocky bottom of the page.
Next up, the coloured pencil. I’m going to wait for the pages to completely dry before I add pencil markings and shading.
When I got to the lighter areas I chose the white pencil first but realized it would look better in cream, the colour of my sketchbook paper.
Share your art with Brina!
How you finish this art project will be completely yours, even if you do exactly what I did, and that’s something to celebrate. Share your art with me on Instagram and I’ll share with my friends!
If you’re interested in watching Brina paint The Sea Turtle, join Brina’s Creative Side. Becoming a member gives you access to all of the previous and upcoming posts which include printables, more photos, detailed instructions, videos, and customizable options for each art project. Perfect for teachers, art instructors, parents, or any one of any age who might want a bit of creative inspiration.