Exploring the Jungles of Henri Rousseau
Grade 4
Objectives:
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Explore works by Henri Rousseau
Discuss the life and artistic style of Henri Rousseau
Recognize and identify foreground, mid-ground, and background
Create a stylized drawing using simple shapes
Combine oil pastels and watercolors to create value and depth in their work
Materials/Equipment Needed:
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Works by Rousseau, Tropical Jungle, On the edge of a forest, and Sleeping Gypsy
Dropping in on Rousseau video
12 X 15 scrap paper
12 X 15 white sulphate drawing paper
Fine tip sharpie markers
Oil pastels and water colors
Vocabulary:
Oil pastels
Watercolors
Value
Depth
Artistic style
Foreground
Mid-ground
Background
Shading
Lessons:
Week 1
 Introduce students to the life and art of Henri Rousseau by showing the video, Dropping
in on Rousseau. This will give the students insight and facts about Henri Rousseau and
the techniques he uses along with examples of his artwork that Puffer, another
character, critics.
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Show the class prints of Rousseau’s jungle-style including Tropical Jungle, On the edge of a
forest, and Sleeping Gypsy. Examples of his work are in the Power point and books you will
show from the thumb drive.
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Discuss foreground, mid-ground, and background; warm and cool colors; and simple,
stylized drawings, and repeated shapes. Demonstrate where and how Rousseau used
these concepts.
Discuss how Rousseau used resources around him like books, museums, gardens, etc.
and his imagination to create his paintings.
Have the students take out their sketchpads and give them a black marker to practice
drawing their jungle scenes. Demonstrate the use of large, simple, repeated shapes to
create grass (foreground), flowers/plants (mid-ground), and trees (background). Point
out the benefits of repeating a certain flower/plant and/or color to “tie” their picture
together.
Collect the papers about 5 mins before time is up and begin cleaning up
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Week 2
Create a jungle scene
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If the students are satisfied with their “practice paper” (scrap paper), let them redraw their
picture on the 12 X 15 sulphate drawing paper with a black sharpie marker, no pencil.
When students are finished with their pictures, demonstrate how to use the oil pastel crayons
like paint. Layer and blend the colors to create shading and depth. Remind the students to
repeat colors throughout their composition and to use the pastels in a heavy manner.
They can color the grass, flowers, trees, animals, sun, moon, etc. Tell them DO NOT color the
background space.
Collect the papers about 5 mins before time is up and begin clean up
Week 3
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Pass out the students pictures, the watercolor paints, large watercolor brushes, and water
containers.
Have the students moisten the blue, yellow, violet, and green watercolor paint.
First, the students will begin painting by wetting the sky with clean water. Then they can use
blue or violet to wash the sky. Next, the students can wet the grass area with water and then
use green and / or yellow and blue to wash the grass or ground area.
Review techniques, vocabulary, and information about Henri Rousseau after collecting papers
and cleaning areas (Henri Rousseau was a French artist born in 1844 and died in 1910. He was a
self taught artist who often painted images of jungle scenes and animals. His work is almost
always bright and colorful. He is best known for his Sleeping Gypsy painting if 1887).