Grecian Urn Scratchboard Project- 5th grade
Laura McKevitt
Oak Terrace
Project length: approximately 4 one-hour art periods.
Materials:
Visual reproductions of ancient Greek urns in various shapes, sizes, and with a variety of
decorative elements.
white or oak tag board, 9x12
oil pastels: warm colors similar to terra cotta clay, yellows, golds, oranges
black tempera paint
liquid dish soap
60# white drawing paper, 9x12
pencils
ebony or other soft lead pencils
scissors
chalk pastels: warm colors similar to oil pastels
various scratching tools: scratch brushes, metal tipped tools, sharpened wooden dowels,
thin wooden pointed sticks
Warm colored construction paper, 10x13
Black construction paper, 11x14
Day One:
Share Grecian Urn reproductions. Discuss the function of the urns in ancient Greece, and
the stories that the images tell. Also discuss the methods in which these vessels were
created: wheel-thrown, painted with black slip using a fine brush, or incising into black
slip with a pointed tool, revealing the color of the clay underneath. (the latter is the
technique most similar to the scratchboard process we will be doing)
Create Scratchboard:
Prepare black tempera paint to cover the scratchboard with by pouring black tempera
paint into containers and adding a small amount of dish soap. The soap helps the paint to
stick to the oil pastel, and keeps it from flaking off. I would approximate an eight to one
paint to soap ratio. Experimentation always helps!
Remind students to put their names on the back of their tagboard before they begin, as all
of the boards will look exactly the same covered with a layer of black tempera at the end
of this step.
Using warm colored oil pastels, cover a 9x12 piece of tagboard completely with a thick
layer of oil pastel color. Some students like to create a gradation of light to darker warm
colors from top to bottom on the tagboard. This creates a light/shadow effect on the
finished product later. Others like to be quite random with the placement of the colors,
which results in more of an ancient relic look in the end.
Once the tagboard is completely colored, (no white spots!) then use a large, soft bristle
brush to apply a coat of the black tempera/soap mixture. Be sure the paint is applied
thoroughly and evenly. You don’t want any spots to be overly thick, nor do you want
any oil pastel showing through.
Leave scratchboard to dry overnight.
Beginning stages of the “design and draw the urn” step listed as day two can be started if
enough time remains after the boards are left to dry and clean up has taken place.
Day two:
Revisit the images of Grecian Urns. This time emphasize the different parts of the urn:
neck, shoulder, body, foot, handles. Point out that most of the urns have a symmetrical
shape, unless they are a pitcher. Discuss similarities and differences in the shapes.
Design and draw the urn
Students can create a vertically or horizontally position Urn.
Using a 9x12 piece of white drawing paper, demonstrate how to draw a symmetrical urn
by first folding the paper in half, and drawing only half of the urn. Students should draw
as large as the folded paper will allow, and need to be reminded to begin their drawing at
the fold, and end back at the fold. If they draw from the open side they will end up with
two half urns instead of one whole one.
Once half of the outer shape is created, the shape should be traced darker with a soft-lead
(ebony) pencil. IF you don’t have soft lead pencils, just have kids press really hard to
make their drawing darker with a regular pencil. Then images get folded inside out, so
the drawing is on the inside.
Holding closed scissors by the blade end, use the handle of the scissors to rub all over the
back of the drawn image. The pressure from rubbing will transfer the darkened drawing
to the other half of the paper, resulting in a symmetrical pot shape.
Designs , patterns, and images are then added to the surface of the pot. I give the
students the following options:
Patterns and designs can be drawn using the same symmetry technique as we used for the
outer shape, if they want designs to be symmetrical.
Designs can tell a story, or can be purely decorative.
Designs can mimic ancient Greek designs, or can be modern designs such as favorite
characters, or modern symbols such as peace signs, etc. I have found that by letting them
make these choices, kids are far more invested in the project, and the result is more
expressive.
Day three:
Transfer the drawing to the scratchboard:
The back of the completed urn drawings should be lightly coated with a layer of warm
colored chalk pastels. I emphasize using the side of the chalk rather than the tip, and I
wipe away all excess chalk with a tissue once the surface is covered.
With the chalk side touching the black side of the scratchboard, tape the image to the
scratchboard.
Trace over the entire image with a pencil. (ballpoint pen also works well for this, and
students can see where they have already traced more easily)
Lift up the corners off the image occasionally to see how the transfer process is working.
Students should be able to see a light chalk line where they have traced. They should
take care not to remove the image until they are certain everything has been traced over.
Also, excessive touching or rubbing on the drawing will result in smudgy images and can
be frustrating. I talk about all of the “what not to do’s” during my demonstration.
Scratch the Image:
Carefully remove the drawing from the scratchboard.
Offer a variety of scratching tools to ensure success for all kids. (scratch brushes, metal
tipped tools, sharpened wooden dowels, thin wooden pointed sticks) It is necessary to
emphasize safety and maturity when using these tools.
Because these are handmade scratchboards, there will be variations in oil pastel thickness
and paint thickness. Not every tool works well on all scratchboards. So I encourage kids
to experiment with a variety of tools and find the one or two that work the best for their
board.
Students should always place a paper towel between their hand and the scratchboard as
they are working. This eliminates the problem of oils from hands prohibiting successful
scratching.
The outer shape of the urn should be scratched first, establishing a definite perimeter to
the image. The lines inside the pot ( the images and designs/patterns) should be scratched
next.
Discuss a “scratch plan” with each student individually. We discuss positive and negative
spaces within their designs. I require that at least 50 percent of their total scratchboard
be scratched away. Usually this is accomplished by creating a plan on the pot itself to
scratch away the background of the pot behind the images, or to scratch the images and
leave the background. Other pots lend themselves well to alternating these techniques in
the development of a pattern.
Demonstrate hatching and cross-hatching to vary the values on the pot. Care should be
taken not to stratch too deeply or they will reveal the white tagboard underneath the oil
pastel.
Day four:
Complete scratching the image:
Review scratching techniques and safety requirements. Students spend the remaining
time scratching away at least 50 % of their entire scratch board.
Once the image is scratched, Have students exchange projects with someone else at their
table, and hold each others’ projects from across the room. This helps them to evaluate
whether there is strong contrast in the most important areas of the design, and if the
design is truly finished.
Double matte finished scratchboard by placing it on a warm colored construction paper
(10x13) then a larger black construction paper. (11x14). Stapling works best. Some
students choose to title their work. Name/title tags are created and placed in the lower
right hand corner.
Evaluation/Assessment:
A self-assessment rubric is a good tool to use when evaluating this art project.
Here are a couple of informative links if you need more
information about Grecian Urns.
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/greeks/art/pottery/blackfigure.htm
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,809834,00.html