Introduction to the activity:
The artist Michelangelo painted 12,000 square feet of the Sistine Chapel ceiling between 1508 and 1512. The Sistine Chapel is in the Vatican City, Italy.
Exposing children to different artists' contributions introduces them to arts and culture.
This activity will allow children to experience the process of creating drawings/paintings in various styles.
Materials:
Low tables
Tape
Butcher paper
Tape paper underneath the tables and have children draw and color on it.
Make sure to ask them process questions like, whether it is easy or difficult to work with your arms up or lying on your back. Ask them how they thought Michaelangelo felt as he was doing this.
*When we first did this at our School-Age Care site, we thought only the young ones would be interested. Much to our surprise, even the "big kids" were totally into it!
Perhaps the novelty of working underneath a table combined with adapting various techniques for drawing "upwards" made it challenging for them...enough to stick to it for a long time.
We had our own display of 'Sistine Chapel Art' when the day was done.
Related Reference:
Getting to Know the World's Famous Artists by Mike Venezia.
