Our Art Club took a journey to Japan.I brought a folder of images of Japanese temples/sacred buildings. I explained that the multi-tiered religious center is called a Pagoda, an architectural style seen in Eastern Asia and India. Pagodas are sacred centers where offerings are brought to honor the Buddha.
Everyone's favorite Pagoda was the one in Nachinotaki, Japan. This temple is nestled in the mountains with a waterfall in the background. You will see the landscape representation rendered in the students' drawings.
We started our drawings with sharpie, which is resistant to water. The 2nd class we used brand new watercolor palates to paint our temple scene. It was important for the children to have the freedom to use their imaginations, while developing their Pagoda landscape. Who might be in the scene? Plants, animals, what might the weather be like, as we depict a place on paper? Are you going to draw a community, tourist? What might the decor be on the architecture, and what material is the made out of? Furthermore, what parallels do you see in the Pagoda culture, that can be found here in America, and around the globe?
If you scroll down you can see the final painted pieces. :)
