If there is one thing I've made over the years that just seems to be the gift that keeps on giving to me, my kids and students, it's my winter village drawing guide.
Originally created during covid teaching, I created this drawing guide because I had just been notified that my son's classroom would be shut down due to quarantine- and THEN my daughter's room! So in totally I ended up actually being at my teaching job probably 5 days in December. So thank GOODNESS I had my winter village guide created because this guide could be used in SO many ways and was easy as pie for the sub to facilitate! Since then, I have seen so many incredible art and classroom teachers use this guide to create beautiful lessons! Here are 11 ways you can use my Winter Village drawing guide throughout the holiday season at home and in the classroom.
1. Paint the Windows
This is such a fun and easy activity that can be done just yourself or you can involve your students or children to help you! All you need is my Winter Village Guide to help as a reference image! For more information on how to paint windows with a winter village, check out my blog post here!
2. White pencil on black paper lesson
This lesson was born from a sub plan and the results turned out so beautiful I decided to integrate it into my curriculum for the winter! All you need is black construction paper and a high(er) quality white colored pencil (I love Prismacolors) and perhaps a bit of glitter, and wa-la! A gorgeous work of art! You can find the whole project on this blog post!
3. Draw as a banner for kids to paint/ color in
This was such a fun activity for my adapted art class! Drawn out with a bingo dauber on kraft paper for my students to color and paint in using Kwik Stix, construction paper crayons, oil pastels and tempera paint.
4. Handmade gift bags
Using white tempera paint or white paint pens, this is such a great way to add a personal touch to a gift bag. All you need is a brown paper bag, fold the top corners in and then paint the bag to look like a winter village house with touches of ginger bread home elements. Add a fun tag and wa-la!
5. Winter village garland
Using the same design elements, put those cardboard boxes to work and create a string of garland!
6. Make Giant Cardboard Gingerbread Homes
This was always a favorite in my adapted art class. Using left over paper storage boxes (the kind with a trifold). I started each one with a basic house outline with a white Kwik Stix, then provide each student with the box, white paint, pom poms, sequins, etc. to decorate as a large gingerbread house. You can find more information about this project on my blog post here.
7. Winter Village meets Van Gogh
I love this lesson idea from my friend @ms.tice_is_nice. Black and white homes against a gorgeous Van Gogh inspired sky background.
8. Winter Village Printmaking Project
This is a project from @art_with_oconnor and I'm obsessed! She had her students draw their village on styrofoam printing plates to create a layered city look.
9. Home for the Holidays Lesson
This was such a fun project! All you need my interior spaces drawing guide to help with the inside of the house! Be sure to check out this blog post to learn how to do the project!
10. Watercolor Winter Village
I love this combination of the winter village drawings, soft blue shadows, watercolor background and white splatter paint by @create_play_explore!
I hope some of these lessons have sparked some fresh new ideas in you! Have fun and keep creating!
