This term in Year 2 we have been studying an artist called Edgar Degas. In particular, we have been thinking this term about the human figure and how this artist draws and paints the human figure whilst they are moving. We learnt he was one of the few artists of his time that would photograph his subjects in movement, return to his studio and paint them from observing the photographs.
So, we put our photographer heads on and thought of ways we could photograph each other in movement. We discussed different methods and decided a ‘freeze frame’ approach would be best! Then, we decided on a particular painting of Edgar Degas’ that we could re-create with our own selves. We thought with summer around the corner that his Beach Scene painting would be most fun!
So, we paired up as photographer and subject and began capturing each other in movement poses you would find on the beach. Lots of us thought of climbing a palm tree, swimming, digging and even sunbathing! But, we had to think how could we capture it so that we could clearly see all of our body and so we discussed camera angles and how to achieve the best one for your subject.
Look at some of us below in action!
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- Searching across the sea
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- Swimming
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- Sunbathing
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- Climbing a palm tree
Next, we will be practising to sketch our own bodies in their movement pose. Then, we will be putting it altogether on a beach scene just like Edgar Degas did!
How to help at home:
- YouTube have some fantastic videos on how to draw the human figure for children – watch with your child and try to follow along!
- Practise sketching lines and drawing different shapes that we might need when drawing the human figure, for example an oval.
- Capture your own figure in movement! Can your child be the photographer?