Pumpkin Patch Landscapes, 10/31/13
A very atmospheric landscape done in oil pastels. We first use a thick layer of white, starting with the moon in the corner, then adding light blue and dark blue on top of that. I emphasize how the darker colors should be farther away from the light source to create shadow and value. Then we work on the grass, hinting at tufts of grass here and there, using dark green near the roots and working up to light green and finally yellow for the very tips that are touched by the moonlight. Drawing the pumpkins takes up the last part of the project, using a separate piece of black paper, outlining them in black pastel and filling them in with orange, yellow, and white. The children cut out their pumpkins and placed and glued them onto their landscapes. Quite dramatic.