Zentangle Ocean Silhouette

The teacher will guide students through photos of coral reefs and discuss the following as a class:

• Has anyone ever seen a coral reef in real life? What did it look like? 
• What colors do you think coral reefs are?
• What textures do coral reefs have?
• Why are coral reefs important to the ocean?
• How does pollution threatens the ocean environment & coral reefs
• Why do you think coral reefs are endangered?
• In what ways could society or political action could help coral reefs?

Students will work in their sketchbooks to draw 10 or more different zentangle designs. Designs can be lines, patterns, and include shapes or small images. The students will share their ideas on the board and with other students so that everyone has many ideas for their final art project.

Students will get a sheet of the white drawing paper and at the bottom and on the sides draw the outline silhouettes of a coral reef. Students will focus on different sizes and shapes of their coral to create interest. The teacher will encourage students to create layers to show depth to their coral reefs.

The students will use black permanent markers to color in their coral to create a silhouette. 

With the remainder of the paper students will draw zentangle designs in the background, which will be the ocean in their drawing. The students will draw 12 or more zentangle designs in their background. Students will be able to use their ideas from their sketchbooks and the designs shared with the class. Designs can be drawn using pencil first (optional) and traced over with black permanent marker.

When all drawing is done students will paint their oceans using watercolor paints in cool colors to represent the colors of the ocean. The teacher will give a demonstration of the wet-on-wet watercolor painting technique and students will work with this painting technique when painting their backgrounds. All of the white paper that is not a silhouette or marine animal should be painted. 

After all zentangle designs have been drawn and the student has filled in their background the teacher will give a demonstration on how to add marine animals on top of the designs. Students can choose to not add or add fish, dolphins, jellyfish, sharks, etc. if they want but do not have to. This is also a great way to hide mistakes that a student may not be happy with how their zentangle designs turned out. The teacher should encourage students that less is better and to work on an interesting composition.

Optional: cutting out chosen marine animals out of black paper to add on top of designs with glue or to experiment with composition is a great way to encourage students to edit and refine their work.