Call Me Mr. B. – Eighteen

Grades 4,5,6

Cartoon Drawing [MANGA]

Part 2

     The second day of the cartoon drawing project was devoted to coloring the images the kids had drawn in the previous class.

         Generally, all black lines including outlines of the various drawing elements and line elements in the background design, especially the straight lines frequently used radiating out to the edges of the paper as in the image on the right were executed with black felt tip markers.

         The actual colors were done with water color or poster color paint. Basically this project was an exercise in proportional drawing using a grid to enlarge a small image into a large one and a more sophisticated use of water based paints, especially in tinting and shading. These upper level elementary school students had rather full plates to digest.

          Tinting and shading (lighting and shadow) impart roundness and depth to an otherwise two-dimensional (flat) image. Of course, at this level of age and dexterity, only a rudimentary use of this technique is probable, except for an unusually gifted child (and some were). I would discuss and demonstrate how adding water or reducing it would lighten or darken the colors as in the graphic on the left.

         Basically it was up to the kids themselves what colors they chose to use since many of the original images were in black and white, but I encouraged them to experiment with tinting and shading to whatever extent they could manage it. With the older students I introduced the idea of using only one or two colors and using tinting and shading to obtain more depth and form in their pictures.

         This was, admittedly, a pretty sophisticated and challenging project, but I was surprised at how enthusiastically and energetically most of the kids managed to create some really nice pictures.

Full Color 

Monochrome

Two Colors