Exploring Symmetry

BCC artists have been learning about symmetry. Students drew symmetrical robot drawing with a partner. They folded a paper in half and one person started drawing a little bit at a time on the left side of the paper. And then, the other person matched the left side drawing to make it symmetrical. I let them switch in the half way, so they all get a chance to be both creative and be able to practice the symmetrical drawing.

An example of the symmetrical robot drawing

In the following week, we looked at a butterfly picture and talked about its symmetry and the scale of the wings compared to the size of the bodies. We also noticed how the bottom wings appear to start from the middle of the top wing and not the body itself. 

After the discussion, students drew a butterfly with black oil pastel. First, they traced around a popsicle stick to get an idea of how big to draw the body. Then students used their knowledge of symmetry to create patterns on both side of the wing. They painted the butterflies afterwards. I let them decide what they want to do with the background.

Some finished pieces. They are so beautiful!