Impressionism: Playing on Paper

Explain to your students that on your Museum visit, they will see many different ways of making marks on paper. In fact, the artists used paper as a playground, of sorts, for their pencil. Give your students their own paper and pencils. How many different kinds of marks can they make with just a pencil? Beyond straight lines and curved lines, have them think about using the side of the pencil to shade, and about making crosshatch marks, layering strokes, and more. After your visit, have them pull out their sketches again. Did they see any of their marks in the works of art at the Museum? Should any new marks be added based on what they saw?