Who is Henri Rousseau?
Henri Rousseau was a French artist, born in the little town of Laval, in 1844. He was a self-taught painter whose imaginative paintings explored jungles and faraway lands with wild animals. His style was so different from the traditional and more technical ones that other artists and critics used to mock his work.
But Henri kept going. He kept learning and developing his vision of the world through his paintings.
He used photos, scientific books, and postcards to study the shapes and colors of the scenes that lived in his imagination. At the Louver, he examined and tried to learn from some of his favorite works of art.
He even went almost every week to the botanical museum to study exotic flowers and plants.
Although Henri was too poor to travel to the destinations he dreamed of, he was able to travel to these foreign lands without ever leaving his house. All thanks to his art!
At the end of his life, Henri finally received the recognition he longed for. Other younger artists such as Picasso saw the importance and beauty of his creativity and work. Today, his work is shown worldwide, and Henri Rousseau is considered one of the most important and influential artists to have ever lived.
Scroll down for our step-by-step directions to make your own imaginative toucan art project inspired by Henri Rousseau's toucan painting.
If you want to keep exploring the wonderful worlds of the jungle just like Henri Rousseau then check out some of our favourite jungle-themed crafts and activities!
Or, check out more famous artists-inspired projects from our collection.
Henri Rousseau Toucan Art Project for Kids
Henri Rousseau For Kids - Supplies:
- Toucan Printable Template (scroll down to get a copy)
- Oil Pastel in different colors
- Q-tips
Henri Rousseau Toucan Art Project - Directions:
STEP 1 - Get your toucan printable
Before starting this toucan art project scroll down below to get a copy of the toucan printable and print it out onto thick white paper or thin cardstock. If you are feeling creative you may choose to draw your own toucan with a black marker, using the template image as a guide.
At this stage, it would also be a good idea to take a look at Henri Rousseau's Toucan painting for inspiration.
STEP 2 - Use oil pastels to colour the toucan printable
Now you are ready to colour your toucan printable or drawing using oil pastels. Use the images of our toucan art project as a guide or choose your own colours.
Blend the oil pastels using the q tips.
Using two shades of the same colour like we have here with the green adds a little extra to the artwork.
Look how smooth the oil pastels look once they are blended using the q tips. It creates a completely different texture.
And that's your toucan art project complete!
To get the toucan printable for free click on the link below and use the discount code : toucan For personal or classroom use only. Not for redistribution. All images are copyrighted. Thank you.
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