Students discover watercolor, study Henri Rousseau

VERNON — As part of Cedar Mountain Primary School Art Program of the Month, for April, Joanne Portner's second graders studied the art of Henri Rousseau. As a tollbooth attendant, he taught himself to paint.

He studied from books, went to botanical gardens and the zoo for inspiration. They looked at his "tiger surprised by a storm " in the jungle — a place he had never been.

The students were given a choice of animals for their animal portrait. Their resource was a factual pamphlet. Each student had to research their animal's habitat, examining informational text, to find where their animal lives.

The students were given watercolor crayons. They drew pattern borders to reinforce a shape drawing technique and to explore the properties unique to the new medium. Then they used their photographs and drew the animal in its habitat. Lastly, they added water and turned their "solid" color into " liquid" paint.

The children's works will be on display at the Vernon Township Board of Education Office.