Fun At the Ekka!

Last weekend was the final weekend of the Exhibition (aka the Ekka), the annual agricultural show that has become so much more .... wild rides, show bags, animal exhibitions, strawberry ice-creams, sideshow alley, fairy floss and dag-wood dogs, eating too much junk food and getting sick after a stomach clenching rollercoaster ride, spectacular fireworks etc etc

For some it is an amazing yearly fun fair, for others something to be avoided at all costs - whatever your opinion it has all the elements that kids love, especially the wild rides!

We started with a self portrait in black and white using thick and thin black markers. I encouraged the kids to think about facial expression to convey feeling, and to use a variety of line to create texture. Another topic of discussion was the use of diagonal line to convey liveliness and movement. I also encouraged them to draw directly with black markers, and I am really enjoying the spontaneous line work of their drawings, and the expressions on the faces!

We then used metallic markers to create a colourful background on black paper (the photos here do not do justice to the colours of the metallic markers!) We were especially trying to convey a sense of excitement and fun.

This has been one of our most effective pictures this term - I love the contrast of the black & white portraits against the explosively colourful backgrounds!