The Stories behind

Silhouettes & Shadows

Grades (3-5)
What are some ways we tell stories through pictures?
 Did anyone list
Shadows?
Show me some figures that you can
make with shadows
(hint: dog, bunny, llama…)
Allow me to introduce you to a
couple of Artists...
Romare Bearden & Kara Walker
 Romare Bearden

(September 2, 1911 – March 12, 1988)

“Art is the soul of a people.”

His Goal as an Artist: Using Art as a way to share stories within his community to bring

people together!

His Collages were very complicated and colorful, but he liked to focus on the entire

picture rather than the details.

Colorful Collages from Romare Bearden
 Kara Walker

Born 1969 (51 Years Old)

“I make art for any one who’s forgot what it feels like to put up a fight.”

Her goal as an artist: Using art to tell the story of people who are unable to tell it

themselves!

Her collages were simple for the most part, but she mostly focused on the little details in

her work.
Shadow Puppets & Silhouettes from Kara Walker
 So What do Romare Bearden and Kara Walker have to
do with Shadows & Silhouettes?

We will be mostly focusing on Kara Walker’s art technique, where she

delicately cuts out large sheets of plack paper to create these shadowy figures,

known as Silhouettes!

She uses silhouettes like a physical shadow puppet, each “puppet” tells a story.

We will consider Romare Bearden’s vivid, colorful collages as a reference for

our backgrounds!

In Class, you will be creating your own silhouettes (over a background) to tell a

story!
 Our Expectations for this Project!

Your Silhouette Project must have the following:

● At least 2 silhouette figures: This can be either 2 people, 1 animal with

1 person, or 2 animals.

● 1 Silhouette Ground: Make sure this isn’t completely covering your

“ground” color. It can be a flat strip of Black Construction Paper at the

bottom of your page, as long as your figures aren’t “floating”

● 1 Silhouette of a NON-human/animal object: it could be a house, tree,

bush, flower, etc.

● A colorful background: There has to be 2 different colors used, and the

division between the “Sky” Color and “Ground” Color needs to be

visible.
Teacher’s Example
Animal Example
 Step 1:
Collage Your Backgrounds

Background: It is the environment at the very back of an image. Backgrounds fill

the space behind all of the things in front of it in an artwork.

On a separate sheet of Blank White Paper, we’ll be collaging your backgrounds

for your silhouettes!

These backgrounds should have a clear divide between the sky and the ground

(separate from the silhouetted ground you made for your silhouetted figures nad
object).

We will draw a straight line to act as a border guide for the color divide, since
your background will be covering that line for the most part.
 Change of Plan
Look at your scraps of paper: How many pieces of each

color do you have?

If you have 10 pieces of 1 color, place and glue those

pieces before grabbing the rest of your pieces for the

2nd Color.

These should be bright and colorful so we can see your

silhouettes, so you cannot choose white, brown, or

black as your colors !

When gluing your pieces down...

Remember:

Your pieces shouldn’t be hanging off the edge of your

paper, line them up against the edges to make sure

they fit.

There shouldn’t be any blank white space in between

items!

Overlay your pieces to cover the white space up.

 Step 2:
Cut Your Foreground from Black Construction Paper

Foreground: It is the environment near the front of an image. Foregrounds

act as the ground that the main figures (people, plants, animals, &

buildings) stand on.

On a separate sheet of black construction paper, cut out a long strip to

create your silhouetted foreground.

This strip should be closer to the bottom of your colorful background.

 Step 2 (Cont.)

This strip could be bumpy, wavy, fringey, etc. to

create the shadow of the environment your

figures will be “walking” on. Paste this onto

your colorful background before making your

figures!
 Step 3:
Cut Your Figures from Black Construction Paper

Once you’ve glued your foregrounds on top of your

backgrounds, use your pencil to draw the SHAPE of your 2

figures, ground, and 1 non-human/animal object.

Do NOT Draw any facial features, clothing features, texture

details, etc. because they will be covered up later!)

 Step 3 (Cont.)

Carefully cut around the outside of

your drawings along the outer lines,

and then flip it over to hide the

pencil marks, now you have a

shadowy silhouette!
 We Have Stencils!

You may use these stencils to make a clearer silhouette!

Remember to have 2 figures for your drawing:

This can be 2 people, 1 person & 1 animal, or 2 animals

Tip to Think About:

Since you will be covering your pencil outline by flipping the silhouette over, If

you draw your silhouette where the animal faces left, the silhouette will face

right (and vice versa)!

 Remember Our Expectations for this Project!
Your Silhouette Project must have the following:

★ ___/ 5 At least 2 silhouette figures: This can be either 2 people, 1

animal with 1 person, or 2 animals. (5pts)

★ ___/ 5 1 Silhouette Ground: It can be a flat strip of Black Construction

Paper at the bottom of your page, as long as your figures aren’t

“floating” (5pts)

★ ___/ 5 1 Silhouette of a NON-human/animal object: it could be a

house, tree, bush, flower, etc. (5pts)

★ ___/ 5 A colorful background: There has to be 2 different colors used,

and the division between the “Sky” Color and “Ground” Color needs to

be visible. (5pts)
 Sources

● http://www.karawalkerstudio.com/
● https://www.biography.com/artist/romare-bearden
● https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/kara-walker-2674 ● https://americanart.si.edu/artist/romare-bearden-296

● https://www.moma.org/artists/7679 ● https://www.civilrightsmuseum.org/romare-bearden

● https://www.tate.org.uk/kids/explore/kids-view/are-ther ● https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=DChcSEwifx5D32orvA

e-pirates-tate-modern hVR8MAKHRSDB4wYABABGgJpbQ&ae=2&ggladgrp=229009

● https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/kara-walker-2674/ka 657&gglcreat=191359521588&sig=AOD64_15_z8pWeUdJVwl

ra-walkers-fons-americanus q8FdDexycQS3Nw&q&adurl&ved=2ahUKEwihzof32orvAhUG

MawKHfbKASQQ0Qx6BAgJEAE
● https://beardenfoundation.org/