Paintings inspired by Wayne Thiebaud

In this lesson, students learned about the 1950's artist Wayne Thiebaud, macrophotography, and acrylic painting. After a class activity of Wayne Thiebaud's life, art and accomplishments, the students viewed a digital slide show of his work. The students frosted cupcakes using cake knives and bright colored frosting. Then, with a focus on macro photography, the students photographed the still life of cupcakes, with a keen eye for composition. Then they chose one photograph to reproduce as an acrylic painting. The students completed an acrylic color chart of twelve different colors and thumbnail sketches before beginning their final painting on painting boards. The students prepared their boards with sandpaper and gesso. During their painting process, they were asked to focus on applying the paint with the palette knife, similarly to the cake knife and frosting from earlier in the lesson. The students painted their paintings thick like the frosting, since acrylic paint has a heavy body and holds its shape when it dries.

Macrophotography

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