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Starry Night Ornaments

Starry Night Ornaments

Vincent van Gogh's The Starry Night will inspire students as they create sculpted ornamental decorations.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

  • Foam Ball
  • Newsprint Paper
  • Paper Clip(s)
  • Ribbon
  • Tape

Steps

  • Step 1

    Have students research Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890), a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who was a major figure in the history of Western art. His work was only just beginning to gain critical attention when he died at the age of 37. His style is characterized by bold colors as well as impasto, which is the application of thick layers of paint. Ask students to look at images of some of his notable works, including "The Starry Night," regarded as one of the most recognizable paintings.

  • Step 2

    Have students create decorative ornaments inspired by "The Starry Night." To begin, ask them to add a layer of Model Magic onto a foam ball or any armature such as one made from crumpled newspaper. While the Model Magic is still wet, have them insert a paper clip so that the loop edge is poking up from the top of the ball. Then have them form thin strips (almost like threads) of various colors of Model Magic to use as their texture embellishments that imitate the impasto art technique in the style of Van Gogh's painting. After the Model Magic is dry, have students insert a short piece of ribbon into the protruding paper clip loop and tie the ends of the ribbon into a festive bow or simple knot. They will use the ribbon to hang their finished work.

  • Step 3

    When their art is complete, have students present it to the class and discuss how they incorporated van Gogh's style and techniques into their creation.

Standards

ARTS: Speculate about processes an artist uses to create a work of art. 

ARTS: Explore and invent art-making techniques and approaches. 

Adaptations

Read a book such as "Camille and the Sunflowers" by Laurence Anholt, "Vincent's Colors" by Vincent van Gogh and The Metropolitan Museum of Art (which pairs his paintings with some of his writings), or "Vincent van Gogh and the Colors of the Wind" by Chiara Lossani and Octavia Monaco. Discuss the phrase Vincent wrote to his brother Theo, "Painters teach us to see." 

Have students learn about Theo van Gogh, Vincent's younger brother, an art dealer whose support of his older brother allowed Vincent to devote himself entirely to painting.