Arctic Fox: Exploring Light and Shadow
This week, your young artists explored drawing with charcoal, creating an Arctic fox in a snowy landscape. Working only in black, white, and grays, they discovered how contrast between light and dark brings artwork to life.
What Your Child Created
Using charcoal pencils and vine charcoal on tan paper, your child drew an Arctic fox surrounded by winter trees and falling snow. They experimented with blending, smudging, and creating highlights with white chalk to make their fox come alive.
What They Explored
Shading and Value
Your child practiced creating different shades from pure black to light gray to white. They discovered how shadows make things look three-dimensional and how highlights (the brightest spots) make objects pop off the page.
Blending Techniques
Using blending sticks and their fingers, students learned how to smooth out charcoal to create soft, furry textures. They also practiced leaving some areas darker and others lighter to show where light hits the fox.
Creating Contrast
The white fox against a darker background was perfect for learning about contrast. Students discovered that putting light next to dark makes both stand out more, a trick that artists have used for centuries.
Artist Inspiration
We chose this approach because artists like Georges Seurat created beautiful drawings using conté crayon (a cousin of charcoal) to capture dramatic light and shadow. His drawing “Seated Woman with a Parasol” (1884) shows how powerful working in just black and white can be. We wanted your kids to try this same dramatic, high-contrast style!
Why This Matters
Working with charcoal builds hand control, teaches kids to really observe how light works, and builds confidence. Charcoal is wonderfully forgiving (you can erase and blend easily), which encourages experimentation. Plus, learning to create dimension without color is a foundational art skill that helps in all other media.
Questions to Ask at Home
“What was your favorite part about working with charcoal?” “How did you make the white fur look white?” “Where did you put the darkest darks? The lightest lights?” “What other animals would you like to draw this way?”
At KidzArt, we believe everyone is an artist. We give them the tools, techniques, and confidence to express their unique creative voice.
Questions? Contact us at help.stjohns@kidzart.com or 904-287-8603.
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