Aaron Douglas Inspired Art

Aaron Douglas is a famous painter from the Harlem Renaissance. His paintings feature a silhouette style that is appealing to viewers, and the movement of the figures makes students excited to create their own artwork in his style!

This downloadable zip file includes a 2 page PDF lesson plan that aligns to the National Core Art Standards. The “Harlem Renaissance Art Tutorial” is a PowerPoint presentation that includes 88 slides. The presentation demonstrates how to create a mixed-media composition that is reminiscent of Douglas’s paintings with a combination of illustrative photographs and descriptive text. The first section of the tutorial shows students how to draw a silhouette style figure with oil pastels. (Wax crayons would be an appropriate substitution if oil pastels are unavailable.) The second segment demonstrates how to successfully paint with watercolor paints, including how to hold the brush, how to apply the paint, and how to keep the paint and water clean as possible.

This over-the-top tutorial helps keep the art classroom from getting chaotic during such a fun activity because it clearly demonstrates how to use the art materials successfully. The prepared demonstration will help busy art teachers save precious planning time because they won’t have to make an example, and they help assure that all students can see when the PowerPoint is projected for the class. This lesson is so easy to teach, it could be left with a substitute for a meaningful activity.

Aaron Douglas was born in Kansas, lived in several places in the United States, and is most famous for being a leader of the Harlem Renaissance. He celebrated African American cultural identity through his paintings, and so many art instructors like to teach about him during Black History Month. However, Douglas’s art is essential to American culture, so students can learn about him any time during the school year.

Anchor Standard 7: Perceive and analyze artistic work.

Lesson Objective: Students will identify Aaron Douglas’s paintings.

Lesson Activity: Students will create a mixed-media painting in the Harlem Renaissance style.

Materials: “Harlem Renaissance Art Tutorial” PowerPoint, oil pastels, cardstock or watercolor paper, newspaper, watercolor paint sets, brushes, and water cups

Time: 2 classes

No paintings by Aaron Douglas are included with this PowerPoint or lesson plan because his art is copyrighted by the Heirs of Aaron Douglas. The instructor will need to prepare their own examples or use this project as follow-up activity with a book or video about the Harlem Renaissance.