These Pet Portraits have been created by my 5th graders under the tutoring of Arrin Freeman, a very talented local artist who spent a few weeks sharing her work, tips and techniques with us. Each student brought in a photo of their pet or a loved animal. We practiced sketching first and then  following Arrin's recommendation began with bright, whimsical colors. The process required several layers of chalk with spraying fixative in-between colors. It was extremely helpful having a second pair of hands, to guide and assist the students. One very important tip is to choose a contrasting background color which offered an opportunity to review complimentary colors and basic color theory. Each pet portrait is unique and fun to look at and many hang in poly-sleeves in our elementary hallway! Arrin currently has her artwork on display at Mercer and I attended the opening on Friday February 1st. Check out her beautiful work!