🎨 Romero Britto-Inspired Pumpkins in 4th Grade!
Our 4th graders have been exploring the colorful, patterned world of pop artist Romero Britto! Britto’s artwork is full of bold outlines, bright colors, and playful patterns, and we used his fun style to inspire our own vibrant pumpkin masterpieces.
BTW, This project was inspired by art teacher, Jordan Hale. You can find examples of her awesome projects on instagram at @all_Hale_art
Day 1: Drawing and Designing
We began by drawing our pumpkins together, step-by-step. Students focused on large, rounded shapes and bold sections, just like Britto’s artwork. Once the pumpkins were drawn, we divided the background into geometric shapes to make each area unique.
Next, students used oil pastels to add bright lines, shapes, and patterns — hearts, swirls, stripes, and dots filled the spaces! Before painting, we talked about a bit of science in art:
💡 Oil and water don’t mix! Because oil repels water, the oil pastel lines resist the watercolor paint. This helps keep our patterns visible even after painting, and creates a cool, textured effect.
Day 2: Painting and Outlining
On day two, students painted their pumpkins and backgrounds using tempera cakes. They experimented with color combinations to make each section pop. Once their paintings dried, we finished by outlining everything in black liquid tempera paint to create those signature Britto-style bold lines.
Each pumpkin turned out full of energy and color — a perfect mix of art, science, and creativity! 🎃✨
