Fourth Grade Cityscapes

Fourth Graders looked at the painting Parade on Hammond Street, painted in 1935 by American artist Allan Crite. Allan Crite was an African American artist who lived and worked in Roxbury. His goal in this painting was to depict everyday life in his urban neighborhood, rather than the many stereotypical images of African Americans that existed, as musicians or farmers. 

Fourth graders learned about Crite, and they observed the many techniques of perspective that he employed in the painting. For example, objects that are farther away are drawn smaller and less detailed, and placed toward the top of the paper. Additionally, they observed that colors are more intense when the objects are closer, but look faded when objects are farther away.

After studying this painting, they created themed cityscapes using several techniques for drawing with depth and perspective.