Poetry Painting With Your Words easy-oil-painting-techniques.com By: Rebekah J Wampler

Have you ever heard the expression, "A picture is worth a thousand words"? What do you think that means? Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Illustrators create images based on what the words say. They try to show what their mind sees when they read the printed words.

What words do you think are behind that white box? If you were an author writing a story about this scene, what would you write?

Now that the white box has been removed, what do you think of the way the illustrator saw the author's words? What do you think the rest of the story is about? What evidence is there to support what you think?

Now, please read the short poem I have provided for you on the next page.

A cool breeze In my hair, Crunching sounds Beneath my feet, The air smells fresh. It's crisp and light. Colors are changing Everywhere. So cool at night, Not warm anymore. Piles of lost leaves Miss their trees. Summer is gone. Autumn's begun. Rebekah Wampler (click on the speaker icon above to hear the poem be read)

Before the last line of the poem, did you know that the subject of the poem was Autumn? What words suggested the idea of Autumn? Please create a list of the words that you found the most helpful in suggesting the idea of Autumn.

Those descriptive words are what the illustrators use to provide them with the details they need to create their art work. Descriptive words are called adjectives. Adjectives describe nouns. Nouns are words for people, places, things, or ideas.

Please take a moment to re-read the poem. (It's on the next page.) As you read, please pay attention to what you see in your imagination. What colors do you see? What objects do you see? How does your mind picture what the poem describes?

A cool breeze In my hair, Crunching sounds Beneath my feet, The air smells fresh. It's crisp and light. Colors are changing Everywhere. So cool at night, Not warm anymore. Piles of lost leaves Miss their trees. Summer is gone. Autumn's begun. Rebekah Wampler (click on the speaker icon above to hear the poem be read)

Now, it's your turn to be the illustrator! Take the picture you saw in your imagination, and create what you saw in an art project. You will be provided with a variety of art supplies. Be creative and HAVE FUN!

THE END