Renaissance Art Projects for Kids: Michelangelo’s Lie Down Painting

Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475 - 1564) Michelangelo was one of the greatest sculptor and painter during the Renaissance period. His most favorite subject was the human body. He was so determined to study the details and facets of the human body that he was willing to observe dead bodies in the hospital. Michelangelo believed that sculpting is the supreme form of art that can portray the human body in its total magnificence.

The work of art on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is one of Michelangelo’s greatest masterpieces. He painted the entire ceiling while lying on his back for four years. He built a strong wooden scaffold in order to be near to the ceiling and paint it.

Through this art project, children will be able to come across the difficulty of Michelangelo while painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. They can do this by fastening a large piece of paper under the table and lying down to paint any scene.

Materials:

• large piece of butcher or poster paper
• masking tape
• school table at child’s height
• paints and brushes
• newspaper to serve as covering for the floor under the table
• old clothes and bandana as costume
• cleaning materials like rags, paper towels, or sponges

Process:

1. The sheets of paper must be first taped to the underside of the table. The student artist must be able to lie on his back and conveniently stroke on the paper fastened to the table.

2. The floor of under the table must be covered with newspaper in order to easily clean the work area.

3. Paints should be arranged in jars or cans. There should be one brush for each color of paint. Make sure that the paints can be reached comfortably.

4. Lie down underneath the table in a relax position.

5. Start painting any topic or theme that comes into mind. It is important to keep in mind that trickles from the ceiling of the tables are just natural part of the process.

If finished, you can leave the artwork under the table for hours to dry. You can remove the dry ceiling painting and tape it on the ceiling of your room.