An Eye on Art: Toulouse-Lautrec
/Henri Toulouse-Lautrec
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was an artist who made a successful career and gained fame as an artist during his own lifetime. Many of his artistic practices started with the fact that he sketched everywhere he went, including musical performances, parks, and cafes. The sketches on display in the Museum’s exhibition showcase different subjects he saw while out sketching, people, animals, etc., and many became the rough drafts for later works. While Toulouse-Lautrec brought his sketchbook everywhere, he was very keen on sketching animals and people rather than objects. Toulouse-Lautrec saw the importance of drafting work and used sketching to do so. By sketching everywhere he went he had many references for creating and crafting his final works of art. He studied the world around him, honing his observational eye, making him all the better artist — and now celebrated master — as a result.
Observe
What are some common places you find yourself in on a daily basis?
If you carried a sketchbook everyday like Toulouse-Lautrec, what people, places, or objects might we find in your sketchbook?
Activity
Make your own sketchbook & find daily inspiration
Supplies:
Cereal box 8x12in
Copy paper 8.5x11in
Scissors
Rubber band
Optional:
Paint, fabric, ribbon, etc.
Directions:
Cut out one of the large sides of the cereal box
Fold it in half
Fold your pieces of copy paper in half
Put your folded pieces inside the folded cereal box
Take the rubber band and put it around the fold of the paper and the cereal box
Toulouse-Lautrec inspired prompts for your daily sketches:
Day 1: Sketch a window in your room
Day 2: Sketch a tree in your yard
Day 3: Sketch your dinner for that day
Day 4: Sketch a pet or stuffed animal
Day 5: Sketch a family member
Day 6: Sketch a person doing an activity
Day 7: Sketch three of your past sketches into one piece