How to Draw Cassie from Tar Beach Tutorial and Cassie Coloring Page
Here’s a fun and easy Faith Ringgold art project that was inspired by the illustrations she made for her first children’s book “Tar Beach”. Students can learn how to draw in the the main character in her book, flying over a bridge.
Faith Ringgold is an American artist best known for her colorful quilt paintings about American history and politics. Tar Beach, her first book that was written for children, has collected awards ever since it was published in 1991.
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Tar Beach is the roof of Cassie’s Harlem apartment building, and her dearest wish is to be free to go wherever she wants to go. The book tells the story how she dreams of flying, and all the things she might see if she could.
This tutorial will help students draw a child in a flying position, surrounded by stars and a bridge. surrounded by a colorful border. They can choose to draw a child that looks like Cassie … or a someone that looks more like themselves. A few tweaks to the clothes and hair will do the trick. As a message of hope and imagination, Tar Beach is a wonderful book to share to any time of the year, but especially so during the month of Black History celebrations.
Use the Button below to Download a PDF Tutorial
Tar Beach Coloring Page
Materials for How to Draw Cassie
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- Drawing Paper. Don’t substitute it with copy paper or construction paper. The surface will get fuzzy, erasing might cause holes, and the colors will generally not look as bright.
- Stabilo Markers. The large pack provides lots of fun color choices, several shades of each color, including a few choices for skin. The tips are perfect for coloring, and there’s even a promise that they will work after being uncapped for 8 weeks!
- Pencil. The Ticonderoga brand are the most reliable, make nice dark lines when you need them, and are the easiest to erase.
- Eraser. Large ones you can hold in your hand do a much better job than just the pencil tips. Stabilo Markers. They have the best colors, the best tips, and last the longest.
- Black Sharpie Marker. These fine point permanent markers are great for making a crisp outline to your drawing. Use them when you want your outline show up, but not be so heavy that it detracts from other things.
Step by Step Directions to Draw Cassie
Time needed: 45 minutes
How to Draw Cassie from Tar Beach
- Draw a thin border, or print pg. 3 and trace.
- Start the simple bridge lines near the bottom.
- Add vertical lines to finish to finish the bridge.
- Draw a simple head shape and neck.
- Add a nose and very simple features.
- Draw the dress and add arms and legs.
- Finish with braids and a bow.
- Want draw yourself instead?
Here is what shirt and shorts might look like. - Trace with a marker and color.
Leave spots for stars in the sky.
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