Painting a Dot Art Lesson The Dot Book Art Project Back to School Art Lesson

In this Painting a Dot art lesson, students create an animated paintbrush character with their name, expressive details, shading and a colorful painted dot in the background. It is playful and approachable, and students still learn real techniques: drawing, line, value, wax crayon shading and watercolor painting.

It is made for classroom teachers, art teachers and homeschool educators, and works any time of year. Use it as a The Dot book companion, a growth mindset art activity, an artist identity lesson, a welcoming beginning-of-year project, or a lesson about experimenting and building confidence in art.

WHAT'S INCLUDED (NON-EDITABLE)

• Artastic Art Lessons Intro Page for prepping materials and projecting the steps
• Lesson Plan Page 1 with the lesson focus, materials, big ideas, learning target, competencies and a preview of the finished artwork
• Lesson Plan Page 2 with a Teacher Does / Student Does sequence from the hook to handing in the final piece
• Art Rubric for execution of project, creativity and originality, evidence of process and responsibility
• Art Project Reflection Page for teacher and student scoring, strengths and next steps
• Example Artwork Page
• Step-by-Step Draw Handout showing the full process at a glance
• Painting a Dot Poster Page
• 23 Detailed Step-by-Step Tutorial Pages with visual and written instructions

HOW TO USE IT

Show the example artwork as your hook, then project the PDF or demonstrate the lesson yourself, and print the handouts students need. Students draw the metal band, handle and bristles of the brush, add a wavy paint line, texture lines, a happy face, arms and their name in decorative lettering. After tracing in black felt marker, they add hatching, color the handle and bristles with wax crayon, add shading and drop shadows, and paint a large colorful dot around the paintbrush.

Along the way students practice expressive line work, texture and hatching, value and shading, and the elements of art (line, shape, space, texture, color, form and value), while making their own creative choices. The finished pieces are bright and friendly for classroom walls, hallways or homeschool portfolios.

FAQ

Who can use this resource?

Classroom teachers, art teachers, homeschool educators and substitute teachers.

Can this be used for more than Back to School?

Yes. It works any time of year as a The Dot book companion, a growth mindset activity, an artist identity lesson or a paintbrush art project.

What materials are needed?

Pencil, eraser, black felt, wax crayons, watercolor paint or paint cakes, card stock or watercolor paper, a paint brush and water.

How long does this lesson take?

Usually 1 to 2 classes, depending on student age, class length and how much time you spend on the drawing, shading and painted background.

ALL TEACHER REVIEWS (5)

★★★ “Great project, students loved this activity. I was amazed at how creative they were!” Wendy O.

★★★ “I used this with art lesson.” Allison K.

★★★ “Perfect for the start of a new school year in art! I always try to have a name project with each grade level and this will be a great addition.” Adrianna V.

★★★★★ “great project” Brenda R.

★★★★★ “I can't wait to do this with my students.” April G.

Get free, classroom-ready art lessons and printables in my Free Art Lesson Library.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathleen McGiveron (Ms Artastic) is an artist, educator and resource creator who has been featured on NBC LX News and was the featured educator on the cover of OCO Magazine (October 2025). She designs art lessons for kids and educational resources for teachers. She is the founder of Ms Artastic and hosts the Ms Artastic YouTube Channel and Podcast.

TERMS OF USE

Images and lessons are copyright products.

YOU MAY: use this in creative ways and have as much fun with it as you like. For clip art, you may use the images as clip art, website graphics, binder covers or bulletin board decorations. Additional licenses are available for school use.

YOU MAY NOT: use this on OutSchool, put it on your blog, share it with other teachers, administration or districts (admin can buy additional licenses), sell it, give it out for free or photocopy it for others.

Sincerely,

Ms Artastic