Michelangelo

Michelangelo is among the most well-known artists to ever walk the earth. An Italian renaissance hero, he has captured the world's imagination for centuries. Use the following activities to educate children on the life and artwork of Michelangelo "The Divine."

Supplies:
Paper
Tape
Pencils or Crayons

Step 1
Recognize the Work

Familiarize your child with Michelangelo's work. View images of the most famous: la Pieta, David and the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel.

Step 2
Discuss the Details

Discuss Michelangelo's work on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Some facts to consider:

* Michelangelo preferred sculpture and considered painting to be an inferior form of art, yet his Sistine Chapel frescoes are some of the most recognized paintings in history.

* The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel took over four years to complete, and Michelangelo spent most of that time either standing on scaffolding, contorting himself into strange positions or lying on his back working on painting the images above him.

* The frescoes that Michelangelo painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel cover about 5,000 square feet of space.

Step 3
Make it Memorable with Upside-Down Art

Simulate the feeling that Michelangelo must have had when painting the Sistine Chapel by taping some paper on the bottom of a desk or table and having your child get underneath the table to paint or draw on the paper. For added authenticity, make the drawings depictions of biblical stories like Michelangelo's paintings were.