'Drawing From Nature'
A SCIENCE AND ART LESSON FOR KIDS
This appeared on April 4, 2004  in the Los Angeles Times

THE KIDS’ READING ROOM

By Carol Felixson
Special to The Times

April 4, 2004

When you hear the word "beetles," do you think of insects or the famous '60s rock group whose name sounds the same but is spelled B-E-A-T-L-E-S? There were only four Beatles musicians, but there are more than 300,000 kinds of beetle insects living all over the world!

Etai, 9, made an acrylic painting of a darkling beetle, better known as a stink beetle because of the unusual way it defends itself. It stands on its head with its rear end up in the air and emits an unpleasant smelling fluid.

Darkling beetles are generally smooth, shiny, and black. They can't fly because their wings are fused together to make a hard outer shell. Etai discovered that the adults are 1 to 2 inches long and eat decaying plants and animals. Entomologists (people who study insects) sometimes collect beetles and may even keep them as interesting pets.

After studying a book about beetles, Etai used acrylic paints on watercolor paper for his illustration. "Acrylics are easier to work with than oil paints because they are thick like liquid plastic and don't smear," Etai explained. "They come out of tubes and their colors are mixed with resins and other things."

Unlike oil paints, acrylics are water soluble, which means they dissolve in water. This makes it easier to clean up afterward. They also stick well to the painting surface. Because acrylics dry quickly, Etai made sure to clean his brushes with warm water and mild soap as soon as he was done.

Good job, Etai!

About the series: Each month, Carol Felixson introduces children to a subject from nature and an art technique. The children then apply what they have learned in an illustration. She is director of education and community outreach for UCLA's Stunt Ranch Reserve and Mathias Botanical Garden. May 2 lesson: popcorn flower and tissue paper collage. Previous projects can be seen at nrs.ucop.edu/Reserves/stunt/newsforkids.html.



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Carol Felixson
Director of Education/Community Outreach
UCLA Stunt Ranch Reserve & Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden
310 206-3887, nrs.ucop.edu/Reserves/stunt.html, www.botgard.ucla.edu
LA Times Science/Art Lessons for Kids: http://nrs.ucop.edu/Reserves/stunt/newsforkids.html

Contributing to the understanding and wise management of the Earth and its natural systems
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