ACTIVITY

Vegetable Art – Part 2

Students explore art by looking at Giuseppe Arcimboldo’s paintings and create their own vegetable/fruit collage, using creative freedom.

This Brick is possible to do without doing part 1. However, part 1 does add more depth to the Brick.

Before:

Collect magazines, folders etc. to make sure that the students find enough fruit and vegetable images to use. You can also tell students beforehand to bring magazines etc. themselves to increase the collection.

1

Looking Back – Reflect shortly on Part 1.

If you did not do part 1:
Introduce the Artworks of Arcimboldo and talk about it. What do students see? What do they think of it?

2

Create the Collage. Students make a personal collage inspired by the artwork or its themes.

  • Focus ideas:
    • Main character/emotion
    • Setting/background/atmosphere
    • Colors and shapes (abstract impression)

Make it clear that student have freedom. They do not have to reproduce the artwork. Be inspired by the elements we discussed, but create something that is entirely theirs.

3

Conclude and Reflect 

  • Display collages on tables or walls.
  • Students briefly share which VTS observation inspired their work and how they expressed it.
  • Emphasise connection between analytical viewing (VTS) and creative making.

Didactic tips:

  • Encourage planning before gluing.
    Ask students to first arrange their cut-outs without glue. This allows them to experiment with composition, balance, and different ideas before making final decisions, reinforcing that creativity is a process of exploration.
  • Support creative choices with open questions.
    Rather than suggesting what students should add, ask questions such as: “What feeling do you want your collage to give?”, “How could you make that stand out?”, or “What could you change to make your idea even clearer?” This keeps ownership of the artwork with the student while scaffolding their thinking.
  • Focus reflection on artistic decisions, not artistic skill.
    During the sharing session, invite students to explain one choice they made (e.g., colors, shapes, placement, or composition) and how it connects to something they observed in Arcimboldo’s work. This reinforces that the goal is thoughtful expression and creative interpretation, rather than producing the “best-looking” collage.
GreenComp: 3.3 Exploratory thinking, 1.1 Valuing sustainability, 2.2 Critical thinking
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Create
THEME:
Nature & biodiversity
TIME: 45 min
AGE: 10-12 years, 13-15 years

SUBJECTS:

  • Nature sciences
  • Arts

TOOLS / MATERIALS:

  • Old magazines
  • Newspapers
  • Colored paper
  • Fabric scraps
  • Feathers
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • A4 or A3 paper as a base

METHODS:

    RESOURCES: