Until recently, for all of human history, our ancestors experienced a sky brimming with stars – a night sky that inspired science, religion, philosophy, literature and art. Unfortunately, we’ll never know the great art we’ve lost to light pollution.
For this night sky painting activity, kids will work on proper pencil grip, both using crayons and holding paintbrushes. They will also learn how to use watercolors–dipping the brush in water, then paint, then applying it to paper–which may be a new experience for many early learners. Watercolor Resist Painting with Crayons.
Enjoy these beautiful pieces of art inspired by starry night skies and learn how you can help inspire future generation to invent, create and dream.
1. Landscape with Clerks Studying Astronomy and Geometry
As Europe emerged from the “dark ages” and the Renaissance sparked innovation in science, technology, literature and art, educated men began to look at the night sky through less fearful eyes.
During this period, Western civilization advanced significantly in its understanding of the natural world. The Renaissance night sky was clear and free of the later influence of electric light, still centuries in the future.
Can the bright night skies of today’s cities possibly inspire people to ask the big questions posed by the likes of Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo and Newton?
Lieve Verschuier, 1680, Oil on canvas
2. The Great Comet of 1680 Over Rotterdam
In the two centuries after the Renaissance, an Age of Enlightenment began in Europe. Led by intellectuals and emphasizing reason and individualism rather than tradition, the Enlightenment saw the influence of science and exploration grow by leaps and bounds.
The night sky continued to inspire awe, but brought a healthy dose of inquiry and skepticism. Here, the Dutch painter Verschuier depicts a crowd in Rotterdam gazing at Comet Kirch, a very bright comet that appeared near the Sun in December of 1680. They wonder at the sky, but they do not evidently fear it.
A similar view of Rotterdam today might also show an orange sky on account of skyglow from light pollution. Would residents of modern Rotterdam still turn out for a view like this?
Artist unknown (but attributed to Philipp Florinus von Pfalz- Sulzbach), 1705
3. Astronomy
Beginning in the 17th century, astronomers turned telescopes on the pristine night skies over Europe for the first time, making observations of previously unseen celestial phenomena. Their work literally moved heaven and Earth, putting to rest old ideas that held Earth at the center of an unchanging universe above.
Unhindered by light pollution, scientists of the day could easily conduct astronomical research from the largest population centers in Europe. Modern astronomers now have to travel far from civilization – including space – to gain access to the same night skies.
Frederic Edwin Church, 1860 (Image courtesy of Judith Filenbaum Hernstadt)
4. The Meteor of 1860
The phenomena of the night sky remained an occasional subject of artists well into the 19th century, on some occasions inspired by actual historic events. On the evening of July 20, 1860, a meteor fragmented as it grazed the Earth’s atmosphere, producing a “meteor procession” that inspired this painting and the poem, “Years of Meteors (1859-60),” by the great American poet Walt Whitman.
Whitman made his observation of the meteor of 1860 in or near New York City. Now only the brightest night sky phenomena are visible under NYC’s light-polluted skies. In the glow of its canyons of concrete, steel and glass, would residents of today’s New York even bother to look up at another bright meteor?
5. Starry Night Over the Rhone
The night sky was a favorite subject for Vincent van Gogh, perhaps the most well known of the Impressionists of the late 19th century. His venerated The Starry Night (1889) is still so common in pop culture that it overshadows other, equally beautiful van Gogh works that feature the night sky such as Starry Night Over the Rhone, shown here.
His paintings of nightscapes emphasize his impressions of the colors of the night sky and of the artificial outdoor lighting that was new to his times. What palette of colors would van Gogh choose to represent the present-day light-polluted sky over the Rhone?
Edvard Munch, 1893
6. Starry Night
As the 19th century drew to a close, increasing numbers of fine artists rejected the realism of the Renaissance and Enlightenment in favor of more expressive styles. Color, tone and mood were valued over literal depictions of real (or imagined) people and places.
In Starry Night, Edvard Munch, known for his angst-ridden classic The Scream (1893), disregards the more picturesque qualities of the night in favor of the emotions that night made him feel.
Compare Munch’s Starry Night to van Gogh’s nighttime view of the River Rhone (above), painted barely five years earlier. Munch cherished darkness, while van Gogh sought out the reflections of early artificial city lights. Where might Munch now have to travel to paint dark skies?
7. Starlight Night
The American West has inspired generations of artists with its wild and undeveloped characteristics. Georgia O’Keefe was enchanted by the lure of the West. While more famous for her New Mexico landscapes, O’Keefe’s early works included attempts to capture the space and grandeur of the West’s crystal-clear, dark night skies.
O’Keefe didn’t find these stars in New York City. She had to seek them out closer to nature itself in the West.
The Future of the Night is Under Threat
The experience of standing beneath a night sky unmarred by the glow of artificial light was once commonplace. Young and old, rich and poor alike, in all corners of the world shared the wonder and awe of the night sky. But the future of night is now threatened. As we lose more of our shared experience to the march of progress, how will future artists, inventors and creators be inspired by the night?
You Can Help Inspire Future Generations!
Fortunately, light pollution is easily reversible. You can make a real and immediate difference by …
While studying the sky, the question my preschoolers ask more than any other: where do the stars go during the day? This simple night sky painting activity for kids not only allows them to freely explore their creativity, it helps them think about this science question, too.Night Sky Painting For Kids Art ActivityProcess art is ideal for preschoolers. It emphasizes the process of creating itself, exploring the materials, and how to manipulate them, rather than any end product. For preschoolers, still mastering proper pencil grip, process art is an awesome way to let them naturally work on those fine motor skills necessary for creating and to introduce them to various artistic media without any pressure to mimic a specific result.For this night sky painting activity, kids will work on proper pencil grip, both using crayons and holding paintbrushes. They will also learn how to use watercolors–dipping the brush in water, then paint, then applying it to paper–which may be a new experience for many early learners.Watercolor Resist Painting with CrayonsTo create a nighttime sky, you will need four very simple art materials:. White crayons. Paintbrush and waterResist art uses two media that don’t readily mix to create layers of either color or texture.
We have all created resist art at some point in our lives – whether it’s drawing on hardboiled eggs with crayons at Easter before dyeing them or painting over tape on a canvas to create a specific design. Both of these methods can easily be used with preschoolers.To make a Nighttime Sky, use a white crayon to draw stars and a moon on cardstock. Then, invite your preschoolers to paint over the cardstock with black watercolor to reveal the nighttime sky. I use cardstock because the paper is heavier and holds up better to the liberal watercolor painting of preschoolers!Art Meets Science ExtensionThe end result of resist art is always beautiful – and the stark contrast of black and white in the nighttime sky is no exception. Resist art with crayons, especially white ones, also creates an element of magic for preschoolers, much like the disappearance of stars during the day.Explain to your students as they paint to reveal the stars, that just like in our sky, the stars are always there.
During the day, the bright light from the sun is so much brighter than the stars we see at night, that we don’t see them. But when the sun goes down, the darkness of night allows them to shine through.BIO: Meghan is a former hedge fund professional turned SAHM to Big M (4), Lil’ M (3), and Baby M (11 months). She writes at, where she shares practical parenting tips, and family financial savvy.
If you enjoyed this post, check out her complete, featuring books, sensory play and science activities for preschool. You can also find her on, and.Other Activities—. About Pre-K PagesI'm Vanessa, a Pre-K teacher with more than 20 years of classroom teaching experience. Here at Pre-K Pages, I'm committed to helping teachers just like you teach better, save time, and live more by providing you with everything you need to create a fun and engaging learning environment, lesson plans, and activities for your little learners. As an early childhood trainer, I have spoken to thousands of teachers in person at popular early childhood conferences such as Frog Street Splash, I Teach K!
I was honored to receive the 2012 CCAEYC Trainer of the Year Award. My work has been featured in Scholastic Teacher magazine and on popular websites like BuzzFeed.
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