I have taught this Box of Chocolates art lesson several times and my students are always eager to experiment with oil pastels to create their very own box of chocolates. This is one of those art lessons other students see being created and they want to make one too. The best thing about this lesson is it can be done in a simple way for young artists, or more complex for older artists.

Lesson Objectives 

I use this lesson to introduce my students to Wayne Thiebaud and Pop Art. My students love looking at his delicious delectables and enjoy talking about his fun use of color in his paintings. My students also learn a variety of oil pastel techniques while creating their box of chocolates. Lastly, students will learn how to create realistic looking art by applying highlights and shadows to create a 3D form. 

Why Students Love It

Most kids love candy, chocolate and anything sweet. They also love food, especially candy (if you consider that food). I find my students are more excited about an art lesson if they are interested in the subject matter. Engaging students in the subject matter is half the battle, and box of chocolates is always a WIN! 

My students also love this art lesson because they really enjoy learning how to use oil pastels properly. Many students use oil pastels like giant crayons, just because they do not know the potential of oil pastels. They have never been introduced to oil pastel techniques such as blending, layering or scraping. In addition to that, my students enjoy the outcome of this lesson, which is a realistic looking box of chocolates. They are so proud of their work and how it seems to trick the viewer into thinking it is a photograph or an actual box of chocolates.

How I Teach It 

I love to teach this lesson at the end of January or the beginning of February when students are thinking of Valentine’s Day. However, it can be done anytime of the year. I explain handmade chocolates have special markings to indicate the filling or the flavor of each chocolate. I show my students photos of chocolates, we look at the colors, the swirl of the chocolate or edible patterns added to the chocolates to mark the flavors. We discuss how a chocolatier is an artist and a box of chocolates can be seen as a work of art. 

Next, I demonstrate how to draw lines to create a grid or compartments for the chocolates. My students have the choice to create a rectangular, square or heart shaped box of chocolates. After the grid is created with a pencil, we use black and white oil pastels to create the paper wrappers. Next, we use a variety of oil pastel techniques to create the chocolates, such as blending, layering, scratching through, or adding a fleck of oil pastel. I encourage my students to use reference photos to see examples of flavors and styles.   

Lastly, I demonstrate how to add highlights by adding a thick layer of white to each chocolate. We add black or a darker value to create shadows in the negative space around the chocolates. The final piece is so realistic, it looks like a box of chocolates.  

My Box of Chocolates Art Lesson is available here. 

Enjoy, Trista

Related: For more Valentine art lessons, check out Valentine Art Ideas

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