• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Preschool Toolbox Blog

Educational Learning and Play for Children 2-7

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Shop Lesson Plans
    • My Downloads
  • About
    • PR/Social Media
  •  
  • Literacy
  • Math
  • PreK
  • Science
  • Fall Theme Activities
  • Preschool Themes

May 9, 2012
Artists and Masterpieces

Painting Cakes, Candies, and Pies – Wayne Thiebaud for Young Kids!

Thanks for sharing!

  • Share
  • Tweet

Great Artists and Masterpieces are fun to present to young children.  The key is to help children learn about the artists and artworks in a way that isn’t all “lecture and listen.”  Art is meant to be hands-on;  for children, the presentation of artists and art  should be too! 

Wayne Thiebaud (pronounced “Tee-bo”) 

Wayne Thiebaud was born in Mesa, Arizona on November 23, 1920 (show the children on a map where Arizona is located in relation to where they live.)  While still in school, Wayne took at job at Walt Disney Studios where he drew cartoon characters (ask the children if they know what a cartoonist does – allow time to let the children share their favorite cartoon characters.)  Later, Wayne drew pictures of candies and other treats.

Three Machines (1963), by Wayne Thiebaud. De Young Museum, San Francisco.

Have the children use markers, crayons, or paints to make their own gumball machine – Color a Gumball Machine  The children can also roll “gumballs” out of different materials:  clay, play dough, moon sand, etc.  Have the children compare the textures of the different gumballs.  Do some gumballs look more appealing than others?  Why?

As Wayne’s drawing and painting techniques improved (remind the children that even great artists practiced a lot), he found that he loved to paint pies and cakes – “Cakes they are glorious, they are like toys.” – Wayne Thiebaud

Wayne’s paintings of pies and cakes look so delicious because he used thick paints and shadows to make them appear to be real!

Neapolitan Meringue by Wayne Thiebaud – Smithsonian American Art Museum

NEAPOLITAN MERINGUE by Wayne Thiebaud

Have the children look at a picture of the Neapolitan Meringue by Wayne Thiebaud.  Ask the children if they have had Neapolitan ice cream before?  What is unique about Neapolitan ice cream?  What colors did Mr. Thiebaud use in the painting?

Ask the children if they know what a meringue is.  Have the children look at the meringue in the picture.  What makes the meringue look real?

Have the children point out the shadowing in the painting.  Does it look like a real shadow to them?  Place objects in the classroom near a light source or a window. Help the children make shadows with different classroom objects.

 The children can also explore the concept of meringue with shaving cream.  Let the children use disposable pie plates and make “meringues” with shaving cream.

Make Neapolitan Ice Cream Pies with the children.

Ingredients needed:  Neapolitan Ice Cream (slightly softened), an ice cream scoop, vanilla wafers, whipped topping, and cupcake liners.

Have the children place one vanilla wafer inside of a cupcake liner.  Help the children put one scoop of Neapolitan ice cream on top of the vanilla wafer.  Top the ice cream with whipped topping (to resemble the “meringue”).  Freeze the pies until ready to serve.

The children will love learning about Wayne Thiebaud and his paintings.  For MORE resources visit any of the links below.

Smithsonian American Art Museum

MetroArtWork

Counting with Wayne Thiebaud

Delicious:  The Art and Life of Wayne Thiebaud by Susan Goldman Rubin

Images for Wayne Thiebaud’s Art Online

Leave a Comment

Join our newsletter & receive the FREE DOWNLOAD:
Explorations with ALL 5 SENSES!

Enjoy in the classroom or at home!



Previous Post: « Magnet Experiments and Games for Preschoolers!
Next Post: Memorial Day Activities for Preschool and Kindergarten »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

SEARCH for an ACTIVITY or SEASONAL THEME HERE!

Subscribe

Theme Activites, Parenting, Education

Copyright © 2023 · The Preschool Toolbox · Become an Affiliate · Web Hosting & Design by Servously

The Preschool Toolbox Blog uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience, analyze site traffic, and to personalize content. If you continue to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies. Click READ MORE for details: Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT