Exploring Different Art Styles through Brush Ninja Animations Lesson Plan
Learning Objective
Students will explore different art styles through Brush Ninja animations and create their own animations using the software.
Materials
- Computers or tablets with internet access
- Brush Ninja website
- Art supplies (optional)
Procedure
- Introduce the concept of animation to students, explaining that it is a series of images that appear to move when played in sequence. Show some examples of different types of animation (e.g. hand-drawn, stop-motion, digital) and ask students which ones they are familiar with.
- Explain that today we will be using a digital animation tool called Brush Ninja to explore different art styles.
- Demonstrate how to use Brush Ninja by creating a simple animation together as a class. Use basic shapes and colors to show how movements can be created by changing the position of objects over time.
- Discuss different art styles such as Impressionism, Cubism, Surrealism, and Pop Art. Show examples of famous artworks from each style and explain what makes them unique.
- Ask students to choose one art style they would like to explore further through an animation project using Brush Ninja.
- Provide time for students to work on their projects individually or in pairs/small groups under your supervision.
- Encourage creativity and experimentation with different techniques such as layering, blending, and using different brush sizes.
- Once completed, have each student or group share their animations with the class.
Assessment
Assess student understanding through observation during the lesson and by reviewing completed projects based on the following criteria:
- Understanding of chosen art style demonstrated in animation
- Creativity/originality
- Technical proficiency with Brush Ninja
Extension
For students who finish early or wish to pursue more advanced projects:
- Create an animated story incorporating characters and plot elements inspired by chosen art style
- Experiment with different backgrounds/sound effects to enhance the animation
- Research and incorporate historical context about chosen art style into an animation project.
β Exploring Color Theory through Brush Ninja AnimationsExploring Poetry: Using Brush Ninja to Create Visual Poems β
How to animate with Brush Ninja
This video teaches the basics of using Brush Ninja
More Arts Lessons
Examples of Brush Ninja in Education
Love watching my students creating animated GIFs on brush Ninja to create their own Vocab cards on mutual BONDS and stocks. Thanks again @tonyvincent and @jmattmiller for the idea π‘ #WeAreMCUSD
Tweeted by Ryan ReadMr Clarkβs class super excited about squirrels in science. Creating Gifs using Brush.Ninja
Tweeted by Bennett_DPSCD5th grade students @LCPSLegacy are preparing for #EarthDay2023 by creating PSA GIFs with Brush Ninja. @LCPSEdTech
Tweeted by Logan McIntoshPrimary 7 have been using βBrush Ninjaβ to create animated gifs. Fantastic results from their first attempts!
Tweeted by Mrs Alexander CPSCheck out the #GIFs 2-3 and 4-5 students have created in #BrushNinja!
Tweeted by Amanda Korell FuderDES 4th graders in Computer Science learning how to make a Gif (not the peanut butter! π) using Brush Ninja. They picked it up pretty quick since it is not too much different from filming in stop-motion which they did last year in 3rd grade.
Tweeted by Kevin Hughes




