This blog post is available in English and Spanish.
The LACMA team is working together from our respective homes to bring you interesting content and creative activities while the museum is temporarily closed to the public. We may not be able to gather together, but we can still create something beautiful.
For many years, Luchita Hurtado's art making took place in makeshift studio spaces throughout her home. Through her paintings and drawings, Hurtado consistently played with the possibilities of lines, color, pattern, and form. The three following activities will focus on these four elements and guide you to create art just like Luchita.
Activity One: Draw a Selfie
Step One: Select Your Materials
No need to buy anything! Look throughout your home for potential art-making supplies.
Supplies:
- Paper
8.5"x11" or larger - Drawing Tools
Pens, pencils, crayons, markers, pens, highlighters, pastels, watercolors, or paint! - A Mirror
Any size, any shape! You can use a handheld mirror, a full-body mirror, a tabletop mirror, or a pocket mirror.
Step Two: Look at Luchita Hurtado's Portraits
As an artist who primarily worked in private for many years, Luchita Hurtado drew inspiration from her everyday encounters in her house. She created a variety of self-portraits, point-of-view works on paper, and portraits of close family members. Hurtado played with color and style when creating this body of work.
Find the following:
- Objects: What object is the figure holding?
- Colors: What colors does Luchita Hurtado use?
Step Three: Choose a Mirror!
Start by placing a mirror in front of you. If the mirror is too big, then stand or sit in front of it.
If you want to make a funny face or wear a silly hat, do it!
Step Four: Start Drawing Yourself!
Draw what you see in the mirror! Make sure to keep still and not move the mirror around! You can even ask an adult to snap a picture for you to refer back to.
Be sure to include as much detail as you see.
Activity Two: Make an Environmental Poster
Step One: Select Your Materials
No need to buy anything! Look throughout your home for potential art-making supplies.
Supplies:
- Paper
Any size you prefer! - Drawing Tools
Pens, pencils, crayons, markers, pens, highlighters, pastels, watercolors, or paint!
Step Two: Look at Luchita Hurtado's Works on Nature and the Environment
Luchita Hurtado's deep commitment to nature is seen through her works about the planet and our environment. She created vibrant designs with a combination of lines, patterns, and colors. Oftentimes, Luchita would play with different drawing tools when filling up the canvas. She noticed that if she would first color with crayons and later apply ink, the wax in the crayons would repel the ink and leave interesting marks. Let's see if you can use this technique in your poster.
Find the following:
- Colors: What colors does she include in her artwork?
- Text: What words or phrases do you see?
- Shapes: What does the main figure resemble?
Step Three: Get Started!
Get inspired by Luchita Hurtado's artwork about the environment to make your own piece of art.
Find different ways to incorporate the outline of a human figure.
Your environmental poster should communicate a representation of the earth and its beauty.
Activity Three: What's the Word?
Step One: Select Your Materials
No need to buy anything! Look throughout your home for potential art-making supplies.
Supplies:
- Paper
At least two sheets of papers of the same size! - Drawing Tools
Pens, pencils, crayons, markers, pens, highlighters, pastels, watercolors, or paint! - Scissors
- Adhesives
Glue, glue sticks, or tape!
Step Two: Look at Luchita Hurtado's Word Paintings
In the 1970s, Luchita Hurtado started focusing on text-based artwork and the power of words on paper. Hurtado would paint a word or a phrase on canvas, cut it up, and rearrange it! Take a look at the art.
Find the following:
- Colors: Name three colors that you see.
- Lines: Can you find lines that are straight, curvy, thick, thin?
- Pattern: Point out the patterns you see (look closely).
Are you able to make out what the original word said?
Step Three: Choose a Word and Get Started!
Start by writing a word across your paper.
Trace it, outline it, and color it over and over again with different colors until you fill the entire paper.
Step Four: Cut and Rearrange
Once the paper is completely covered, cut it into six strips. (If you can, ask an adult to help you out with this step).
Rearrange the strips of paper.
Step Five: Glue
Glue the strips of paper onto the second paper.
I hope you enjoyed doing these three activities at home with family and loved ones! Now, you can create art just #LikeLuchita. Once you’ve completed your artwork, share it with the world. If you upload them to Instagram, tag @lacma and @lacmaconnected, and include the hashtag #LikeLuchita.