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🦒 Giraffes for K–2

Hope Creek Studios
Jul 17
2 min read

Over the years, I’ve done giraffe art projects in all kinds of styles and mediums—but I always come back to them, especially with the younger grades. There’s just something about giraffes that captures their imagination.

But the real magic happens when I hand them a giant, tall sheet of paper and watch their faces light up.

They look at me like, “Wait… this is for me?”There’s surprise, excitement, and this wonderful moment where they suddenly realize they’re about to create something big.

Using oversized paper gives them permission to think tall, draw bold, and use the full space. It helps them break out of the tiny, centered drawing habit and embrace something much more expressive. And let’s be honest—giraffes were made for tall paper.

Colorful abstract giraffe drawings on a wall, richly decorated with mixed-media art, including vibrant patterns and paper collages.

Young artists often default to drawing small—right in the middle of the page—because it feels safe and manageable. That’s why I love introducing unusually large or oversized paper for early learners.

It gently pushes them out of that comfort zone and encourages them to go big, fill the space, and stretch their drawing muscles—literally and creatively. With a larger surface, they start to see possibilities beyond the center and begin thinking more expansively about their compositions.

It’s a simple shift with a big payoff: more expressive lines, bolder ideas, and a boost in artistic confidence.

We start with a quick look at giraffe shapes (I always try to show real images so we’re not just drawing from memory). Then we build layer by layer—oil pastel, chalk, paint, marker—depending on the class or materials I have. We always finish with black oil pastel outlines for that crisp definition and bold pop.

Why it works: This project builds confidence, encourages large-motor art, and gets kids comfortable with working big. They learn to observe shape and proportion, and the layering of media helps even the most hesitant artist feel successful. Plus, giraffes are just plain fun.