Potato Pants Art Project for Kids

I had the honor of meeting Laurie Keller, the author of Potato Pants, several years ago when she did a book reading and signing at our local independent bookstore. My kids were enamored. Her book about this incredibly emotional, expressive, and over-excitable potato who only wanted a set of pants, captivated them.

A book that inspires and encourages a love of reading is what Read Across America is all about. So grab this engaging book, and then create with me!  

Speaking of inspiration, the illustrations captivated me – the adult! Keller is incredible at showing a wide range of emotions with only a few simple shapes and lines. Which makes it the perfect picture book to turn into an art project for elementary age kids. With a little help, it’s even perfect for preschoolers.

Supplies

9×12 sheet of colored sulphite paper

9×12 sheet of white sulphite paper

Painted, scrapbook, or sulphite paper in assorted colors

Chalk pastels

Oil pastels, markers, or construction paper crayons (for decorating the pants)

White school glue or glue stick

Scissors

Paper plate (for chalk dust)

Potato Pants Emotion Handout

Instructions

The Background

Turn the paper vertical. With a slightly darker or lighter color chalk pastel than the paper color, make stripes going from top to bottom. Then, without worrying about straightness, draw horizontal stripes.

Note: The chalk will smudge, making some lines thicker and thinner than others, and that is perfect.

Drawing Potato or Eggplant

Have kids decide if they’d like to make Potato or Eggplant.

Using a light brown or purple chalk pastel, draw a long vertical oval on the white sheet of sulphite paper.

If you are drawing Eggplant, add a green zigzag line near the top and a little short stem.

Use a light blue or black chalk pastel to draw a small vertical oval near the top of the head. Draw another oval next to it, connecting the oval to the top and bottom of the previous oval.

If you are drawing eggplant, the line at the bottom of the eye will be straight. Kids can draw a straight line and then a tall rainbow shape to connect the edges. And then connect the second eye to the first with another curved line downward.

Looking at the Potato Pants Emotion handout for ideas, have kids decide what emotion they would like Potato or Eggplant to have.

Draw the mouth with a darker blue chalk pastel or black.

Next, use the black chalk pastel to add in eye pupils (or closed eyelids).

(Save the eyebrows for after Potato or Eggplant is colored in.)

Adding Color to Your Vegetable

Lay a light brown chalk pastel on its side and use it to color in your potato, avoiding the eyes. Using one or two fingers, gently rub the chalk around the potato to make the color smooth. Use a little bit of the chalk dust to lightly color in the inside of the mouth (if your potato has an open mouth). Tap any excess chalk dust onto a plate.

If you are drawing eggplant, do the same as above, but use purple.

Use a dark brown chalk pastel to make small lines all over Potato for texture, except on the eyes and mouth.

For Eggplant, add some light red downward streaks and rub it in gently. Encourage kids to tickle the paper with their red chalk pastel so they don’t make a bright red mark.

Use the black chalk pastel to add eyebrows that go along with Potato or Eggplant’s expression.

Finishing the Potato

Cut out Potato or Eggplant. (You might want to take a fun picture here.)

Using a reddish brown chalk pastel, draw Potato’s arms and hands. For Eggplant, use dark purple.

Use a white chalk pastel to color in the hands.

The Pants

Using a piece of painted paper, scrapbook paper, or piece of colored sulphite paper, lay it down on top of Potato or Eggplant with the color side down.

Draw a large U-shape, and then add two rectangles for legs. Kids won’t see these lines when the pants are cut out, so let them know that they are only keeping the lines that they like when they cut.

Cut out potato’s pants and then using whatever you have on hand, decorate his pants.

Ideas for pants are polka dots, stripes, swirls, plaid, zig zag, animals, rainbows, or anything else that kids can think of.

When finished, glue the pants on.

With the reddish brown chalk pastel, add legs and feet that stick out of his pants. If you run out of room, feet sticking out of the bottom works perfectly.

Note: Some kids draw large so the pants may dangle off the edge of the page, and this is perfectly fine. Just let them know that they picked a big pair of pants and they hide the feet.

Voila. Potato Pants, and his nemesis and friend, Eggplant.

We would love it if you’d share!

Don’t forget to tag us at @soulsparklettes on social media if you make this potato pants art project with your kids or students – we love to see what you create!

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This is only one of the many diverse art lessons in the Glitterbombers Membership. Hundreds more art projects, videos, and resources at your fingertips for whatever you’re studying, or whatever art concept you’re ready to teach. Head here to hop on the waitlist and find out when we open next!

For more projects based on adorable picture books, see Crab Cake: