4th grade Tree of Life collage/painting

The 4th graders began the school year looking at and drawing "The Tree of Life" by artist Gustav Klimt (Austrian painter 1882-1918) we looked at a close up, cropped version of this painting which focused on the tree with many spiral lines.
We took a mixed media approach to this by using tissue paper in warm colors to fill the background. Liquid starch was used to make the tissue paper stick. Once dry, we painted our spiral tree in black. Looking closely at the painting we noticed small squares, rectangles, circles, ovals and triangles on the trunk and branches. We painted them with bronze, silver, white and goldish yellow. The result? A very creative Klimt inspired work of art!