Line and Color Hands

I saw this project on several other art teachers blogs and thought this would be a great way to review line and color with my 5th graders.  I had them trace their hand and part of their arm on the paper with a black crayon (we rarely use pencils in my room).  They position their hand anywhere on the page and could position their fingers anyway they would like as long as it was school appropriate.  Most of the students chose to just lay their hand down and trace around their spread fingers but some tried ok, peace, or I love you signs. After their hand was traced they had to pick a line (we discussed several options), and pick a direction for that line to move in (horizontal, diagonal, vertical, or radial).  The line was also drawn in black crayon and needed to run through the hand as if the hand were not even on the page.  We colored the hand drawings with oil pastels.  I love the crayola brand oil pastels!  They are so user friendly.  I just wish they would come in more colors.  I had the portfolio's when I first started at this school and while they looked beautiful they were so soft and messy I couldn't stand to let my students use them.  The hand had to be warm colors and the background had to be cool colors.  The contrast really catches visitors eye when they come into our building and see them hanging in the front hallway.