Princess Petra’s Parade: A Paul Klee-Inspired Portrait Project from Art Camp (and Beyond!)
You know those moments in art class when something magical happens, and you’re not even sure who’s more excited—your students or you? That’s what this project was.
What started as a fun little Paul Klee-inspired portrait activity for a group of energetic 4th graders at art camp turned into a full-on narrative art experience complete with guided writing, character development, and some of the most expressive portraits I’ve ever had the joy of drying flat on manilla tagboard.
Oh—and spoiler alert: this whole thing is 100% classroom-friendly and way more skills-based than it looks on the surface. So if you’re an art teacher, gen ed teacher, ELA teacher, or creative homeschooler, pull up a paint-stained stool. This one’s for you.
Princess Petra steps into the spotlight, kicking off a parade of bold, Klee-inspired portraits.
🎨 Artist Spotlight: Paul Klee and the Magic of “Senecio”
We kicked things off with a look at Paul Klee’s Senecio (1922). It’s one of those perfect pieces for kids: bold colors, divided space, geometric shapes, and a stylized face that practically invites imaginative storytelling.
We studied how Klee used shape and color to build a portrait that felt like a character—without being realistic. Students noticed the repetition, the symmetry (and when it was intentionally off), and the way expression can come from even the simplest forms. Basically, Klee gave us permission to go weird, and we ran with it.
Our class fairytale came to life as Petra led a magical parade filled with colorful characters.
💬 Guided Writing: Building a Class Fairytale
Before we picked up a single pastel, we gathered around a whiteboard and co-wrote a story. I facilitated the process using guided writing strategies—modeling how to brainstorm, organize ideas, and build a narrative with a clear sequence, strong character traits, and a little sparkle of imagination.
We asked:
● Who is our main character?
● What makes her unique?
● What does she want?
● What magical twist changes everything?
Here’s what our 4th grade brains cooked up together:
Students designed portraits that combined strong outlines, bold colors, and their own character stories.
✨ The Magical Parade of Princess Petra
Once upon a time, in a land painted with every color of the rainbow, there lived a princess named Petra who was not your average royal. She didn’t care for fancy balls or diamond crowns—Petra was all about adventures, art, and animals who wore tiny hats.
One day, she decided to host a magical parade through her kingdom. But not just any parade. Every woman in the land—artists, cat whisperers, potion makers, and stargazers—was invited to join. Each one created a costume, carried a special item, and painted a portrait of herself for the kingdom to celebrate.
It was the most colorful celebration anyone had ever seen.
Klee’s influence shines through in the symmetry, color blocking, and symbolic details of each portrait.
👩🎨 The Art-Making: Portraits with Personality
With the story set, students chose one character from the parade to bring to life visually. Some picked Petra. Others invented parade guests—like the Bubblegum Queen or a wand-wielding weather witch. Each portrait had:
● Bold outlines using black oil pastels
● Color blocking with vibrant tempera cakes
● Manilla tagboard for strength and texture
● A key symbol or object to match the story: teddy bears, stars, fans, even pets in accessories
This was where the visual art came to life—but every choice students made was rooted in their story writing.
Every portrait became part of the larger parade, weaving art and writing into one collaborative story.
🧠 What We Learned (Besides Having Fun)
This lesson blended visual art, writing, and critical thinking in a super meaningful way. Here's what students practiced:
● Writing imaginative narratives with strong characters and clear story structure
● Working together to build and revise a class story
● Designing symbolic portraits that reflect character traits
● Using repetition, color, and line to express mood and identity
● Reflecting on how visual and written storytelling connect
● Speaking about their work using artistic vocabulary and personal insight
And of course—flexing those creativity muscles.
The parade portraits show how narrative writing and visual art can build skills in creativity and expression.
🏫 How to Adapt This for Any Classroom
Not teaching art full time? You can absolutely do this in a general education or ELA setting.
📝 Step-by-Step for Teachers:
Start with a Mentor Text – Read a fairytale or character-driven picture book (The Paper Bag Princess, Julián is a Mermaid, etc.). Discuss characters, setting, and what makes a story magical.
Facilitate Guided Writing – Use a shared writing format to brainstorm a class story. Provide sentence stems, scaffolded structure, and model revision. Emphasize descriptive details and sequencing.
Design Klee-Inspired Portraits – Each student picks (or creates) a character and paints a portrait using Klee’s visual style: big shapes, blocked color, bold lines.
Reflect and Write – Have students write a short “artist’s statement” describing who their character is, what their special item represents, and how their art connects to the story.
Petra and her parade guests reflect how students used imagination to connect characters with personal expression.
✏️ Real-World Skills Covered
● Narrative storytelling
● Creative problem-solving
● Visual communication
● Collaboration and discussion
● Connecting emotion and symbolism in art and writing
● Confidence in self-expression
This isn’t fluff. It’s a full-on skill-building powerhouse.
Students practiced connecting symbolism and character design to create portraits with personality.
📦 Want a Done-for-You Version?
Grab my Paul Klee Portraits Lesson right here:
👉 How to Draw Paul Klee-Inspired Portraits
And if you want to double down on bold self-expression, try pairing this with my Street Art & Graffiti Lesson on TpT. It’s great for expanding into murals, mixed media, and big-scale design.
The parade portraits show how simple materials can inspire storytelling, collaboration, and confidence.
🎉 Final Thoughts
This lesson is a blend of everything I love: meaningful art, cross-curricular learning, and a little glitter on top. Whether you’re doing it in art camp, the regular classroom, or your dining room homeschool studio, it invites kids to think deeply, express boldly, and own their creative process.
Princess Petra’s parade may be imaginary, but the skills, confidence, and connections your students will build? 100% real.
Princess Petra’s grand parade reminds us how art and writing can empower students to express themselves boldly.
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Get to know Amanda Koonlaba!
Hi! I’m Amanda. Teaching children to be creative thinkers is my greatest joy. I’m here to help you bring that same joy to your classroom.
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