If you want to learn how to draw a mission, the Mission San Juan Capistrano is a good place to start. It has a beautiful simplicity to it.
Mission drawing offers a wonderful lesson in architecture, and can often overlap history lessons too. And when cross-study opportunities come up, I say it’s great to make the most of them.
Years of classroom experience taught me that students could make amazing drawings when they had some guidance and tools. Old fuzzy pictures of missions at odd angles would have frustrated anyone, so in time I created (and polished) some graphic tools that really seemed to help. Every year I heard at least one of my 4th grade classroom teachers exclaim, “Why, they ALL look good, every single one of them!”
Included in this sample download:
Sample Line Drawing. To easily see the mission shapes the students need to draw.
A 4-step Tutorial. For a logical progression.
Paper with a Grid template. In order to draw straight lines without the struggle of a ruler.
Colored finished sample. So students can see what is wood, stone, etc. and color appropriately.
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Mission Coloring Page
Materials for Mission Project
Note: All of the Amazon links are affiliates.
DRAWING PAPER
Prang (Formerly SunWorks) Construction Paper, Brown, 12″ x 18″, 100 Sheets
BLACK SHARPIE MARKERS, FINE TIP
PENCIL CRAYONS
Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils, Assorted Colors, 36ct.
Step by Step Directions for Mission Project
Time needed: 1 hour and 30 minutes
How to Draw a Mission
- Start with the door and steps below.
- Add the front facade around it.
- Add the right section and tower.
- Finish with landscaping.
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