Step 1 - Introducing the Henri Matisse Slideshow Guide

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2 Step 1 - Introducing the Henri Matisse Slideshow Guide MOTIVATION BEGIN READING HERE Do you enjoy going to the beach and ocean? The sun, sand, and water usually come to mind when we think of the ocean. But today I want you to think of the things under the sea, way out in the depths of the ocean. Let s pretend we re going on a submarine ride and each of us has a porthole out of which we can see the wonders of the deep, mysterious sea. What will you see? (ANSWERS WILL VARY) What colors will appear through your porthole? (BLUE, GREEN, YELLOW, RED) Are you ready for the captain to give the dive command to his crew? We re off! Bubbles are rushing up as we dive deeper and deeper. What is happening to the color of the water? (DEEPER COLOR, DARKER) Are your ears popping from the pressure change? I m beginning to see wonderful colors and shapes, are you? Click Start Lesson To Begin 1. BEASTS OF THE SEA What shapes do you see that remind you of the sea? (FISH, SEAWEED, EELS) Is the sea all one temperature? (NO) What do you see that makes you think of changes in water temperature? (DIFFERENT BACKGROUND COLORS FROM TOP TO BOTTOM) This picture is titled Beasts of the Sea. The artist is Henri Matisse, and we are going to learn about his life and art today. Did Matisse make his artwork look exactly like an underwater scene you would view from your submarine porthole? He painted DESIGNS rather than true-to-life pictures. Matisse could paint things exactly as they looked, but he chose not to. He was interested in colors and shapes. He made pictures that expressed what he saw and what he felt at the same time. Matisse created ABSTRACT pictures, art that doesn t look like the real thing. Sometimes he left us clues and didn t totally abstract an object. Can you give me an example of that in this picture? (FISH, SEAWEED, EEL SHAPES) But other times he created a totally abstract picture from just his feelings. Can you give me an example of something in this slide that is totally abstract and doesn t look at all like a real thing? (ANSWERS WILL VARY) Let s see if we re still at the ocean in this next artwork. Show me with thumbs up or thumbs down. 1 HENRI MATISSE Ages 8 9 MeetTheMasters Online Edition

3 Click Next To Change Slide 2. BIRD AND SHARK You are right -- we re still at the ocean Matisse loved. Is this picture is abstract? (YES) Good for you! Now look carefully for clues. What shapes do you see that continue the setting of the ocean? (SEAWEED, WAVES, SNAIL) The setting or subject of these two pictures is the ocean. The art word for the setting or subject of a piece of art is MOTIF. Fill in my missing word: The motif of this picture is the. (SEA) Very good! Now I have a clue for your next guessing game. Look at the blue square. There are two white shapes, and I want you to guess what they are. Here is your clue: they show two white animals. (OTHER CLUES AS NEEDED) One lives in the ocean, has big, sharp teeth, and has been the subject of scary movies. (SHARK) The white shape at the bottom is a grinning shark. The other animal lives above the water, is graceful and white and eats small fish. (SEAGULL) The seagull is the shape on the top. Do you think the shark is about to swallow the bird? Using our imagination is one of the fun things about Matisse s abstract art! Click Next To Change Slide 3. ACROBATIC DANCER Our motif has changed with this slide; it is no longer about the sea. It is totally abstract with very few clues from Matisse. Here is a clue. It might not look like a person, but it is. Look carefully at the shapes and the feeling it gives you. What is this person doing? (ANSWERS MAY VARY) The title is Acrobatic Dancer. Matisse made a picture of the feeling that he got when he saw an acrobatic dancer perform. What do you see or feel that would make you think of a dancer? (SHAPES SEEM TO MOVE, ARMS AND LEGS EXTENDED, WHITE FOR COSTUME) I want you to quickly think of all of the artwork you ve seen today. Matisse did them all, including this one, the same way. He used the same art materials, or MEDIUM, to make all of them. Which medium do you think Matisse used to make these works of art -- a palette and paintbrush, scissors and colored paper, or pastels? (SCISSORS AND COLORED PAPER) Have you used paper and scissors as a medium? Matisse cut sheets of brightly painted paper with scissors. He would draw with his scissors instead of with a pencil. He used his memory for shapes, and chose colors to match his feelings. After cutting his shapes he would pin his cut-outs up on a background in an arrangement he liked. Last, when he had created the feeling he was after, he would glue his colorful shapes down. 2 HENRI MATISSE Ages 8 9 MeetTheMasters Online Edition

4 When you do your art activity, you will use Matisse s medium of cut paper just like he did! And your works of art will be happy and bright with your own special shapes. Would this next cut-out take a lot of time to create? - Click Next To Change Slide 4. THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS An author tells a story with words and sentences. Matisse tells a story with color and shape. As I tell you this fairytale, try to follow it in Matisse s artwork you see on the screen, for he is telling the same story. Once upon a time there was an Arabian King and a princess he wanted to marry. Both were happy about the upcoming wedding, but the princess had a big problem to solve. It was the custom in their country that the King would kill his new wife the night after the wedding. The princess, besides being pretty, was very clever and smart! So the night of their wedding, she started to tell her new husband a fascinating story. But she didn t end the story that night; she told him she would finish it the next day. The King was so interested in knowing the ending that he couldn t kill her. And so she continued day after day, telling her never-ending story. Legend has it that she lived 1001 Arabian Nights telling her stories to the King. Matisse titled this picture The Thousand and One Nights. Could you read the story with Matisse s colors, shapes, and feelings as you listened? What do you see that you can relate to the story? (RESPONSES WILL VARY) - Click Next To Change Slide 5. COMPOSITION (THE VELVETS) Can you tell me what motif Matisse has used here? (PLANT) Look at all the different colors of backgrounds he has arranged to frame the plant shapes. Notice how the background colors change, going from left to right: dark, to white, to warm colors, to cool colors. Notice how different each color combination looks together. Keep your eyes closely on the warm colors in the center as we go in for a close-up view of those color combinations. - Click Next To Change Slide 6. COMPOSITION (THE VELVETS): DETAIL Can you pick out your favorite color combination? (ANSWERS WILL VARY) Let s look at the same leaf shape in other colors against different colored backgrounds. 7. LEAF CONTRASTS Here are some color questions for you to answer about the yellow and red combination and the black and red combination. 3 HENRI MATISSE Ages 8 9 MeetTheMasters Online Edition

5 1. Which do you like the best? 2. Which shows the leaf shape most clearly? 3. Which leaf is bigger? (SAME SIZE - COLORS CAN FOOL THE EYE!) 4. Which combination gives you a happy feeling? There are no right or wrong preferences for color choice -- it s very individual. You are like Matisse, because you know that colors can work magic! See if you like this next color combination. It s bold! Can you guess what two colors you might see? - Click Next To Change Slide 8. BLACK LEAF ON RED BACKGROUND Do you like the colors Matisse selected for this cut-out? Does this black shape look like a photograph of a leaf? (NO) Did Matisse want it to look exactly the way a real leaf would look? (NO) Matisse could have made this leaf look exactly like one we could pick from a tree. But he didn t want to! He wanted to show something different. He made it HIS leaf by changing it. Matisse knew all about the magic of color and saw it as a source of happiness and health. In fact, when his friends were sick, he would take his artwork and place it all around their bed to cheer them up and cure them. Do you think color can affect the way you feel? (YES) Matisse was a genius at color selection, but he also was a master at using POSITIVE and NEGATIVE shapes. Let s see if you can discover the meaning of positive and negative in art. Which is the positive shape? (THE LEAF) Then what is the negative shape; what is left? (THE BACKGROUND OR SPACE AROUND THE LEAF) Have you ever held your fingers in front of a light to create a SILHOUETTE? Have you ever had your silhouette cut from paper? It creates the shape of your head or body, doesn t it? Click Next To Change Slide 9. THE NEGRESS Matisse cut shapes for silhouettes. Where do you see a silhouette in this cut-out? (BODY, FLOWERS) Is the silhouette a shadow of a real person? (NO) Matisse made a silhouette more to show his feelings than to make it look like the real thing. An American singer inspired this cut-out. Matisse chose just the right colors to capture the feeling the entertainer gave him when she was singing. Can you picture the rhythm of the notes she might sing? Notice how Matisse repeated his shapes as notes are repeated in 4 HENRI MATISSE Ages 8 9 MeetTheMasters Online Edition

6 a song. Does this picture give you a cheerful feeling? (YES) Remember, Matisse wanted people to see his work and have a feeling of happiness and delight. Now that you are art experts on the work of Henri Matisse, let s meet our artist. Click Next To Change Slide 10. PHOTO OF MATISSE WITH SCISSORS Do you think he looks more like an artist or a teacher? His friends thought he looked so much like a teacher that they called him professor. He was very studious and shy so we don t know a lot about his private life. He lived in France in the early 1900s. As a young man he was studying to become a lawyer. But during that time he became ill. While recovering he began painting and discovered his talent and love of art. He didn t begin his art career with cut-out pictures, but with painting. It was in his later years that he chose cut-outs as his medium. Listen to his words about that choice. Click Audio The cut-out is what I have found to be the simplest and most direct way of expressing myself. End Of Audio Continue Reading Remember, you are going to create your own masterpiece with cut-outs, and maybe you will feel the same way about it as Matisse did! Click Next And Read Pierre s Final Thoughts On Henri Matisse Then Click Back To Units 5 HENRI MATISSE Ages 8 9 MeetTheMasters Online Edition

7 Step 2 - Learning From: Henri Matisse Positive and Negative Space Matisse cut out abstract shapes for sea creatures. He saved the parts he cut away and used them also. He saw the background as a shape. Color the positive shape. Color the negative space. To see how background color affects foreground color, color each positive shape the same. Now color each negative shape different. Circle your choice: Which shape seems brighter? Which seems more hidden? Which looks best with the background? HENRI MATISSE Ages 8 9 MeetTheMasters Online Edition

8 Creating Abstract Shapes From Realistic Shapes To create simple shapes from nature as Matisse did follow the steps above. Lightly sketch the basic shape of each sea shape below into a box using your pencil. Use your sketch as a guide to draw a detailed outline, then simplify. 7 HENRI MATISSE Ages 8 9 MeetTheMasters Online Edition

9 Create a Special Sea Shape Draw an abstract sea shape in the frame below. Make it large enough to fill the frame. 8 HENRI MATISSE Ages 8 9 MeetTheMasters Online Edition

10 The last few pages of this section contain the Art Activity for Henri Matisse. This step-bystep outline will be a guide for instructing your child(ren) through the activity. The parent/instructor should review all steps necessary to complete this project before beginning any work. Cut out the Artist Profile Slip below and attach it to the back of the completed art project. Henri Matisse (ahn-ree mah-teece) - French The bold colors and shapes of Matisse s abstract cut-outs inspired our young artists to explore shape and color relationships. This French artist created cheerful compositions by drawing with his scissors instead of a pencil. ART ACTIVITY EMPHASIS: Shape, Motif MEDIA: Colored paper cut-outs Henri Matisse (ahn-ree mah-teece) - French The bold colors and shapes of Matisse s abstract cut-outs inspired our young artists to explore shape and color relationships. This French artist created cheerful compositions by drawing with his scissors instead of a pencil. ART ACTIVITY EMPHASIS: Shape, Motif MEDIA: Colored paper cut-outs 9 HENRI MATISSE Ages 8 9 MeetTheMasters Online Edition

11 Step 3 - Working With: Art Activity Instructions ARTIST Henri Matisse (ahn-ree mah-teece) ( ) French ART ELEMENTS Shape and Color MEDIA Construction Paper EMPHASIS Shapes TECHNIQUE Drawing with Scissors VOCABULARY Shape, Abstract, Overlap VISUAL Print: Beasts of the Sea SUGGESTED MUSIC Music from the 1900s MATERIALS FOR INSTRUCTOR AND CHILDREN One 12 x 18 sheet of construction paper: bright pink, turquoise, white, or black (include an assortment of colors, if possible) One 9 x 12 sheet of blue construction paper One 9 x 12 sheet of green construction paper Two 4 x 6 sheets of construction paper in any two of the following colors: bright yellow, orange, red, or violet (include some of each color, if possible) Artist Profile Glue (Optional: 3 x 3 scrap paper and Q-tip applicator) Scissors PREPARATION Construct an example to become familiar with the procedure. Place the Matisse print where it can be easily seen. Place your demonstration papers on your workspace. Arrange materials nearby. SET-UP [ 5 minutes ] Distribute the following materials to each child: SUPPLIES: Glue PAPER: Large colored paper, blue paper, green paper, small colored papers, and artist profile slip ORIENTATION [ 5 minutes ] What is the name of the artist who created this work of art? (MATISSE - REFER TO PRINT.) 10 HENRI MATISSE Ages 8 9 MeetTheMasters Online Edition

12 What did he use to make it? (SCISSORS AND PAPER) Today we will make paper cut-outs also. What kinds of shapes did Matisse like to use in his designs? (HAPPY SHAPES, SEA SHAPES, LEAF SHAPES) When we look at Matisse s work, we can see the MOTIF he used. What motif is Beasts of the Sea based on? (THE SEA) Today you will use the sea as your motif for your abstract paper cut-outs. Let s get organized so we can begin. DEMONSTRATION AND ACTIVITY ORGANIZE YOUR WORK AREA [ 3 minutes ] 1. Place your large colored paper vertically (DEMONSTRATE) on your workspace. 2. Put your smaller colored papers and glue to the side. 3. Put your green and blue papers together. 4. Put your artist profile slip and scissors at the top of your workspace. THE BACKGROUND SHAPES [ 10 MINUTES ] (Have the students repeat this step immediately after you demonstrate it.) 1. Hold the blue and green papers together in one hand vertically. 2. Cut a wavy line along an edge to make two large and two small shapes. 3. Arrange one of the large shapes (blue or green) and the two small shapes any way you like on your colored paper (straight up and down or at an angle). Carefully lift corners of the shapes and glue them to the large colored background sheet. 4. Cut several more wavy strips from your leftover blue or green paper. Make some thick and some thin. Try not to cut the same wavy shapes. Make each different. 11 HENRI MATISSE Ages 8 9 MeetTheMasters Online Edition

13 POSITIVE SHAPES [ 10 minutes ] (When most students have finished, have them put their materials down while you demonstrate the next steps). Watch, so you ll know how to cut some sea shapes: 1. First decide what shapes to cut. Choose two of your favorite sea shapes from your Learning Packet. Cut each sea shape out of one of your 4 x 6 colored papers. Are Matisse s shapes abstract or realistic? (ABSTRACT) Remember that your shapes do not have to look realistic. 2. Don t bother to draw the shape you choose on the paper, just cut it out in one continuous line. Think of it as drawing with scissors. Be sure to leave a large border when cutting. The border will later become part of the composition (the negative shape). NEGATIVE SHAPES [ 10 minutes ] When you finish, you will have two shapes, the POSITIVE SHAPE (the shape you had in mind when you were cutting), and the NEGATIVE SHAPE (the leftover shape). Matisse used positive and negative shapes to make his cut-outs more interesting. So keep your negative shapes! Hold each negative shape and cut off the straight edges with a wavy line, to make them similar to the other shapes in your design. GLUE YOUR SHAPES [ 10 minutes ] 1. Arrange your shapes on the background. Use the negative and the positive shapes. Arrange and rearrange until the design pleases you and is balanced. You do not have to use all of your shapes. 2. Glue the shapes with a thin dotted line of glue around the back edges. Glue the background shapes first. You may use scraps to cut new shapes, both positive and negative. MOUNTING THE ARTIST PROFILE SLIP [ 2 minutes ] (Profile slips for each artist are provided. They give a brief description of the artist, the technique, and the media used in the art activity. They should be mounted on the back of each art project after it is completed.) 1. Write your name on the front of the artist profile slip. 12 HENRI MATISSE Ages 8 9 MeetTheMasters Online Edition

14 2. Using glue, mount the profile slip on the back of your artwork. 3. Encourage students to discuss their artwork with others using this artist slip of information. CONCLUSION Let s turn this room into an aquarium right now with your beautiful underwater creations. Please stand in place and hold up your sea motifs, and we will be surrounded by abstract sea creatures, water, and plants. Can you move your artwork gently like they would in the ocean? Matisse would love your creations. GUIDANCE If you have more than one child, put children who finish early to work cleaning up scraps or reading so they do not disturb the others. EXTENSION Matisse s love of literature is often seen in stories that emerge from his cut paper designs. After the shapes have been cut, have the students think of them as words that tell a story and arrange their shapes to tell a story. THIS CONCLUDES THE HENRI MATISSE UNIT. 13 HENRI MATISSE Ages 8 9 MeetTheMasters Online Edition