ART AWARENESS KINDERGARTEN Summary, Artwork and Lessons
Art and Artists Lesson
Summary This year we are going to talk about art and artists. Can someone tell me what an artist is? A painter is a type of artist. Painters practice looking very closely at the things all around them. They practice remembering what they have seen. Then they try to put down what they remember in a way different from anyone else. This is called being original. Art and Artists Lesson
Other Types of Art Painting Sculpture Photography Drawing Performing Art Art and Artists Lesson
About the Artwork Here are 2 pictures from 2 famous artists. They have both painted pictures of similar things but in different ways. Blue is the most important color in both of these pictures. Blue is called a pure (primary) color because it cannot be made by mixing other colors together. There are 2 other pure colors Red and Yellow. All other colors are made from these three, plus black and white. Art and Artists Lesson
Paul Klee Sinbad the Sailor Print in file What is this picture about? Does it look real Why or why not? Sometimes artists paint pictures of their dreams. Artists can make a picture using only 1 color but changing that color. There are parts of these 2 paintings where you only see the color blue changed by adding black and white. Can you find them?
Winslow Homer Breezing Up Does this painting look more real than the first? Print in file
Color Mixing Here is a color mixing chart. What makes purple, orange, and green? Black is made by mixing the 3 primary colors together. Art and Artists Lesson
Project Idea Use red, yellow, blue, black and white to mix colors Today we are going to be artists and mix colors. Then I will give you each a piece of paper and I want you to make a picture about the first day of school. All your pictures will be different because you all will remember things differently about that day. Now be sure to give your picture a name. This is called a Title. Sometimes the title gives more information about the art. Be sure and sign your artwork, like a real artist. Art and Artists Lesson
Story Art Lesson
Summary Sometimes artists create artwork that tells a story, or they might paint a picture from a story we already know. This is called Story Art. What part of the story will he/she choose- the most exciting or maybe the happiest? It is all up to the artist. Story Art Lesson
Pieter Bruegel The Hunters in the Snow Painted in the 1500 s- Bruegel painted about village life in the Netherlands Tell me a story about this piece of art. We could make up one about the people and another about the animals. Remember, painters are sure to fill up all areas of their artwork. This makes the picture more interesting. Look all around the picture. Story Art Lesson
Grandma Moses Out for the Christmas Trees Print in file What does the title tell you about this artwork? Titles are helpful to figure out the story. Grandma Moses was a self-taught primitive artist who painted in the 1900 s. Her real name was Anna Mary but her art became famous when she was at an older age. Story Art Lesson
Pieter Brueghel Children s Games Print in file
Grandma Moses It s Haying Time Can you see the men working in the fields? Would you like living in the country? Print in file
Project Ideas Read a story to the children and have them draw a picture of the story. Ask the children to think of an upcoming holiday and depict a story that might go along with that holiday. (Be sure and Title, Sign and Frame the pictures the children have created.)
Center of Interest & Repeat Lesson
Summary Today we are going to talk about the Center of Interest in a painting. Also, we will learn about artists repeating shapes and colors around their paintings that move your eyes around the picture. Let s look at some paintings from an artist named Pierre Renoir:
Girl with Watering Can By Renoir What does this title tell you about the artwork? Do you water the garden in these kinds of clothes? The first thing you notice when you look at this picture is the girl. She is the most important thing in the picture. She is called the Center of Interest. Let s talk about the center of interest. What can you tell me about this girl from looking at her? Print in file
Girl with Watering Can By Renoir What else besides the center of interest do you see in this picture? Can anyone tell me what repeat means? What colors do you see repeated? What shapes, lines and colors are repeated throughout?
Center of Interest & Repeat Lesson About the artist Renoir was born in France in 1841. He came from a very poor family and when he was only 13 he earned money by painting flowers on dishes. When machines began painting dishes he decorated fans and blinds for windows. He eventually became a painter and liked painting mothers and children, especially his three sons. Here are two other famous paintings by Renoir.
Center of Interest & Repeat Lesson The Two Sisters, On the Terrace Do you see color and lines repeated in this artwork that moves your eye around the picture?
Center of Interest & Repeat Lesson The Dance at Le Moulin Where is the center of interest in this Renoir painting? We don t all have to have the same answer. Do you like his paintings?
Center of Interest & Repeat Lesson Project Idea Have the children recreate Girl with a Watering Can to be a picture of them with a watering can in clothes they would wear today. Have them fill up the background keeping in mind what we just learned about repeat. Encourage children to use repeated shapes, colors and lines.
Portraits Lesson
Summary Today we are going to talk about Portraits. A portrait is a picture of a person One good way to learn about art is to compare different ways artists paint similar things. What things are alike in these portraits? What things are different? Portraits Lesson
The Fifer by Edouard Manet Would you be able to pose this way for hours? Print in file Portraits Lesson
Van Gogh s Self Portraits Van Gogh created many Self portraits. Artists might choose to do this when they don t have someone to sit for them. Portraits Lesson
Leonardo Da Vinci Mona Lisa Do you know this painting? It is the most visited painting in the world. We don t know if this woman sat for Da Vinci. Some people think Da Vinci started to create a self-portrait and then changed his mind! Print in file Portraits Lesson
About the Artists Manet grew up in Paris, France and painted in the mid-1800 s Van Gogh grew up in the Netherlands and painted in the late 1800 s. In the busiest 10 years of his life he painted about 2,000 paintings. Da Vinci was born in 1452 and at 14 became an apprentice to a popular artist at the time. He kept journals about his ideas on science and art. Portraits Lesson
Project Idea Have the children do a self portrait plus title it. Have them fill up the page with things they like to tell more about themselves. Portraits Lesson
Memory Lesson
Summary First, I want to talk to all of you about memories. Can anyone tell me what a memory is? Or a daydream? Maybe some parts are real and others made-up? Today we are going to see art by a famous artist named Marc Chagall. He never forgot and many of the pictures he painted were of the memories and dreams from when he was a boy. Memory Lesson
I and my Village by Marc Chagall What do you think Marc Chagall is remembering here? What kinds of things do you think the people did in the place where he grew up? Farming was very important. In Russia it is very cold much of the year. Does Chagall remember the cold in these pictures? How is the picture different from others you see? Why do you think the artist put things upside down and sideways? Dreams don t always make sense do they? Notice the girl and cow, harvesting wheat, snow, houses with smoke Print in file Memory Lesson
The Circus Also by Marc Chagall Would you hang this Marc Chagall picture in your room? Can you name the primary colors? Which colors does he use in this picture? Memory Lesson
Project Ideas Have the children remember and draw a picture based on their last birthday party. They might want to make things upside down or sideways, like Marc Chagall did. Have them fill up the entire page. Re-create Chagall s I and My Village. Start by having the kids draw (in pencil) a line from corner to corner on their paper diagonally creating two triangles. Then repeat with the other two diagonal corners so that they end up with a large 'X' on their paper. In one of the triangles they are to draw the profile of a person. They should try to use the whole triangle for this. In the opposite triangle they are to draw the profile of an animal. Again, trying to use as much of the triangle as possible. In the 3rd triangle they should draw what the person is thinking or dreaming about. In the last triangle they are to draw what the animal is thinking or dreaming about. Have the children talk about their works. Introduce collage and have children cut out pictures of things they have done and put them into a collage. Have the collage fill the entire page. Have them think about the arrangement before pasting. Memory Lesson
Subjects in Artwork Lesson
Summary Today we are going to talk about the subject of a piece of artwork. There are many different things artists can choose to paint. It s hard to decide about that subject to feature in their art. Here are some examples: Subjects Lesson
Georgia O Keefe Oriental Poppies Subject: Flowers This artist chose close-up images of flowers for much of her artwork. Take a look at a flower close up and try to recreate the petals sometime. Subjects Lesson
Norman Rockwell Freedom from Want or Thanksgiving Subject: Family Norman Rockwell painted many images for magazine covers. This subject is a family sitting down for Thanksgiving. It is so detailed you can imagine being inside the painting. Subjects Lesson
Franz Marc Two Cats Subject: Pets Have you ever seen cats these colors? Franz Marc created more interesting cats using bright beautiful colors. Print in file Subjects Lesson
Project Idea Create Subject Prints - Have the children pick one of these three subjects for their artwork. Take styrofoam plates and have the children pencil in their design (deep enough to make sure the process is a success). Then cover the design with paint and press onto paper. Have the children title their artwork. Subjects Lesson