Project/Unit description/Expedition.
In this lesson students are once again playing the role of an artist explorer. They will be introduced to the new medium of water color and use their sketchbooks to see how many ways they can experiment with the watercolors and their newly gained knowledge of oil pastels. Students will use their past knowledge of pastels, using shapes, and their new medium of water color to create an image of themselves in their chosen background. They can show them selves at their home, in the forest, at a beach... the choice is theirs! They will use shapes not only to help crate themselves, but explore how shapes
Students will continue to explore pastels and how they interact with watercolors. They will use shapes not only to help create themselves, but explore how objects in the students chosen backgrounds can be made using simple shapes as well. They will be asked to use both pastels and watercolors in their image.
Essential Understanding. Artists explore materials and solve problems as they create art.
Inquiry/Learning target.
Using oil pastels and watercolors, students will learn a new medium and how the two interact together. . They are working with basic shapes to illustrate their stories, and will continue to think about how these shapes can help create forms and imagery to tell stories in their artwork.
Key Concept(s).
Observe
Create
Exploration
Problem-solve
Skill(s).
Understanding how to work with watercolors.
Observing and identifying shapes used in figures and background forms.
Creating a figure and background context using simple shapes.
Reflecting and discussing their own artwork with others.
Art Focus.
Students will focus on how to use simple shapes to illustrate their desired image in a more realistic way using oil pastels and watercolors.
Literacy Focus.
Students will be able to discuss new discoveries they made exploring watercolor in their sketchbooks, and be able to discuss their choices and how they used shapes to help create their images.
Documentation.
In today's lesson, students were introduced to a new medium, watercolors. They were shown a short demonstration on how to use watercolors and how they can interact with oil pastels. Students took some time to explore and make new discoveries in their sketchbooks. Students then regrouped and revisited what shapes make up the human figure, and what shapes make up possible forms used in the background of images. The students discussed as a class how to use these shapes in their background choices to make it easier to depict. Students observed artwork with scenery and buildings, and picked out shapes that they were able to see. They used what they observed and used shapes to create an image of themselves including a background scene of their choosing using the oil pastels and watercolor. Students used both mediums in unique ways and were able to create images of themselves with more focus on what they wanted to show in their background using simple shapes.
This student describes what he found exploring the two mediums in his sketchbook and what happened when he covered the light pastel with the watercolor using a darker color. |
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This student did the opposite and explored using the pastel to go back over and layer on top of the watercolor. He was able to see how the color showed up differently on the two different watercolor layers and which allowed the pastel to show up more. |
Students made many new discoveries. Many enjoyed using the oil pastel first and then the water color over top. "The pastels don't get covered up with the paint," and "when you put down water and then add drops it looks like firecrackers," were several ways students discussed their findings when using both mediums together.
After the students had time to explore in their sketchbooks, they revisited our conversation about how to use shapes to depict the images they want. They observed new posters with scenery and picked out shapes the artists used to show their backgrounds.
After our discussion, students returned to their tables and began designing their image of themselves with a background of their choice using both the oil pastels and watercolors.
This student discussed how they used the pastels first to help draw their figure, and then went over and filled in the shape with the watercolor. |
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This student describes her process and what she decided to show in her image as her chosen scenery. She used different shapes to help depict her images in a more realistic way and used both the pastel and the watercolor to show her story. |
In this image the student chose her blue house, a tree, and an orange sun for her background.
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This student illustrated a story about a camping trip he went on with a night sky, mountains, and a blue tent.
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This student drew herself with very colorful clothes and included two trees in her background.
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In this image, the student depicted his dad and himself standing next to their blue home with the grass and tree that show his front yard.
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The students have really enjoyed exploring the new mediums in our last lessons and using them to create images of themselves. They are working with basic shapes to illustrate their stories, and will continue to think about how these shapes can help create forms and imagery to tell stories in their artwork.