Category Archives: Art Appreciation
Georges Seurat’s Picnic in Paris
Artist George Seurat developed a style of painting called Pointillism. With his paint brush, he would apply solid colored dots to a canvas, that, when viewed from a distance, would comprise a specific form. These different forms combined optically to make a picture. Both Claude Monet and George Seurat were from France, so we continued our discussion of France, where it is located, and what it looks like. We then discussed the various attributes of Pointillism, and created our very own masterpieces! When young children learn about an artist such as George Seurat, they are exploring his perspective on the world around him. Learning about his paintings instills an appreciation for art and inspires your little one to express themselves in the same manner.
Paul Cezanne Still Life
Paul Cezanne was a French artist noted for his still-lifes and development of the style of painting that utilized shapes at their most elemental form. He regarded the world as being composed of cylinders, spheres, cones, and cubes. These shapes adorned his many pieces, and he created them with thick paint, using solid outlines to build form. Our lesson commenced with a discussion of Cezanne, where he was born, and the most prominent characteristics within his works. We then talked about what a cylinder, sphere, cone, and cube were, and looked for these shapes around the front yard. Next, we went to work! Using Apples and Oranges as our inspiration, we sought to mimic Cezanne’s mastery of form and shape!
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Van Gogh’s Starry Night
When young children learn about great artists, they are not only gaining cultural perspective, but improving their ability to observe. Young artists are particularly fond of Van Gogh because of his bright colors and bold designs. Using a variety of mediums, we created several versions of this famous masterpiece, and in doing so, adopted his insight and painting techniques. We initiated the lesson with a discussion on Van Gogh, where he was born (Holland), and the attributes we recognized among his prolific works. Your little one then learned about the spirals present throughout the painting, and how they were completed using small brush strokes in different shades of blue. Using markers, oil pastels, paint, crayon shavings, Playdoh, pipe cleaners, and jewels, we created several different versions of this celebrated piece. This activity incorporated several developmental domains. Through a progressive series of steps, your child explored art and the artistic process. Your budding artist also expanded their art vocabulary and awareness of the natural world. Most importantly, everyone had fun doing it!
Starry Night with Foil, Crayon Shavings, and Paint
Creating Starry Night with Playdoh, Pipe cleaners, and Jewels
Picasso’s Blue Period
Picasso is not only recognized for his unique vision of the world, but the emotion he expresses throughout his many works. For this activity, we discussed the visual characteristics of his pieces and the feelings they evoke. We expanded the discussion by associating colors with various emotions. Using several Blue Period pieces as our inspiration, we practiced mixing colors and creating our own masterpieces!
Picasso Geometric Shape Collage
With its significant focus upon geometric themes, Cubism serves as an important avenue for young artists to learn about mathematics and the artistic process. Picasso often used geometric shapes to represent parts of the body. Using “Three Musicians” as our inspiration, we identified the various shapes within this masterpiece, and discussed the body parts that they resembled. Using pictures from a magazine, plastic eyes, and pre-cut shapes, we created our very own geometric shape collage!
Picasso Newspaper Collage
Art projects that imitate the many styles of Pablo Picasso provide an opportunity for all young artists to be successful. The vast array of his works include surreal, abstract, monochromatic, and Cubist themes. This variety inspires experienced and inexperienced artists to perceive the world in new ways. Such awareness furnishes a gracious medium for beginning artists to replicate his unique slant on reality. Using newspapers and glue, we created buildings out of newspaper! Picasso was fond of using abstract components such as newspaper and cut paper, that when combined, formed a unified composition. Your little ones enjoyed creating enormous skyscrapers, houses, and buildings that reached to the sky!
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