Using color & shape to represent a family
This Social-Emotional lesson is a great way to introduce students to abstract and expressionist works of art and thinking of colors and shapes as having emotional values. This is a lesson I have presented before, but here, though my videos, is more detailed and ready for a classroom lesson.
The introduction is through this video that helps explain the emotional values of color and shape through my book, The Emotional Color Wheel. We use my other book, The Art Student's Workbook to take notes, but this could be done on a hand-out or lined paper. We use this information to sketch and then create a final work of art.
The introduction is through this video that helps explain the emotional values of color and shape through my book, The Emotional Color Wheel. We use my other book, The Art Student's Workbook to take notes, but this could be done on a hand-out or lined paper. We use this information to sketch and then create a final work of art.
The sketch process, detailed in the video below, shows how we first write about family members and then create symbols for each. In total, I find that 8 to 10 is sufficient to create a complete work of art. For those with small families, including extended family may be helpful. I have had students with small families include friends, but I find that if one can focus on the family, we get better results. I discourage the use of pets.
I also let them know that if they have a relative that has passed away, it is okay to include them as well. They might need to interview family members about that person to understand how to represent them with colors and shapes.
I also let them know that if they have a relative that has passed away, it is okay to include them as well. They might need to interview family members about that person to understand how to represent them with colors and shapes.
I show this as a water color painting, but it can just as easily be done as a crayon drawing, an acrylic on canvas, or even shapes on sticks then hung as a mobile. You can see some of these other variations on an older post I created HERE.
When we grade, I have students share about 3 shapes so I can see if they understood how color and shapes are expressive. I let them know they can be as vague as they need to be to feel comfortable when they share. If however, information comes out that you feel should be shared with guidance, laws generally require teachers to be mandatory reporters to protect their students. Sometimes social-emotional lessons can reveal issues that can be a doorway to help.
The other benefit to this lesson is that students will also be able to talk about abstract works of art by considering the possible emotional values to the choices the artist made. Rothko and Kandinsky can be a great way to explore this idea.
When we grade, I have students share about 3 shapes so I can see if they understood how color and shapes are expressive. I let them know they can be as vague as they need to be to feel comfortable when they share. If however, information comes out that you feel should be shared with guidance, laws generally require teachers to be mandatory reporters to protect their students. Sometimes social-emotional lessons can reveal issues that can be a doorway to help.
The other benefit to this lesson is that students will also be able to talk about abstract works of art by considering the possible emotional values to the choices the artist made. Rothko and Kandinsky can be a great way to explore this idea.
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