Painting Assignment

Learning Objectives:
students will understand basic color theory
students will be able to mix tints and shades
students will demonstrate proper tool use and care

Color Theory

It's important that students understand the vocabulary and theory of color, including:

To assist them in understanding these concepts, students will complete a color wheel worksheet that will allow them to practice color mixing and use of the tools.  On the first day, students will be given information that they can write in the appropriate spots of the worksheet.  Discussion over these vocabulary words will help them to understand how the color wheel is to be filled out.  As well, there are a couple of fun experiments that students can participate in to help them understand the concepts of color theory.

As well as understanding the vocabulary and theory of color, students need to understand the proper use and care of painting materials and tools.  This is an excellent opportunity to explain how the classroom materials and tools will be organized and cleaned up.

The color wheel is to be filled out with tints and shades, as well as pure hues.  Tints are color + white, shades are color + complement.  The color wheel is first filled with pure hues in the labeled areas.  The areas that progress outward are filled with tints of that hue.  Each section should have a distinct difference in tint.  After all the tints are filled in, the inwardly progressing sections are filled with shades, mixed with the complementary color.

The color wheel is a valuable tool for students to use in figuring out how to mix colors for their painting project.  They should be able to complete this portion of the unit in 3 class days.


 Delineated Painting

 
Students will learn a little about the work of Alex Katz, and look at his particular style.  Alex Katz is an American artist who was born in 1927.  He was inspired by  pop artists, and his bill-board style work is large and stylized.

The way he works is to create detailed drawings that seperate each color into graduated shades and tints, and to fill those spaces in with flat color.  His work has a flat calm appearance, without blended or brushed color mixing.  He often works in printmaking, which works well with his seperated color style.

 Suggested time frame for this part of the project is approximately 5 - 8 class days.

Links to some of his works and information on Alex Katz:

http://www.alexkatz.com/
http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/katz_alex.html
http://www.rogallery.com/katz-biography.htm
Link to a Real Audio film clip of Alex Katz working on a painting:
 http://alexkatz.com/movie/fivehours.ram

After looking at the work of Alex Katz, students will choose a picture from a magazine to work from.  Products and objects are easier to work with than portraits or figural works.  The student will neatly cut out the picture and glue it onto a large sheet of paper.  They will complete a contour line drawing of the photograph at least half the size of the paper.  Beside the contour line drawing, they will arrange 12 neat boxes at least one inch square.

 There will be 3 components on their paper:  the photograph, the line drawing, and the boxes.  They can use their own judgement as to how they would best be arranged.  Students will mix each color that they use, consulting their color wheel for reference.  Each color will fill one of the boxes as well as the contour line drawing. Students may have more or less than 12 colors, but they can either add or delete boxes as necessary.

Emphasis will be on drawing neatly, color mixing, and craftsmanship.  Occasionally, a student will have trouble with drips or spilled paint on the white spaces of their project.  They can neatly cut out the components and remount them onto a clean sheet of paper if it is overwhelming.
 
 

br>