THE BOLD COLORS OF MATISSE: GRADE 1 MEET THE ARTIST: 5

THE BOLD COLORS OF MATISSE: GRADE 1
Arts4Learning, 2013
South Kitsap School District
Master Artist Series: Learning about Color
Explore the ideas and art of Henri Matisse. Identify and make organic
shapes inspired by nature and geometric shapes from math. Add
bold bright primary and secondary colors and patterns to shapes.
Big Idea:
Combining primary and secondary colors within simplified
shapes and patterns can create bold, exciting art.
Student Learning Targets:
Vocabulary
composition
Fauvism
geometric shape
organic shape
pattern
primary colors:
red, yellow and blue
secondary colors: orange,
green and violet
I can find and make geometric and organic shapes in art.
I can find and use primary and secondary colors in art.
I can find and make patterns in art.
Henri Matisse
(ahn-ree mah-teess)
French artist Henri Matisse (1869-1954) loved simple shapes, bright
colors, and patterns. Around 1900, he became a leader of a new
group of artists called the Fauves (foves) which means “The Wild
Beasts” in French. People were shocked by their crazy colors and bold
exciting brushstrokes.
Matisse did not want to make pictures that looked real. He looked at
the world around him and simplified (abstracted) the shapes he saw.
He was excited about how colors could be combined to jump out and
capture our attention (just like a wild beast would!). He also was
inspired by the patterns of repeating shapes and lines seen in fabrics
and objects from different cultures. Later in his life he made many
collages using glue and colored paper: these are thought to be some
of his most powerful and beautiful works of art.
Art Materials
Pencils, Newsprint practice
paper
Oil pastels: primary red,
blue and yellow and
secondary orange, green
and violet
9 x 12 white drawing paper
Resources: SKSD Print:
The Purple Robe by Henri
Matisse
Individual color wheels
Google search for: Henri
Matisse and the Fauves
(note that Matisse painted
many nude figures, so
preview images before
projecting).
Visual Arts
EALR 1 Applies concepts
and vocabulary: Organic
shape; Primary and
secondary color; Repetition
Common Core Math
1. Geometry: Reason with
shapes and their attributes:
Make shapes to possess
defining attributes
MEET THE ARTIST: 5-10 minutes
Introduce Matisse’s paintings and collages (The Purple Robe from SKSD Print set) through
sharing information above and images of his art from the resource page from his lesson.
Describe the colors you see in Matisse’s paintings: Are they different than the world around us?
In Matisse paintings and collages, are there math shapes that we have names for (geometric)
or curvy shapes form nature (organic), or both?
Name the colors that you see.
Are there any repeating patterns of lines or shapes? Stripes? Dots?
1
WARM-UP ACTIVITY: 5-10 minutes
Brainstorm organic and geometric plant shapes. Guide practice
drawing simple flower, branch and leaf shapes and making patterns
of shapes or lines within those shapes. (pencil on newsprint)
Flowers and plants can be big ovals, football shapes, raindrop shapes,
triangles or rectangle shapes. Practice drawing big shapes!
You can also practice drawing patterns inside of shapes. Patterns can
be repeating lines or shapes!
LESSON STEPS: 30-40 minutes
1. Distribute color wheels to each student. Discuss how primary means
first and that secondary colors on the wheel are made from mixing
primary colors.
Name the primary and secondary colors.
Find the primary and secondary colors on your color wheel.
2. Facilitate student pairs selecting primary and secondary colors that
approximate the color wheel (from a shared box of pastels). Art materials note: A pair of
students can share a box of pastels and work together to find red, yellow, blue, orange, green and
violet oil pastels that match the color wheel, then close pastel box and share colors they have selected
with their partner.
3. Show how paper can be vertical or horizontal.
Demonstrate and guide drawing 5-10 big bold
unique plant shapes that fill the paper.
Draw your shapes so big that they almost touch the
edges of the paper: Fill up the space!
Make sure to include geometric and organic shapes.
Your art will be completely different than the art of the
person sitting next to you.
4. Demonstrate and guide thoughtfully using primary and
secondary colors to fill in composition shapes. Art materials
note: Grubby pastel tips can be wiped off with a paper towel.
Matisse used super bright colors and patterns!
Fill in all of the shapes with color in your picture. Make sure
you use all three of the primary and all three of the
secondary colors somewhere in your art.
Add patterns of repeating shapes or lines to at least one of
your plant shapes. You can draw around shapes with other
colors to make them stand out more.
6. Display art, reflect as a group. Guide self-assessment
using questions below and on p.3.
Where do you see art that really jumps out?
What colors, shapes or patterns make that art stand out?
Describe an interesting pattern you see.
2
STUDENT SELF-ASSESSMENT: 5 minutes
 Point to an organic shape (curvy shape from nature) and geometric shape (math shape with a
name) in your art.
 Check to make sure you used all of the primary colors (red, yellow and blue) AND all of the
secondary colors (violet, green and orange) to fill the shapes in your art.
 Point to a place where you repeated shapes and/or lines to create a pattern.
CLASS ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST
Student
Shape
Color
Repetition
Identifies and
draws organic
and geometric
shapes.
Identifies and uses primary (red,
yellow, blue) and secondary colors
(orange, green, violet) to fill shapes
in art.
Identifies and
makes pattern(s)
of shapes or lines
in art.
total
points
3
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
Total
NEXT LESSON EXTENSION
Make a collage composed of layered organic and geometric shapes in primary and secondary colors.
Mix primary color paints to create secondary colors and compare with the color wheel.
3
Paintings by Henri Matisse
RESOURCES
The Purple Robe
SKSD print Set
Find the primary and secondary
colors in these paintings…
Notice and describe where
you see patterns….
4
Collages by Henri Matisse
(shown in his studio upper right)
Where do you see organic and geometric shapes?
5