Painting Lessons

Painting Lessons
“Art Is Always Right, Art Is Never Wrong”
Art Lesson Inspired By Georgia O’Keefe
Georgia O’Keefe: An abstract artist, who painted
extremely close up views of a single object,
simplified & exaggerated.
Print: Ranchos Church
Artist: Georgia O’Keefe
Grade One and Grade Four
Lesson plans found in Art Docent Handbook
Simplified & Enlarged O’Keefe Inspired Flowers
#1 See attached hand out for step by step painting lesson.
(cited from Usborne art series book)
To use this lesson for K & 1st grade:
I would do a directed draw of a simple flower
(such as a sunflower) on the whiteboard.
Use a black crayon to outline the flower.
Paint with watercolor.
For 2, 3rd & 4th grades:
I would offer several photographs of real flowers and let
the kids select which one to paint.
Project the photos on the active board.
Outline with ultra-fine sharpie marker, then watercolor.
For grades: 5 & 6
I would provide actual, real flowers for them to observe
closely, paying special attention to imperfections &
variations in color & size.
Outline with ultra-fine sharpie, watercolor, go back over
black lines with sharpie as needed.
Alternate plans:
To use this for a color lesson you could have the kids paint
in either a warm (red, yellow, orange) scheme,
or a cool (blue, green, purple) scheme.
How does the color make them feel?
For older kids have them choose a “mood” and create
artwork to convey it. This could tie into a line/drawing
lesson as well. Encourage older kids to choose complex
emotions such as confusion, nervousness, jealousy etc.
Have the kids paint with colors they feel reflect the mood.
Other color lessons:
This lesson works well to teach color by having them select
a monochromatic palette (small range of colors) or
polychromatic palette (large range of colors.) Compare and
discuss at end of lessons. How does it make them feel?
Alternate lesson: you could substitute sea shells (real or
photos) for the flowers.
I have done this if I find have taught lessons with flowers
previously.
Alternate lesson: If the kids are doing science projects and
have a magnifying glass it is great to have them look at real
flowers before beginning this project. Then use the
magnifications in their paintings.
Other options:
This lesson could be done with crayons (younger kids
especially love crayons and is fast).
Crayon resist with watercolors.
Oil pastels for blending.
Tempera paints for color mixing.
Watercolors with or without the addition of sharpies or
black crayons.
Art Vocabulary: Abstract art: art that has no recognizable
subject matter but an arrangement of colors and shapes.