Color and Abstract Art
This unit is a condensed 6th grade unit which studies the standard color wheel, color mixing abstraction and acrylic painting. We use a lot of materials for this full unit, we cover color mixing with model magic. Then we create a watercolor color wheel and finally we create a collaborative abstract painting.
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My 6th grade had art as an exploratory so they have me everyday for 7 weeks (35 school days) This allows only a limited amount of time and so I introduce 3 units where this is the second one.
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I think this unit is awesome for artistic confidence. If they follow some simple tips and tricks, this project ends up turning out awesome. Plus I like to give them free range to mix colors and they really enjoy the combinations that they end up with!
Technical Practice and Timeline
The model magic color mixing is one of my top 5 favorite activities. I use red, yellow and blue and I prep them by cutting them into 3 pieces. I wrote specific instructions you can see in the resources sections.
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Overall, the goal and the standards specify that they are to mix and represent all 12 colors.
Lesson Resources
standards
Create: Explain environmental implications of conservation, care, and clean-up of art materials, tools, and equipment.
Respond: Analyze ways that visual components and cultural associations suggested by images influence ideas, emotions, and actions.
Connect: Analyze how art reflects changing times, traditions, resources, and cultural uses.
Learning Target
I can paint and clean up my materials so that I can demonstrate artistic confidence and how art changes through time. I will know I have it when I am proud of my painting.
student examples
Artist Inspiration
This lesson was inspired by 2 obviously famous abstract painters: Joan Miro and Wassily Kandinsky. These are not my best artists pics. They worked really well for this assignment, however I usually like to choose younger or at least living artists that my kids can relate to.
