Lines, Shapes and Color

This lesson was done with my second nine weeks first grade classes. I needed a lesson that together incorprated Lines (review from Kindergarten) and geometric and organic shapes (new concept for 1st grade). I found this lesson on www.artforsmallhands.blogspot.com

materials:
manila paper 12x18
Liquid tempera paints (three or four colors plus black and white)
Small containers for tempera paints. I used muffin plastic pans
Large and small paint brushes
Containers of water for rinsing brushes

First day:
We disussed geometric shapes and free form (organic shapes). I drew these on the board. We looked at a couple of Wassily Kandinsky's paintings, at the organic and geometric shapes and use of color. His work is a great intro to abstract art. We talked about how sometimes are can be non-objective, and just be about shapes lines and color.

Using large brushes students painted as many of these different kinds of shapes on their paper. The prints were helpful to inspire free form shape ideas.
They also painted the negative space as well.

Second Day:
We reviewed names of lines and how they can embellish and add to our works of art. Using small brushes with white and black paint they painted lines inside their shapes, around their shapes, in the background, as patterns,etc. First they used white paint as much as they could and then we rinsed the brushes and used black.

I was amazed how most used different lines together and created interested patterend designs. Their creativity blew me away. These were bright and colorful. I tend to favor abstract art do I loved this art project. I would for sure matt and frame as many of these as I could to decorate my classroom/home with.

At the end of the lesson I asked the class what did this non-objective abstract painting remind them of. Several said and busy city and one student even said the inside of a clock. I love it!