Winner of the Art Lesson Plan Drawing: Mindy Dember

Back in September, I announced that we would be giving away free brush canisters to art educators from a drawing of lesson plans sent our way.  

Our winner is Mindy Dember from Plano, Texas!!

Mindy Dember is an ART Specialist at Daffron Elementary in Plano, Texas.  She has shared this wonderful lesson plan with us and given us permission to reprint.  

Cubism Warm/Cool Still Life

Objective: 
Working in a group, the student will identify with an ARTIST and recognize the subject matter and style of their work.  They will draw a still life in the style of their artist, filling their paper to create a balanced composition.  Next, by cutting and trading, they will paint 4 pieces; two pieces warm and two cool.  They will then tape their original drawing back together to create a cubist style warm/cool still life.

Grades 5-8

VOCABULARY:

• Warm colors
• Cool colors
• Styles;  Realism, Stylized, Abstract, Impressionism, surrealism and Nonrepresentational 
• Subject matter;  Still Life, Portrait and Landscape
• Balance

RESOURCES:

• ART Everywhere books – all grades
• Postcards of ART work from your own collections
• Large Color Wheel – to point out warm/cool colors

MATERIALS: 

• Books or postcards to look for ARTISTs
• #2 pencil ,  large eraser
• Artist worksheet
• 12” x 18” white paper to paint on
• Objects in a box for students to choose from to set up a still life
• Newspaper
• Watercolor paints
• Brushes
• Sponges for texture
• Water
• Sharpies
• Masking tape
• Puzzle template example

PROCEDURE:

• Divide students into groups of 4, if possible.  Three if you have an uneven amount of kids.
• Assign each student an ARTIST to look at, either using post cards or letting them use an ART EVERYWHERE book.  You could put ARTIST’s names in a bucket for them to choose (each name can be chosen 4 times).  This will determine who they will paint with.  Or just let them choose their own from a list you give them.
• Pass out the ARTIST worksheet for them to answer together. (turn this in for a grade)
• After they decide on one ARTIST, they are to draw a still life with their ARTIST as inspiration.
• Pass out a 12” x  18” sheet of white watercolor or construction paper.
• They will each do a drawing and get a grade for composition.
• As a group, they will set up a still life at their table together to draw.
• Each student will sharpie their pencil lines and then erase any pencil lines showing.
• Fold and cut the drawing into equal parts (or cut on paper cutter) so each student gets one part of the other students’ drawing to paint.  They may use a puzzle template that each one will use, instead of cutting straight lines.  (Show example of puzzle templete)
• Each student should end up with 4 pieces to paint.  Tell them to paint 2 with warm colors and 2 will with cool colors.
• After they finish painting their parts, return the pieces to the original artist  and match the pieces like a puzzle, and then tape them together on the back.

WORKSHEET

ARTIST’s Name
Name of ART work
1. What do you see?
2. Can you name elements or principles of ART that are the same?
3. Can you name elements or principles of ART that are different?
4. What style did the ARTIST paint in?
5. What techniques does the ARTIST use?
6. What other information did you learn about your ARTIST?

Keep Painting, 
Karyn 

For more brush information, check out the Dynasty Brush website.