Help? Elementary school cut the art program

October 13th, 2009, 07:55 PM

...due to budget shortfalls. It really looks like this forum would hold the answers I'm looking for. My fingers are crossed here...

Here's the situation. I'm a mom, trying to help a 4th grade teacher make up for the lack of art class this year.

(I'm not an artist, so please forgive my lack of proper terminology as I try to explain...) This teacher saw me using a "grid" over a small image to help me transfer (duplicate, enlarge?) it onto a wall for some kids to paint. He stopped to tell me about a project he had done in an art class years before where each member of his class had to recreate one square inch of a drawing onto a one-foot square piece of cardboard independently. Then they got together and assembled the complete piece of work. The one he did with his class was of a famous painting and it had only 3 tones; black, white and gray, He said it was an exercise is proportion (?).

He's asked me to do something similar with his class after Thanksgiving. (He said a holiday theme would be nice too. Tall order, methinks.)

So, I started looking online for the right painting to let these kids work with. Again, I’m not an artist. I know precious little about fine art. I’m pretty overwhelmed with all of the possibilities – but I know so little I don’t even know what search terms to use. All I can tell you that so far, I’ve liked some of the things I’ve seen by Henri Matisse. Simple, colorful…

(Specifically, I liked the one with the red people on the blue field holding hands, dancing in a circle. Sorry I don’t know the title, but after reading a few of the other posts in this area, I’m pretty confident you all know what I’m talking about.  Oh, and I don’t think the teacher is gonna like the nudity in that one.)

I’m betting there are better choices and that’s where you guys could help me.

Suggestions? Better ideas?

Any questions for me? Did I leave out any details?

Any help you could offer will be greatly appreciated, and thank you in advance.

Hercules Brabazon · October 15th, 2009, 11:25 AM

What about something by Fernand Leger ? Flat colours, bold outlines, plenty of interest, but nothing too difficult. I rather like this one http://www.musees-nationaux-alpesmar...18096_u1l2.htm

October 15th, 2009, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hercules Brabazon

What about something by Fernand Leger ? Flat colours, bold outlines, plenty of interest, but nothing too difficult. I rather like this one http://www.musees-nationaux-alpesmar...18096_u1l2.htm

Thank you so so much.
Although that particular piece is probably too complicated for the kids, it led me in a whole different direction which was extremely fruitful.

I'm pretty sure cubism is the way to go. (And little did I know, cubism doesn't have to have any cubes in it.) I've got almost two dozen works printed out that I'm going to suggest to the teacher tomorrow. Half are simpler designs by F. Leger. I have several R. Delauney, and then a few others; M. Bill, J. Miro, G. Braque and G. Balla.

Again, thank you very much. I was on the wrong track and the one artist you suggested provided me a good couple of hours worth of viewing.

John · October 16th, 2009, 01:10 AM

I can see a certain amount of art appreciation in this activity, but it doesn't seem much more creative than doing a jigsaw puzzle. Maybe you could do a monochrome piece (with strong lines) and allow the kids to color or decorate their individual segments any way they like.

Or do the opposite... assign each kid a very specific color which should be the predominant color of their segment, and let them interpret it into a design or picture any way they like. Sort of like those photo-mosaics you see posters of.

October 13th, 2009, 07:55 PM	#1
Stacy Posts: n/a	Help? Elementary school cut the art program ...due to budget shortfalls. It really looks like this forum would hold the answers I'm looking for. My fingers are crossed here... Here's the situation. I'm a mom, trying to help a 4th grade teacher make up for the lack of art class this year. (I'm not an artist, so please forgive my lack of proper terminology as I try to explain...) This teacher saw me using a "grid" over a small image to help me transfer (duplicate, enlarge?) it onto a wall for some kids to paint. He stopped to tell me about a project he had done in an art class years before where each member of his class had to recreate one square inch of a drawing onto a one-foot square piece of cardboard independently. Then they got together and assembled the complete piece of work. The one he did with his class was of a famous painting and it had only 3 tones; black, white and gray, He said it was an exercise is proportion (?). He's asked me to do something similar with his class after Thanksgiving. (He said a holiday theme would be nice too. Tall order, methinks.) So, I started looking online for the right painting to let these kids work with. Again, I’m not an artist. I know precious little about fine art. I’m pretty overwhelmed with all of the possibilities – but I know so little I don’t even know what search terms to use. All I can tell you that so far, I’ve liked some of the things I’ve seen by Henri Matisse. Simple, colorful… (Specifically, I liked the one with the red people on the blue field holding hands, dancing in a circle. Sorry I don’t know the title, but after reading a few of the other posts in this area, I’m pretty confident you all know what I’m talking about.  Oh, and I don’t think the teacher is gonna like the nudity in that one.) I’m betting there are better choices and that’s where you guys could help me. Suggestions? Better ideas? Any questions for me? Did I leave out any details? Any help you could offer will be greatly appreciated, and thank you in advance.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

October 15th, 2009, 11:25 AM	#2
Hercules Brabazon Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 118	What about something by Fernand Leger ? Flat colours, bold outlines, plenty of interest, but nothing too difficult. I rather like this one http://www.musees-nationaux-alpesmar...18096_u1l2.htm

October 16th, 2009, 01:10 AM	#4
John John Malyon, host Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 2,401	I can see a certain amount of art appreciation in this activity, but it doesn't seem much more creative than doing a jigsaw puzzle. Maybe you could do a monochrome piece (with strong lines) and allow the kids to color or decorate their individual segments any way they like. Or do the opposite... assign each kid a very specific color which should be the predominant color of their segment, and let them interpret it into a design or picture any way they like. Sort of like those photo-mosaics you see posters of.