This page was started as a result
of a Getty Teacher ArtExchange post searching for watercolor ideas. The challenge is
now out to all art teachers to submit your middle school and high school
lesson ideas. Users of the site will be invited to vote for their favorite
WOW lesson. Send your idea
along with one digital image by clicking on the Submit a Lesson link at the upper right side of this page.
Paintings went
on the drying rack
. Next, paper was cut down to 4 1/4" x 6 inch (10,8 x 15.25 cm) cards
(the size of postcards). Then on the back a line was drawn and a square to
indicate a place for the stamp. Then the "bamboo painters" came
in and painted bamboo or some flowers. We have a little round Oriental
stamp to add the finishing touch.
Image is copyrighted - used here without
permission
and will be removed at artist's request.
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Watercolor Batik:
You could do it this lesson with white glue outline on white paper - or
with white crayon - or masking fluid. The lesson would involve taking
pictures around the school yard/parking lot - a day with strong shadows
is best. Use the digital pictures for the paintings - abstract - break
up negative space as much as you want. This adult image is only here as
a reference until a student made work arrives. I do not recall the name
of the artist. Send in an example if you do this lesson. Sue
Galos used Rubber Cement |
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Submitted by Connie Ferguson
Watercolors a la Dürer: (See
lesson plan to on IAD). Student studied the print
Rhinoceros
by Albrecht Dürer (engraving that Dürer did from a description
of a rhinoceros). Student drew an animal of their choice on watercolor paper - leaving a border to be stamp printed. Fanciful patterns were added
to the animal and an eraser stamp was cut to compliment the patterns.
Student stamped the border by coloring the stamp with watercolor markers.
Shown is 8th grade sample. |
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Submitted by Ken
Schwab
Figure
Abstract - 1960's Peter Max -
Students made several contour drawing figure studies then combined them
into one composition. After studying the work of Peter Max and the Beatles Yellow Submarine , they added patterns and words to their compositions.
Colors were chosen subjectively. This is a high school sample of work.
Lesson is adaptable to middle school. (lesson plan)
Also use Oscar
Martinez for inspiration
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Submitted by Ken
Schwab
Endangered
Species Montage Students
research an endangered animal of their choice. After finding several
views, they created a composition combining at least three views -
including one focus down image for interest. Compositions were rendered in
pen and ink and watercolor. This is a high school example - adaptable to
middle school. |
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Submitted by
Woody Duncan
Textured
Watercolor Collage - -Adobe Churches
Complete lesson plan on Woody's site. Students drew Adobe churches
on quality water color paper. torn paper collage elements were added.
Modeling paste textures gave interest. After the collage was complete,
student painted with watercolors. The modeling paste gave some nice
results. This lesson was done with 8th grades and is adaptable to high
school. |
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Submitted by Samantha Shelly
"Leaving the White"
This is a project I call "Leaving the White"
Students have previous knowledge of watercolor techniques Painting must include
Students are to come up with design that overlaps shapes. (abstract, landscape, etc)
Each individual shape uses a watercolor technique. Using visual balance, leave some shapes completely white try to stick with a color harmony. (sometimes you have to deviate) (See
detail image) |
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Submitted by Holly Kincade
Winter Wonderland
This is a watercolor project that I have
done with my middle school students...
Masking
areas of watercolor with tape to do a wash for the sky. Added texture
and interest is achieved with salt to give a snowy effect. The salt also
adds a little glimmer. Dry Brush
techniques are discussed for texture on the trees. From Judy: Make
connections to Grandma Moses and Currier and Yves. |
Lesson from School Arts or Arts and
Activities
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Submitted by Linda Hoffett
Wet-on-Wet Flower Collage
This flower garden that has an impressionistic quality.
Students first do a watercolor wash on a background sheet, using mostly
cool (lots of greens) colors and adding salt and paint splatters for
texture. Next they do a couple pages of flowers, using mostly wet on
wet techniques -- varying shapes, sizes, colors, etc. Next they tear
out the flowers, arrange them on the background and glue. The last
step is to add stems and grass and a few more paint spatters.
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Submitted by Carol O'Neil
Watercolor Note Cards Fundraiser
First I ordered
200 lb. Watercolor Paper from Cheap
Joes. I cut it down some on my Rotatrim . Volunteer students came after school
and we wet the large sheets with water and squirted liquid watercolors on
them and sometimes added salt for crystallizing.
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Lesson Ideas
posted by Getty TeacherArtExchange list members:
From Marian Coleman: We do 3
technique sheets (washes, special techniques and how to create whites) and
then an 11 x 14 (28 x 35.5 cm) landscape watercolor. Students do a basic
composition using photos on 11 x 14 (28 x 35.5 cm) white drawing paper. Then they
transfer to good paper using the window. They must use their
techniques in the landscape.
Watercolor collage is great too. Create different colors/textures on watercolor paper, cut or tear and
create the subject. We've done natural subjects such as animals, fish,
birds, flowers etc. Keep the subject simple for best results.
From Randy Menninghaus: Out of focus
water colors. You have to have access to a slide projector...and
some images. I had slides I had taken of various subjects, a window with
vegetation around it, a simple landscape, some of my irises in my garden.
I imagine if you had any image it would do.
Students had to do three pieces of postcard sized water color paper
brushes, water, watercolors, paper towel. Dim lights. Tell them to work
fast.
1. Day one show image out of focus. Give them 8-10 per image. Do at
least two images. first Instructions. Use wet on wet to capture the
sense of the image. No black in trays!
2. Day two tighten focus a bit. Do the same ten minute per image.
More than one image. Begin to loosely define the image.
3. Day three tight focus. They see image. Refine the details. Don't start over, just resolve what you have - ten minutes each - do all
images.
Water color postcards: Create a list of water color techniques - sponging, salt, wet on wet,
gradations, dry brush, saran wrap scrunched on wet wash, tissue lift off. Do sampler. Final image, cut up your samplers and create a small collage
landscape using the bits of the now dry samplers. I had two examples pre
made.
Draw a face: Can be a self portrait. Using tracing paper repeat 3
times in a grid format - so you have a Warhol like image of four. Ink over
with permanent ink. Apply water color washes. Go for four
different moods.
Wet on wet images: Tape paper down. Dampen. Using soft
puddles color do a wet on wet. Let dry. Look at them. Work into them using pen
and ink. Any subject matter.... Landscape doodle...still life, flowers.
From Ellen Sears: Several years ago
we did some experimental watercolor - special effects, washes... two
sheets of paper, then numbered and cut into strips and wove -
also made baskets with lids (think rectangular prisms.)
This year my 7th graders did crayon rubbings on 18 x 24 (46 x 61 cm) paper - both sides
- water color, salt, scrapings, more rubbings, stampings... tore the paper
into 'pages' (9" x 6" / 23 x 15 cm) ) - piano hinged for the binding and added
small origami books, scraps of sketches, lots of stuff to the pages - then
searched for descriptive passages in text - retyped, cut apart and
collaged in the books. We got in a lot of techniques, color theory, textures... and
they were beautiful... so if everyone is tired - this may be a nice
way to get some watercolor in.
From Wendy Free: The
theme from my final project is machines - from simple (see-saw,
wheelbarrow...) to complex (submarine or computer). Students will
decide upon a subject by choosing a machine that is really important to
them (shower) that they appreciate or use everyday OR one that is
visually appealing to them (race car) OR one that they think is
super-cool. They will procure photos from Google images or bring
them from home. There are several choices for methods of
representation which I have examples of (I got them from art.com
by doing a search for bicycle. There are LOTS of different methods
of representation shown) - from showing the machine in a scene, drawing
a close-up of one or more parts, abstracting, distorting, embellishing
design features... Students will be asked to incorporate design
features into their composition which communicate characteristics of
their machine. they will do a sketch and final enlarged copy in
pencil. Color swatches come next with watercolors. Students
will create a mixed color scheme that includes a full range of values.
They will use those colors to paint their final composition and
incorporate at least one watercolor technique we have learned this year
(wax resist, blotting, etc.). Finally, we will use Ultra fine
point Sharpies and colored pencil as needed for fine detail and
emphasizing outlines. The kids say
they think its a cool last project!
Michael Craig-Martin's artwork somehow
inspired the machines project; I have his pencil sharpener print...
Some other cool machine image artworks: http://www.xs4all.nl/~aboiten/ad389.htm (toward
the bottom)
One of my students
suggested this Sci-Fi artist (he did ALIEN)
http://www.hrgiger.com/frame.htm
Some good info about machines: http://www.mos.org/sln/Leonardo/InventorsToolbox.html
From Vicki Ranck: Another idea is to take
pictures of local landmarks for the students to work from. It makes
the learning real. Not to mention if you got twelve good ones you
could maybe get a calendar printed up.
From Judy Decker: Not an easy project for
end of the year.... "What's the Bigger Picture?" This will
require students to do research on local history. Select a landmark -
or an area of the city - and research what was there before - Find out
some history of the community.
This idea has a picture within a picture. The smaller picture will be a focal point - rendered more carefully and maybe accented with pen and ink drawing techniques to refine. For my "Invisible Art" project, I will select a historical picture of Gregg's Department Store - the last downtown Lima department store to close its doors (1985 - after over 100 years of serving the community). I think I will use the bold colors of John Nieto for this. I may even weave it with a painting of the building the stands in its place (the Allen County Court of Appeals - that also houses the Allen County Education offices - little looks the same as the old store building inside or out). The larger second painting will be of rural fields - the old landscape pre-1960s of Elida Road with drawings of the Lima Mall woven in (built in the mid 1960s). The larger painting will have the story written about how the Lima Mall brought about the downfall of downtown Lima - which now hosts just a few office buildings, court house, a couple restaurants and empty buildings. The larger painting may use colors and distorted perspective of Wayne Theibaud (see his landscapes). The larger painting will not have as
much detail - so the words will show up. Another artist for reference for this unit would be Pat Stier.
Pat Stier - interesting landscapes that could be done with watercolor
collage.
http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/steir_pat.html
The smaller painting could be raised up 3-D from the bigger painting
if desired - with the larger painting forming a frame.
This will be a lesson about changes in the community and a reflection
on the past. This idea actually brings together five separate ideas that were
shared.
The mat to frame it might even be old Gregg's ads collaged. The Lima
News (archives) would be a good source for those. I could take my
digital camera in and photograph them - print them out on a color that would accent the painting - or
maybe "parchment" paper.
If anyone uses this idea - I would like to have a sample to show with
the description - then YOU can be in the contest. I have no need to do
my "invisible art" - I worked at Gregg's for 6 years in
advertising. The closing of the store brought me back to education.
My definition of WOW for this one is Words on Watercolor.
Lesson Plans for Watercolor:
This lesson uses many experimental
techniques.
Georgia
O'Keeffe Watercolor Flowers See Ken Schwab's student work and Sue
Galos'.
Sue Galos -
Watercolor Lessons
Linda Fields -
Watercolor Techniques
Mark Andersons
Watercolor Handouts -Lessons for Elementary
Magazine 
(optional - Barbara likes the look
without the pen marks)