Lawren Harris Mountain Landscapes
Learning Targets
I can...
- Create an original Lawren Harris Mountain Landscape using drawing techniques learned in class
- Use line types (horizontal, vertical, diagonal), form (cylinder, pyramid, cone), and value (tints, shades) inspired by Canadian Artist (1885-1970) Lawren Harris
- Use painting techniques (dry brush, wet on wet, blocking) and design principles (gradation, proportion, variation) based on Canadian Art Movement
- Define Style (a distinctive manner of expression in writing, speech, or art)
Lesson One
Day One, Art Start
1. Lake Superior (1923) Lawren Harris
2. Read A Hiker's Guide to the Rocky Mountain Art of Lawren Harris by Lisa Christensen
3. Discussion Questions "How would you feel if you were standing in front of a grand view of a mountain? Are there a lot of old buildings and houses in your neighborhood? Do you know why Dundas Street is not as straight as others in Toronto? Is there an uneven sidewalk or walkway in your neighborhood? How would you draw it? What does it resemble? What would you build in your neighborhood? What would you add? What would you remove? What will your neighborhood look like in a hundred years? How many shapes can you think of? What did Lawren Harris see? What is missing from the painting?"
Lesson Activities
1. Use a ruler, compass, or straightedge to draw the scenery of the landscape paintings
2. Add subject matter (wildlife, rocks, mountain range) within the scenery of the landscape paintings
3. Use black oil pastel to outline the foreground (rocks, mountain range), middle ground (grasses, plants), and background (sky, clouds) of the Lawren Harris Mountain Landscapes
Day Two, Art Start
1. Retrieve Lawren Harris Mountain Landscapes for Assigned Tables
2. Mountain Forms (1926) Lawren Harris
3. Discussion Questions "What make mountains so special? How are mountains formed? Why are some mountains important sites? Which United States states have mountains located within? What can tourists and visitors do when visiting mountains? What is the weather like on top of the mountains? How is each region impacted by specific weather and climate? How do the physical features define the regions impacted by specific weather and climate? How do the physical features define the regions of the United States? What characteristics make each of them unique?"
Lesson Activities
1. Add texture (implied, visual, actual) in the middle ground (mountain range) of the landscape drawings
2. Use analogous colors (blue purple red) to fill in the foreground (mountain range, wildlife, snow) of the landscape paintings
3. Use analogous colors (yellow blue green) to fill in the negatives space (sky clouds) of the Lawren Harris Mountain Landscapes
Day Three, Art Start
1. Retrieve Lawren Harris Mountain Landscapes for Assigned Tables
2. Set Up Studio Area (water bucket, paintbrushes, tempera paint)
Lesson Activities
1. Add highlights (sunlight, reflection) within the scenery of the landscape paintings
2. Add shadows (cast shadows, shadows) within the scenery of the landscape paintings
3. Add details (mountains, rivers, deserts) within the scenery of the Lawren Harris Mountain Landscapes
Artist Examples
Student Examples
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