MiSs Rs ArT RoOm

Van Gogh Chair Paintings

Learning Targets

I can...

• Create an original Van Gogh Chair Painting using painting techniques learned in class
• Use color combinations (complementary, analogous, monochromatic), line variation (horizontal, vertical, diagonal), and value (lightness, darkness, tints, shadows) inspired by Post Impressionist Painter (1853-1890) Vincent Van Gogh
• Use drawing techniques (observational, perspective, blocking shapes) and design principles (proportion, composition, variation) based on Post Impressionism
• Define Impasto (a technique where paid is laid on a canvas so thickly that it stands out in three dimensions, leaving brush or palette knife strokes clearly visible)

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

1. Van Gogh's Chair (1888) Vincent Van Gogh

2. Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain by Betty Edwards

3. Discussion Questions "What was Van Gogh's relationship with fellow artist Gauguin like? How did Van Gogh represent his thoughts about himself and his friends in his chair paintings? How does Van Gogh use everyday objects as a form of a self-portraiture? How do artists tell stories about life and personality? When looking at the arms, legs, seats, and backs of the chair, what do you think this chair is made of? Can you identify the materials used to make this chair? Did you know Vincent Van Gogh lived in various places such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Britain, and France? How does this unusual scene show Vincent Van Gogh's personality, love of nature, and home comfort? How is this painting a statement of friendship between two artists? How do the vertical lines and diagonal lines show movement in this artwork?"

Lesson Activities

1. Use line types (horizontal, vertical, diagonal) to draw the basic shapes (oval, circle, triangle) for the positive space (chair, foreground) of the Van Gogh Chair Paintings

2. Use oil pastels to add line types (horizontal, vertical, diagonal) to the positive space (foreground, middle ground) of the Van Gogh Chair Paintings

3. Use oil pastels to add line types (horizontal, vertical, diagonal) to the negative space (background) of the Van Gogh Chair Paintings 

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Van Gogh Chair for Assigned Tables

2. Gauguin's Chair (1888) Vincent Van Gogh

3. Discussion Questions "What is negative space? How might focusing on it be used as a strategy for observational drawing? Is the space in this painting positive or negative? What is a negative space drawing? How is drawing negative space related to drawing contour lines? Is the background of the picture positive or negative? What is the main object of this positive and negative space artwork? Does anyone want to share where the positive and negative space is in this image? Where is the positive space in both paintings? Where is the negative space in both paintings? What does it captivate, in terms of emotions, to the audience of negative space? What are three basic elements of composition needed in drawing? What is the different between negative and positive space? Which do you think is more important negative space or positive space?"

Lesson Activities

1. Use color combinations (analogous, complementary, monochromatic) to fill in the positive space (foreground, middle ground, chair) of the Van Gogh Chair Paintings

2. Use color combinations (analogous, complementary, monochromatic) to fill in the negative space (background) of the Van Gogh Chair Paintings

3. Use drawing techniques (blending, layering, overlapping) to add contrast to the composition of the Van Gogh Chair Paintings 

Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Van Gogh Chair Paintings for Assigned Tables 

2. Set Up Studio Area (paint brushes, tempera paint, paint paste) 

Lesson Activities 

1. Add highlights (reflective light, light source) to the positive space (foreground, middle ground, chair) of the Van Gogh Chair Paintings

2. Add shadow (cast shadow, shadow) to the negative space (background) of the Van Gogh Chair Paintings

3. Add overlapping shapes (circles, ovals, triangles, rectangles) to the positive space (foreground, middle ground, chair) of the Van Gogh Chair Paintings

 Artist Examples

Student Examples

Flanders Fields Poppies

Learning Targets

I can...

• Create an original Flanders Fields Poppies using painting techniques learned in class
• Use color combinations (complementary, analogous, primary), shape variation (geometric, organic, free form), and texture (actual, visual, implied) inspired by French Humanitarian (1878-1961) Madame Anne Guerin
• Use landscape techniques (perspective, layering, spatial awareness) and design principles (proportion, composition, balance) based on Commemorative Activism
• Define Landscape (a genre that depicts natural scenery such as mountains, trees, rivers, and forests) 

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

1. Poppy Field Near Argenteuil (1873) Claude Monet

2. Read The Poppy Lady: Moina Belle Michael And Her Tribute To Veterans by Barbara Elizabeth Walsh 

3. Discussion Questions "How did Anna Guerin's idea for an Inter Allied Poppy Day differ from Moina Michael's initial Victory Emblem concept in the United States? In what ways did her plan create a charity model by paying French widows and orphans to manufacture artificial poppies? What strategies did Madame Guérin use to pitch the poppy flower to the veterans organizations of different nations? Why did her distribution of French-made poppies phrase out as Allied nations like the United States and Australia set up their own local veteran factories? What does her travel record reveal about her personal commitment to the Allied cause? How did her prewar work promote French culture in Great Britain help build the networks she later relied on for her humanitarian campaign? Why was Madame Guerin's name lost to history for a century compared to other wartime figures?"

Lesson Activities 

1. Use ruler, compass, straightedge to draw the scenery (background, foreground, middle ground) of the Flanders Fields Poppies

2. Add details (buildings, animals, plants, landscape) within the positive space (foreground, middle ground, flowers) and scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Flanders Fields Poppies 

3. Use oil pastels to outline the positive space (foreground) and scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Flanders Fields Poppies 

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Flanders Fields Poppies for Assigned Tables 

2. Poppy Field (Giverny) (1890-1891) Claude Monet

3. Discussion Questions "How do modern grassroots research projects help to uncover identities of women lost to history? How does Madame Anne Guerin's personal legacy fit into Remembrance Day? How does the historical narrative of the remembrance poppy flower vary across different countries such as the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia? How do poppies represent world history, gratitude, and peace to various people? Did you know poppy flowers are France's official national symbol of remembrance for veterans? Did you know the blue cornflower, bleuet de France, is the flower for war victims? Did you know a French woman named Madame Anna Guerin helped turn red poppy flowers into a global symbol of remembrance? How did her experiences shape her career as an educator and public speaker? How did John McCrae's iconic poem In Flanders Fields inspire Madame Guerin to transition from handing out charity buttons to distributing artificial flower boutonnieres?" 

Lesson Activities

1. Add patterns (swirls, clouds, stars) into the scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Flanders Fields Poppies 

2. Use color combinations (analogous, complementary, primary) to fill in the scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Flanders Fields Poppies

3. Use primary colors (red yellow blue) to fill in the scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Flanders Fields Poppies 

 Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Flanders Fields Poppies for Assigned Tables

2. Set Up Studio Area (watercolor, paint brushes, water buckets, oil pastels) 

Lesson Activities

1. Add highlights (reflective light, light source) within the scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Flanders Fields Poppies 

2. Add shadows (reflective shadow, cast shadow, shadow) within the scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Flanders Fields Poppies

3. Add details (animals, buildings, flowers) within the scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Flanders Fields Poppies

Artist Examples

Student Examples 

 Art Museum Sculptures

Learning Targets

I can...

• Create an original Art Museum Sculpture using drawing techniques learned in class
• Use shape variation (geometric, organic, free form), form (two dimensional, three dimensional), and texture (actual visual implied) inspired by Chinese American Architect (1917-2019) I.M. Pei
• Use sculpture techniques (carving, casting, assembling, modeling) and design principles (proportion, movement, composition) based on Modern Architecture
• Define Museum (a public or private non-profit institution that collects, preserves, studies, and exhibits works of visual art for entertainment)

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

1. Louvre Pyramid (1983-1984) I.M.Pei

2. Read The Glass Pyramid: A Story Of The Louvre Museum And Architect I.M.Pei by Jeannie Walker Harvey

3. Discussion Questions "What do museums want people to learn and why? Who are museums hoping to attract and why? Are there any culturally significant objects you would include in your museum? Is there an item passed down from your family or an item from your home country you could include? How can you document the important information about each item? Did you know most museums record the date it was collected, where the artwork came from, and a brief description of the object? How does visiting museums help motivate us to learn more about art history? What are the colors, shapes, and objects you can see without giving any facts? Why is touching artwork forbidden and how do guards protect the work for the future? How can buildings reflect the relationship between people and the environment?" 

Lesson Activities

1. Choose Three 12 X 12 Cardboard Sheets 

2. Use three compositional elements (shape, color, texture) to represent a memory, place, or event from ones own heritage 

3. Use line variation (wavy, straight, curved) as a design principle (balance, movement, repetition) with the Art Museum Sculptures 

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Art Museum Sculptures For Assigned Tables 

2. Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame (1995) I.M. Pei

3. Discussion Questions "What do you notice about this art museum building? How would you describe it to someone who has never seen it? What do you see that makes you say that? What details might have been inspired by nature or ancient civilizations? What might this museum suggest about the relationship between local people and their environment? What evidence supports your ideas? What might this suggest about your communities outlook on the natural world? How does each work of art reflect the natural world? How does your building look from different sides? How do visitors walk through this museum? What is the mood of your museum, and how will your building shape reflect that? Will your building be historical and classical, or sleek and modern? How will people enter your museum? What makes your building look like a museum rather than an office building, home, or school?"

Lesson Activities

1. Use compass, protractors, and texture plates to add symmetrical shapes (circle, triangles, squares) to the Art Museum Sculptures 

2. Use form (two dimensional, three dimensional) to fill in the positive space (foreground, middle ground) of the Art Museum Sculptures 

3. Use form (two dimensional, three dimensional) to fill in the negative space (background) of the Art Museum Sculptures 

Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Art Museum Sculptures for Assigned Tables 

2. Set Up Studio Area (washable markers, glue sticks, scissors, colored pencils) 

Lesson Activities

1. Use scissors to cut out two dimensional symmetrical shapes (circles, triangles, squares) to create a three dimensional Art Museum Sculptures

2. Glue Down three dimensional symmetrical shapes (circles, triangles, squares) to create a three dimensional Art Museum Sculptures

3. Add decorations (old art, newspaper, fabric scraps, colored paper, buttons, collage) to positive space (foreground, middle ground) of the Art Museum Sculptures 

Artist Examples

Student Examples

 Dizzy Vase Drawings

Learning Targets 

I can...

• Create an original Dizzy Vase Drawings using drawing techniques learned in class
• Use line types (horizontal, vertical, diagonal), shape variation (geometric, organic, free form), and texture (actual visual implied) inspired by Italian Artist (1890-1964) Giorgio Morandi
• Use drawing techniques (outline, contour, shading, cross hatching, mapping) and design principles (proportion, gradation, composition) based on Magic Realism
• Define Cast Drawing (the traditional academic practice of drawing a three-dimensional sculpture or plaster cast from real-life observation)

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

1. Still Life With Vase On Table (1931) Giorgio Mordani 

2. Read The Charles Barque Drawing Course: Illustrations by Charles Barque 

3. Discussion Questions "How are three fundamental drawing skills: proportion, symmetry, and tone used in this artwork? How does drawing basic forms such as spheres, cubes, and cylinders improve our drawing skills? Did you know the original version of Bargue's Drawing Course consisted of 197 loose leaf plates published in 1868? Did you know this drawing manual became one of the most successful for training young artists and designers? What organic shape and line variation do you see in this master copy? Did you know the most famous art school in the world was Ecole des Beaus-Arts in Paris, France? Is your drawing the exact same scale as a reference? Did you know before artists were allowed to paint giant castles or mighty hereos many had to pass as secret test of drawing a vase?"

Lesson Activities 

1. Choose 12" X 15" Drawing Paper 

2. Trace three pottery shapes (cylinder, bouquet, bud, trumpet, pitcher) onto drawing paper for the Dizzy Vase Drawings

3. Outline three pottery shapes (cylinder, bouquet, bud, trumpet, pitcher) with black sharpie marker for the Dizzy Vase Drawings 

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Dizzy Vase Drawings for Assigned Tables 

2. Still Life (1946) Giorgio Mordani 

3. Discussion Questions "Can you name the solid shapes in this picture? How do forms change based on your viewpoint? What do contour lines look like on various forms? How does lighting affect values on forms? How is this picture different from real life? What interests you most about this work of art? Which object seems closer to you? What can you tell me about the colors of this drawing? How do you think the artist made this work? What questions would you ask the artist about this artwork if he were here? What do we know about these vase paintings? How does contrast work to establish three-dimensional form? How do we use perspective to create a cube? How would you describe the lines in this picture? How would you describe this painting to a person who could not see it?"

Lesson Activities

1. Use earth tones (black, brown, red, yellow, orange) to fill in the positive space (foreground, middle ground) of the Dizzy Vase Drawings 

2. Use earth tones (black, brown, red, yellow, orange) to fill in the negative space (background) of the Dizzy Vase Drawings 

3. Add decorations (meanders, flowers, spirals) to the positive space (foreground, middle ground) of the Dizzy Vase Drawings 

Day Three, Art Start 

1. Retrieve Dizzy Vase Drawings For Assigned Tables 

2. Set Up Studio Area (markers, colored pencils, chalk, oil pastels)

Lesson Activities

1. Add designs (animals, plants, people, flowers, triangles, spirals) to fill in the positive space (foreground, middle ground) of the Dizzy Vase Drawings

2. Add designs (animals, plants, people, flowers, triangles, spirals) to fill in the negative space (background) of the Dizzy Vase Drawings

3. Add pottery parts (lip, neck, shoulder, body, foot) to fill in the positive space (foreground, middle ground) of the Dizzy Vase Drawings 

Artist Examples

Student Examples 

 Provence Lavender Fields Paintings

Learning Targets 

I can...

• Create an original Provence Lavender Fields Paintings using drawing techniques learned in class
• Use shape variation (geometric, organic, free form), line types (horizontal, vertical, diagonal), and texture (visual actual implied) inspired by American Artist (1981-Present) Erin Hanson
• Use painting techniques (layering, dry brush, wash) and design principles (repetition, variation, movement) based on Open Impressionism
• Define Landscape (a picture, painting, or drawing that shows outdoor scenery)

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

1. Hills Of Provence (2026) Erin Hanson

2. Read Paris Adventures For Kids: Interactive Travel Journal by City Line Press

3. Discussion Questions "What type of brushstrokes did you use for the tiny flowers? How do you make the flowers in the front look closer than the ones in the back? What kind of feeling of memory do you want people to get when looking at this? If someone could step inside your painting, what sounds or smells would the person notice first? What was the hardest part of the landscape painting to paint, and how would you solve this problem? How does the sky change the colors you will see in the field? What can you add to the foreground to make the fields look huge? What kind of weather or time of day does your painting feel like? How will you decide where the land meets the sky? How will you show the way the sunlight hits the top of the pants? What color will you use for the shadows between the rows?"

Lesson Activities

1. Use ruler, compass, straightedge to draw the scenery (background, foreground, middle ground) of the Provence Lavender Fields Paintings 

2. Add details (buildings, animals, plants) within the positive space (foreground) and scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Provence Lavender Fields Paintings

3. Use colored sharpies to outline the positive space (foreground) and scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Provence Lavender Fields Paintings 

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Provence Lavender Fields Paintings for Assigned Tables 

2. Provence Lavender (2024) Erin Hanson

3. Discussion Questions "What are the three parts of landscape paintings? What do you see? What do you think it would sound like in this place? What do you think it would smell like in this place? Is the painting warm colors or cool colors? What season do you think it is in this landscape painting? What would you do if you were in this painting? How does this artwork make you feel? What are the different areas (foreground, middle ground, background) in this painting? What objects, shapes, or colors can you find in these different fields? Is this a place you would want to visit? What would you wear if you were visiting this landscape? Why would artists choose to work outside? What are the different colors and feelings used for different seasonal landscapes?" 

Lesson Activities

1. Add patterns (swirls, clouds, stars) into the scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Provence Lavender Fields Paintings 

2. Use secondary colors (green orange purple) to fill in the scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Provence Lavender Fields Paintings 

3. Use primary colors (red yellow blue) to fill in scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Provence Lavender Fields Paintings  

Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Provence Lavender Fields Paintings for Assigned Tables 

2. Set Up Studio Area (water bucket, paint brushes, watercolor) 

Lesson Activities 

1. Add highlights (reflective light, light source) within the scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Provence Lavender Fields Paintings 

2. Add shadows (reflective shadow, cast shadow, shadow) within the scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Provence Lavender Fields Paintings 

3. Add details (animals, buildings, people) within the scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Provence Lavender Fields Paintings 

Artist Examples 

Student Examples