Wheatfield With Crows

Learning Targets

I can..

• Create an original Wheatfield With Crows using drawing techniques learned in class
• Use line types (horizontal, vertical, diagonal), warm/cool colors (red orange yellow; green blue purple), and space (positive, negative) inspired by Dutch Painter (1853-1890) Vincent Van Gogh
• Use mark making techniques (dashes, scratches, loose lines) and design principles (composition, movement, variation) based on Impressionism
• Define Brush Stroke (a mark made by a paintbrush drawn across a surface)

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

1. Wheatfield With Crows (1890) Vincent Van Gogh

2. Read Van Gogh And The Colors Of The Wind by Chiara Lossani

3. Discussion Questions "Who is Vincent Van Gogh? Do you know who he really was? Would you like a painting of sunflowers in your room? Why did Vincent Van Gogh become so famous? What did Van Gogh like to paint? Do you like dark colors or bright colors? How can we paint the sky like Vincent Van Gogh? Where do you think Van Gogh was when he painted this picture? What colors did Van Gogh use in this painting? What kind of place do you think this was? Where is the moon? Where is the crows? What do you see in the background? Where did Vincent Van Gogh grow up?"

Lesson Activities

1. Divide the canvas into three parts (foreground, middle ground, background) of wheat field drawings

2. Use observational drawing techniques (contour, gesture, outline) to add basic shapes of wheat field drawing

3. Add directional lines (diagonal, vertical, horizontal) to remember light source direction for Wheatfield With Crows

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Wheatfield With Crows For Assigned Table

2. Wheatfield At Sunset (1889) Vincent Van Gogh

3. Discussion Questions "What does a crow look like? How would Van Gogh paint a crow? How can we create the same feeling of movement in the night sky to tell our own story? What is happening in this painting? Do you see any similarities between our traditions and customs? Where did Van Gogh get his inspiration? Do you think Van Gogh was inspired by the harvest work? Is the bird a profile (from the side or facing the viewer)? What is the setting of the painting? What do you see in the sky of the painting? How many paths do you see cut through the wheat? Which way do you think the crows are flying? If you had to take one of three paths, which one would you take?"

Lesson Activities

1. Use warm colors (red orange yellow) to fill in the positive space (Wheatfield) of the wheat field drawings

2. Use cool colors (blue green purple) to fill in the negative space (background) of the wheat field drawings

3. Use different mark making techniques (dashes, scratches, loose lines) to add colors to Wheatfield With Crows

Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Wheatfield With Crows for Assigned Table

2. Set Up Studio Area (tempera paint, oil pastel, erasers)

Lesson Activities

1. Use different mark making techniques (dashes, scratches, loose lines) to add details (moon, sun, stars) to wheat field drawings

2. Add highlights (light source, reflective light) and shadows (cast shadow, shadow) to positive space (wheat field) of wheat field drawings

3. Add black oil pastel as crows to positive space (wheat field) and negative space (background) of Wheat Field With Crows 

Artist Examples

Student Examples