Watercolor Watermelon

Learning Targets

I can...

• Create an original Watercolor Watermelon using painting techniques learned in class
• Use color theory (warm colors, cool colors), line types (horizontal vertical diagonal), and space (positive negative) inspired by Mexican Painter (1907-1954) Frida Kahlo
• Use drawing techniques (overlapping cropping layering) and design principles (composition repetition variation) based on Surrealism
• Define Style (artist portrays subject matter and expressed visual elements through a work of art)

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

1. Viva La Vida, Watermelons (1954) Frida Kahlo

2. Read Viva La Vide! Long Live Life! by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand

3. Discussion Questions "What was Frida Kahlo's full birth name? Why did Frida Kahlo change her date of birth of her birth certificate? Why was Kahlo pretending to be three years younger? What was Frida Kahlo's nationality? Who or what is depicted in most of Frida's paintings? In what year did she join the Mexican Communist Party and fall in love with Diego Rivera? What was the first solo exhibition of Frida Kahlo's work held? Frida began her career as an artist after what? What was Frida and Diego's marriage often called? Who was Frida Kahlo? What are some of Frida Kahlo's most famous paintings? Do you have a favorite artist? What will you include in your artwork that represents what matters to you?"

Lesson Activities

1. Choose 12" X 15" Drawing Paper

2. Add three dimensional shapes (cylinder, pyramid, sphere) to composition of arranged fruit (watermelon) for watermelon drawings

3. Add horizon line in line background (table, fabric, wallpaper) to separate the subject matter from the wallpaper

Reminder:

• Initials & Home Teacher on Back Of Paper

Day Two, Art Start

1.  Retrieve Watercolor Watermelon for Assigned Table

2. Still Life With Watermelons (1953) Frida Kahlo 

3. Discussion Questions "How have you used formal elements such as line, tone, color, and shape? What materials did you use and why? Did they work successfully? What meaning, theme, or message did you want to convey? Were you successful? Are you happy with your final piece? Are any elements or qualities you like in particular? Does your final work the way you thought it would initially? How effective is it? Is there anything you would change? What did we learn throughout this project? Did Frida Kahlo use paint? What kind of paint? What was the world like during her time? what type of failures did Frida Kahlo experience during her life? How do you think this affect her?"

Lesson Activities 

1. Use warm colors (red orange yellow) to fill in the positive space (fruit) of the watercolor watermelon

2. Use cool colors (blue green purple) to fill in the negative space (background) of the watercolor watermelon

3. Use painting tools (brayer, palette, paint brush) to add patterns (floral silk wood) to the Watercolor Watermelons

Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Watercolor Watermelons for Assigned Table

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

Lesson Activities

1. Add highlights (reflective light, light source) to subject matter (fruit) of the watercolor watermelon

2. Add shadows (cast shadow, reflective shadow) to the negative shape (background) of the watercolor watermelon

3. Outline details (pattern floral objects) in foreground (fruit) and middle ground (fabric table) of Watercolor Watermelon

Artist Examples

Student Examples

Contemporary Portraits

Learning Targets

I can...

• Create a Contemporary Portrait using multimedia techniques learned in class 
• Use line types (horizontal, vertical, diagonal), color variation (complimentary, monochromatic, analogous), and space (positive, negative) inspired by Mexican American Artist (1964-Present) Maya Christina Gonzales 
• Use multimedia techniques (layering, cropping, transferring) and design principles (composition, movement, placement) based on Mexican American Art
• Define Portrait (a picture depicting the face, head, and shoulder)

Lesson One

Day One, Art Start 

1. Mother And Daughter Embrace (2009) Maya Christina Gonzales
2. "Just Like Me: Shorties & Self Portraits by Fourteen Artist" by Harriet Rohmer
3. Discussion Questions "When an artist makes a picture it is called a portrait. When the artist makes a picture of himself or herself, it is called a self portrait. How would you describe your looks to someone else? What would you like to learn about when making a face? If you made a portrait, do you think you would do better, worse, or the same a second time?"

Lesson Activities

1. Choose One 9" by 12" White Paper
2. Trace head template lightly with pencil in center of the paper
3. Outline & Trace portrait parts (head, neck, shoulder) with Sharpie Marker

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Contemporary Portrait for Assigned Table
2. Read Aloud The Colors of Us by Karen Katx
3. Famous Artist Quote "We do that more personal work inside so that as our voice comes out into the world it has greater strength and power to it and more authenticity which is not often taught or embraced in our culture, and so, how to become free in an unfree world in a sense and how that frees our voice"

Lesson Activities

1. Add facial features (hair, nose, eyebrows, ears) to portrait
2. Add decorations (barrettes, hair ties, beads for earrings, jewelry) to portrait
3. Use black marker to outline facial features and decorations for Contemporary Portraits

Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Contemporary Portrait for Assigned Table
2. Set Up Studio Area (black sharpies, pencils, erasers)

Lesson Activities

1. Use complimentary colors (yellow, purple; blue, orange) to fill in the positive space
2. Use analogous colors (green, orange, violet) to fill in negative space
3. Add shadows (cast shadow, core shadows) and highlights (reflective light, light sources) to Contemporary Portraits 

Artist Examples

Student Examples