Wednesday Art in the Afternoon 9.21.11

Today in art in the afternoon we started by drawing mandalas with oil pastels. We used this time and the drawings to introduce ourselves. As the children drew they began to notice the effects of blending different colors with the result of obtaining an entirely new color.

One student asked about and commented on the diagram that explains black as the strongest color and white as the weakest. We then discussed the reasons for the importance of mixing the stronger into the weaker as the effects are more noticeable. Because the class showed such strong interest in color mixing, Kathryn decided to supply them with tempera paint in ice cube trays, each with two white, two yellow, one blue, one red, and allow them to explore mixing color for themselves.

She demonstrated mixing the stronger color into the weaker with popsicle sticks and/or small spoons. Allowing them to mix first without supplying the paper helps to keep the mixing in the trays and not as much on the paper. The class came up with a vast array of colors and were asked to name each of them. These were then documented on a large sheet of paper with the newly created color’s name as well as the creator’s name listed below the color. One girl created a gray color and named it “Dolphin” and then proceeded to paint a dolphin as her painting. Another created a variety of colors, strawberry icing cake being one, and covered her entire paper with all of them.

Another girl painted an alien swimming in water and had an elaborate story to tell when asked about her painting. After everyone finished painting, we hung them on the wall and the children moved into the building area. The boys created a train and one girl experimented with colored and wooden blocks on the light table.