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Integration
of Art and Drama
Day 4 
Impressionism
Warm-up-
Role play
(5-10
minutes)
Vincent
Van Gogh
Resources:
Van
Gogh, by Melissa McQuillan. 1989, Thames and
Hudson, NewYork.
Van
Gogh, by Ernes Raboff. 1988, Harper and Row
Junior Books.
Materials
needed:
- Picture
of the Carpenter. 1880 by Vincent Van Gogh.
The Rijksmuseum Kröller-Müller, Otterlo.
- Explain
that Impressionism
is a style of art that is not realistic. Artists did not want their art
to look exactly like what they were drawing or painting. They wanted
their
art to show their feeling toward something. Colors were usually painted
in bright colors with wide paint strokes. Drawings were done with
graceful,
curvey lines. Vincent Van Gogh
is the most famous Impressionist. In 1987, a Van Gogh painting called
The
Irises sold for a record 49 million dollars. Since that time, another
of
his paintings sold for around 65 million dollars. Believe it or not,
Vincent
Van Gogh died a poor man. Not many people liked his artwork before he
died.
Vincent was an artist for only the last 10 years of his life but
painted
over 1,700 works of art. When Vincent became crazy, he cut off his ear
and later killed himself. We will learn more about Vincent today.
- We can
learn a lot about artists such as Vincent Van
Gogh. (Show the picture of the Carpenter) As you can see, Vincent had
trouble
drawing things correctly when he was a kid and even up until he was 27.
This picture shows how he drew hands too big and the man had too small
of a head. For the first two years of this time, he taught himself how
to draw. He could have threw up his arms and said, "I can't draw" and
given
up. Instead, he continued to practice.
- Have two
volunteer come up and sit at an empty table.
Tell them that both students are having trouble drawing. One student
will
be very discouraged and finally throw his pencil down and say, "I can't
draw!" That student will then get up and leave the table. The other
student
will look at his picture and say, "this needs a lot of work. I'm going
to practice and become a better artist." Let the students act this out
on their own. Ask all the students which student made the right
decision.
Explain that Vincent didn't give up and became a successful artist.
Activities
Vincent
Van Gogh- Characterization and role
play
(45
minutes)
Materials
needed:
- Print of The
Starry Night, by Vincent Van Gogh. 1889, The Museum of Modern Art,
New York City.
- Song,
Vincent by Don McLean. From his greatest hits
album, 1988.
- 12"X18"
white paper.
- Tempera
paints, water jars, brushes, and paint trays.
- Explain
that Vincent's art work is studied a lot by
counselors because he became crazy at the end of his life. Many say
that
his art work was so different because he was crazy. We don't know for
sure
why Vincent became crazy. Some say it was because he ate his paint and
drank his paint thinner. Some say it was because of a disease. Several
times during his life, he was put in a mental hospital. The most famous
painting done by Vincent was done when he was in a mental hospital one
year before he died. It is called The Starry Night.
- Show
students the print of The Starry Night. Point out
the bright swirls of color and the wavey cyprus trees. Tell students
that
a song was composed about this painting. Don McLean will sing this song
called Vincent. When you hear this song, look at the painting and see
if
you can see the parts that Don is singing about. (play the song)
- Ask:
Where are the blue and gray colors that Don sang
about? (have them come up and point to the painting). Where are the
shadows
on the hills? Where are the trees and daffodils? (The daffodils are in
other paintings Vincent painted) How are we able to see the breeze in
this
painting? (The swirls in the sky) We heard Don tell how Vincent
'suffered
for his sanity.' He also sang that people didn't listen to him,
'perhaps
they'll listen now.' Listen to what? Where are the 'swirling clouds in
the violet haze? Don sang, 'Weathered faces lined in pain are soothed
beneath
the artist's loving hand.' Why do you think Vincent would be an expert
at knowing how to soothe pain in people? (Because he had a life of pain
with his sanity) Don sings of 'when no hope was left inside on that
starry,
starry night, you took your life as lovers often do.' What does 'took
your
life' mean? Why do people kill themselves? Why do lovers kill
themselves
more? Why did Vincent kill himself? Was he a lover? What does Don mean
by portraits hung in empty halls? (Vincent was not popular when he was
alive and not many people came to see his paintings) Don sings that
'they
would not listen, they're not listening still, perhaps they never
will.'
What is everyone not listening to?
- Tell
everyone to remain seated and to close their eyes.
As they listen, they are use their hands, arms, and the expression on
their
face to fit what I will read to them. Read to them the following: 'You
are Vincent Van Gogh. You have worked real hard to become a better
artist
and are proud of your paintings. You love going out in the fields to
paint
your paintings. Picture in your mind that you are painting in a field
and
the breeze is blowing gently across the wheat. The only sound is the
sound
of birds chirping and the leaves rustling in the breeze. You smile
because
it is so peaceful. Suddenly you frown because you realize that you are
lonely. There is no one around. You're only true friend is your
brother,
Theo. You always end up fighting with everyone and they have nothing to
do with you. You ask yourself why hardly anyone likes your paintings.
You
feel sorry for yourself. You cry. You think that there is nothing to
live
for anymore. (pause) Now open your eyes.'
Ask:
Why did Vincent become sad? What made
you happy? Why did Vincent think about sad things? If Vincent wouldn't
have thought about sad things and killed himself, he would have become
very wealthy because people were just beginning to like his art work.
If
we wait, things will get better. Why is it awful when people take their
own lives? Why was it awful when Vincent took his own life? What should
we do when we have problems that are too hard to handle?
- Now we
are going to create our own starry night
painting. Paint like Vincent did with bright colors and large swirls of
paint. Remember to clean your brush when you change colors. Listen to
the
music as you paint. (Play Vincent over again and have them begin
painting.)
Cool-down
Vincent
Van Gogh
(5
minutes)
- After
clean-up, have students go to their seats. Tell
students that they are role playing what they would say to a friend if
that friend was very sad and couldn't see anything that was good. What
would they say if that friend came to them? Turn to the person next to
you and one of you be Vincent Van Gogh and the other be the happy
friend.
Pretend that you are those people. Now switch places.
- Ask: What
were some happy things you said to Vincent?
 
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