Submitted by Simon Richards, Middle School Art Teacher,
Manurewa Intermediate School in Auckland, New Zealand
Lesson: Pastel Pointillism
Grades: 6th to 8th grade
Materials:
- 24 COLOUR OIL PASTELS
- A3 SIZE CARTRIDGE PAPER
- PENCIL
- pictures of landscapes
- Prints of work by George Seurat
Procedure:
Aim of lesson: For students to gain a better understanding of the 'pointillist' movement/style and the artists associated with it ('Seurat' etc) and for students to develop skills using oil-pastels. Introduction:
Display posters / books / watch a video on the pointillist style. Focus on an area of a 'Seurat' painting, to highlight the effectiveness of this painting technique / style. Demonstrate to students how to use oil-pastels in a pointillist style by repetitiously dotting colours onto paper to fill up areas.
Choose an appealing landscape painting or picture, from a book or a magazine. Students simplistically draw a landscape picture featuring (a) background, (b) middleground and (c) foreground, land, sea and sky. Students will fill these areas by overlapping appropriate colours, using the dotting effect. They will have to be patient, and concentrate on one area at a time.
Use darker tones of a particular colour when filling up an area first, then work up over the top... lighter tones of that same colour. The effects will begin to appear and students become satisfied at this point!
Students could also demonstrate their understanding of warm and cool colours. In certain areas of the picture, smudge the oil pastel to get interesting effects. Particularly in the sky and water sections of a students work.
Always look closely at an original Seurat painting / picture when working. Always remind students to apply small dots rather than streaks. Build up your work, overlapping colours for maximum effectiveness.
This lesson needs plenty of direction, so that students fully understand the technique and how to apply the oil pastel to the paper! You will get some very interesting interpretations from your students, GOOD LUCK !!!
Alternate: Use black paper
