'Shapes on Shapes' Watercolour Painting

                      

Grade 6 students created these whimsical abstract watercolour paintings based on repeating shapes. I found the lesson here on Artsonia by Art teacher Helene Mitauer from Meredith School in Philadelphia.

It's an excellent lesson on the art element of SHAPE as well as

the principles of repetition, variety and overlapping.

So students started off by choosing a shape then repeating it all over a sheet of heavy white (or watercolour) paper (hearts are extremely popular with the girls!) They can draw templates from scrap cardstock and trace these shapes. Encourage a variety of sizes and encourage the overlapping of shapes.

Overlapping shapes helps create the illusion of space in art.

Draw everything in pencil, then paint the shapes with watercolours.

You could also easily paint them with tempera for a more opaque look.

Let dry and then paint the background.

Now outline all the shapes slowly and carefully with a darker coloured marker.

Then lay out some fun foam for the students to choose from. I had both sheets as well as some hearts leftover from Valentine's Day. Both can be easily found at any Dollar Store. I also had on hand some fuzzy, flocked type paper- I'm not sure what it's official name is...

         

Choose a colour or multiple colours and draw your shape out on the foam and cut it out.

          

Arrange the cut-out shapes onto your painting and decide where to place them.

Glue the shapes onto the painting using white glue.

Ta da!