Wassily Kandinsky’s nonobjective style of paintings was inspired by music’s emotional power. Examples of his works may be viewed at:http://www.sai.msu.su/wm/paint/auth/kandinsky/
Goal (Terminal Objective):
Students will create a nonobjective piece of art that will be inspired by music.
Objective:
Students will create a nonobjective piece of art inspired by music in the style of Wassily Kandinsky (pronounced Vassilee) using construction paper shapes and oil pastels.
National Standards:
Visual Arts Grades K-4 Content Standard 1: Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes
Visual Arts Grades K-4 Content Standard 2: Using knowledge of structures and functions
Visual Arts Grades K-4 Content Standard 3: Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas
Visual Arts Grades K-4 Content Standard 5: Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others
Visual Arts Grades K-4 Content Standard 6: Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines
Purpose:
Students will learn about Wassily Kandinsky and how he was fascinated by music’s emotional power. They will create their own “composition” to music using art.
New Vocabulary:
nonobjective, geometric shapes, organic shapes, composition
Materials:
#22-2016 24 ct. Large Sz. Oil Pastel
#22-1103 8oz. Craft Glue
#23-40xx 50 sheets Black construction paper solid color pack
#23-4001 50 sheets construction paper assorted color pack
#22-091412 ct. Pointed Tip Student Scissors Best-Pack
Time:
One art period
Introduction and Motivation (Set):
Ask students what type of music is their favorite. Ask them if they have ever had music make them feel like dancing, or make them feel happy, quiet, or sad.
Explain to the students that nonobjective art has no objects in it, only shapes, colors, and lines. It is a harder type of art to verbally describe to others since it often does not use recognizable shapes and does not contain objects.
Show examples of Wassily Kandinsky and point out the use of shapes, colors, and lines. Students may tend to see objects in the examples, but that is only their own imagination at work since none exist.
Give a brief biography of Kandinsky’s life (Born December 16, 1866 in Moscow, Russia. Moved to Munich, Germany in 1896 at the age of 30 and studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. Moved to France after 1933 when the Nazis closed the Bauhaus School of Art and Architecture that he had taught at since 1922. Became a French citizen in 1939 and died there in 1944.)
Instruction:
Students will begin with one piece of 12″ X 18″ black construction paper. Use 3″ X 4 1/2″ pieces of various colors to create and cut at least three shapes. There can be more than three shapes and the shapes may be geometric, organic shapes, or both. Glue these shapes down onto the black paper.
Add colors onto and around the shapes with oil pastels. Avoid making objects (sun, cars, houses, people, etc.)
Last, add a few lines that will go through and around some of the colors and shapes. Be careful to not add too many lines as this can make the composition look scribbled.
The teacher will play music while the students begin to work. Try to pick music that is soothing to listen to (Yanni, Ottmar Liebert, or classical music) so that the students can experience a time of relaxation while working on this “composition”.
Activities:
(1) Guided Practice:
- Students may choose to simply listen to the music for a while before they actually begin. Others may decide to start right in.
- Students will begin cutting the desired number of shapes in any color of construction paper. Shapes may be drawn with a pencil or just free form cutting may be used. Glue these down onto the black paper using Sargent Art glue.
- Sargent Art jumbo oil pastels will now be used to add colors on and around the shapes. Do not allow the students to use a pencil for this stage since they are not to be making objects. Blend the oil pastels on the paper to look like the way Kandinsky used his oil paints.
- Add a few lines over the shapes and colors.
(2) Independent Practice and Check for Understanding: The teacher will circulate
among the students as they work to make sure that they are staying with the nonobjective theme of this composition. Ask direct questions when understanding is not being observed. The teacher will help when necessary and add positive reinforcement as the students work.
(3) Closure: Students will display their work. The teacher will guide a critique to help younger students to learn the process. Point out the strong qualities of successful compositions.
Evaluation:
Level One- The finished composition is nonobjective. The student has at least three shapes made from construction paper and the oil pastel work is complete so that there is not a lot of the black paper left uncolored. There have been a few lines added to complete the project. The craftsmanship of the cutting and application of the oil pastel is excellent.
Level Two- The finished composition is nonobjective. The student has at least three shapes made from construction paper and the oil pastel work is adequate so that there is some of the black paper left uncolored. There have been a few lines added to complete the project. The craftsmanship of the cutting and application of the oil pastel is good.
Level Three- The finished composition is nonobjective. The student has only a couple of shapes made from construction paper, and the oil pastel work is such that there is lots of the black paper left uncolored. There have been many lines added to the completed project so as to look scribbled. The craftsmanship of the cutting and application of the oil pastel is poor.
Level Four- The finished composition has objects. The work exhibits that the student did not understand the concept of nonobjective work. The student has only a couple of shapes made from construction paper, and the oil pastel work is such that there is lots of black paper left uncolored. There have been many lines added to the completed project so as to look scribbled. The craftsmanship of the cutting and application of the oil pastel is poor.
Extension:
If time permits, the students may wish to use a different media to create another nonobjective composition.
Resources:
www.sai.msu.su/wm/paint/auth/kandinsky/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wassily_Kandinsky
http://www.artchive.com/artchive/K/kandinsky.html
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