Crossing the Empty Quarter Education Pack - Lesson: Watercolour
Lesson Summary:
Students will develop analytical observation skills.
Students will experiment with the medium of watercolour and brush strokes to create
art.
Students will engage in Higher Order Thinking to reflect on their learning and share it
with others.
RESOURCES
PowerPoint presentation of desert sunsets
CEQ photographs of sunsets
Watercolours
Black paint and/or marker pens
Brushes of various widths
Drawing paper
Scrap paper
Masking tape
Scissors
Pots of clear water for painting
Pots of water for cleaning brushes
Paper towels for drying brushes
Soft pencils
Name
Grade
Period
Lesson Plan: Art
Date
Class
Teaching Topic: Watercolour study/sunsets and silhouettes
2.
3.
1.
To be able to use observational skills creatively.
To be able to use watercolour paints/methods to create
art.
To be able to think about what they are learning and
share this learning with peers.
Learning
objectives
(Maximum of
three)
1. Can use observational skills to appreciate and talk about the Success criteria
extent of colour found in nature.
(Maximum of
2. Can experiment with watercolour paint and a variety three)
of brush strokes to create art.
Thinking Skills
1. Look at CEQ photographs of sunsets and Starter
others on the PowerPoint presentation, or sunset Activity
pictures on the internet.
2. Discuss the beauty and magnificence of the
landscapes and skies. How does it make you feel?
3. Observe closely the colours in each sky; go
beyond the obvious colours and look deeply at the
colour palate of each photo. There are many more
colours than you first think.
4. Discuss the contrast between warm colours
(red, magenta, orange); and cold colours (violet,
blue, white).
5. Elicit that the sky tends to have darker colours
higher up and fade to lighter colours as it gets
nearer to the sun.
Understanding –
sharing ideas
Design the picture Main
1. Pairs brainstorm: What is a silhouette? Activities
2. Feedback to the class, share the ideas and
vocabulary produced.
3. Create a class description of ‘silhouette’. Elicit
something like: a silhouette is made when the light
source is behind an object so that the object has
no details; it appears as a dark shape.
4. Choose, or design, a picture to paint. Elicit and
accept the creative responses as well as the
obvious choices.
Applying – using
ideas in a new
way
Using watercolours to paint a sunset
Analysing –
experimenting to
create an impact
1. Demonstrate the following before the students
do theirs.
2. Securely tape paper to a piece of card.
3. With a soft, light pencil line draw in the horizon.
4. Wet the paper with water above the horizon
using a wide brush.
5. Paint the sunset: mix water with carefully
chosen colours, one at a time, and paint onto the
paper in areas resembling the chosen photograph,
or imagination.
6. Tip the painting to the left and watch while the
colours flow and mix. Then tip the painting to the
right until the sunset looks natural.
7. If there are any unnatural patches or lines of
colour still remaining, lightly brush them out and
clean brush tip.
8. Dry.
Creating silhouettes
1. Paint the silhouette: choose a dark colour and
fill in the space below the horizon.
2. Practice making different strokes, dabs, flicks
with brushes and watercolours on scrap paper.
3. Use some of these techniques to paint a
silhouette(s) (tree, shrub, grasses, camel,
person…) against the sunset. Students can be
literal, or suggestive, in their portrayal.
4. Sign and date the picture.
Artists to present paintings and explain how they Plenary
created their favourite effect(s); what
mistakes/successes they experienced; share what
they have learnt.
Remembering –
reviewing
experience