GRCC Foundation’s ICA
Art Docent Lesson Plan
Surrealism
[PORTRAIT NO. 1]
Artist Joan Miro I Ferra.
Green River Community College Foundation
Interurban Center for the Arts
LESSON PLAN
Bold Colors of Joan Miro
Portrait No. 1 (1938)
ABOUT THE ARTIST: Joan Miro I Ferra (1893 – 1983)
was a Catalan Spanish painter, sculptor, and
ceramicist. He was born in Barcelona, Spain. He
began drawing classes at age 7 which started his
interest in art. He is known for his focused art and is
associated with the Surrealist movement although
he did not officially join this because he wanted to
be free to experiment with other styles.
This photo of
Miro was
taken by Carl
Van Vechten
about 1935.
ABOUT THE ART: The oil on canvas painting,
Portrait No. 1, (art permission needed) has a
humorous and colorful layout. Miro used bold
colors with sections of white or black in this
artwork. This painting in currently located in the
Baltimore Art Museum.
If you are the copyright holder of the work of art used for
Wikipaintings.org and do not agree that its use on the site is in
accordance with the fair use principle, please contact us by
www.InterurbanCenterfortheArts.org
Art Style
Surrealism is an artistic movement that is based on
fantasy and imagination and is considered dream-like.
Resources
Art Concepts
www.joanmiro.com The Public’s Library and Digital Archive
One way to look at an artwork is through its parts
called the Elements of Art: Color, Space, Form, Line,
Shape, Texture, and Value. (The elements are used in
the artwork through Principles of Design: Balance,
Contrast,
Emphasis, Movement, Pattern, and Unity.)
Option 1: Color (primary, or secondary,)
(recommended for K-1st grade)
Option 2: Shape (Geometric and/or Organic)
Option 3: Line
Joan Miro i Ferra
en.wikipedia.org The Free Encyclopedia
www.wikipaintings.org Visual Arts Encylopedia
http://www.artbma.org/collection/overview/mod ern.html
Baltimore Art Museum
http://www.gallerywalk.org/PM_Miro.html
Green River Community College Foundation
Interurban Center for the Arts
Monster Doodles LINE, COLOR, SHAPE (K-
PROJECT LESSON
6th grade)
Art Project
OVERVIEW: Line
Take a look at Miro’s artwork. What types of lines
(wavy, zigzag, horizontal, vertical, etc.) do you see?
What kinds of colors? Shapes?
Lesson Goals
Practice communicating observations and ideas about
artwork
Learn and recognize the Element of Art: Line
Use tools (colored markers) to create lines in artwork to
create fanciful artwork
Assessment and Reflection
Terms
Line – The mark made with a drawing tool
Types: length, direction, zigzag, curvy, straight, etc.
Materials
Alcohol based markers (Sharpies, Mark-it)
Aluminum foil
Light cardboard / heavy card stock (Cereal Boxes)
Glue Sticks (student supplied if possible)
Directions
Cover the cardboard with glue stick in a thin, even
layer. Then, wrap the cardboard in aluminum foil,
shiny side showing. Draw a continuous, free flowing
line on the foil. Examine your line. Look for implied
shapes that can be colored in to make faces or parts
of faces. Add detail, coloring spaces and shapes
with the broad side of the marker.
Shape - An outline or area surrounded by edges.
Geometric (circle, triangle, square, etc.) organic
(irregular shapes – found in nature)
Color - What we see because of reflected light.
●PRIMARY COLORS: red, blue, and yellow
●SECONDARY COLORS: made by mixing two primary
colors: red + blue = purple (violet) blue + yellow = green
yellow + red = orange