Unit Outline for “Painting Stella Style”
Starting April 8th, 2015
Prepared by Kathleen Nash
Objectives: To explore colour theory and painting techniques using acrylic paint, as well as shape and
form through painting on unconventional shaped surfaces. Students will apply skills day assignments to
scaffold activities as an integral part of the project. Each part contributes to the whole and process is very
significant to the finished works so students will learn to work systematically while applying complex
concepts related to the elements and principles of design. Learning is very hands on and participatory.
Students will be working with the uncertainty of a plan for the overall finished piece. They will be
working on the different parts first, and creating an Assemblage when all components are complete.
Activities
Wednesday
April 8th
Hook
Skills day
#1:
Painting
prep and
care
procedure
s; Intro to
Stella unit
Painting
cardboard
with Gesso
in center of
room as
soon as
class begins
Prep
Teacher
objectives
Students
will…
Supplies
and
resources
Rearrange
desks (half
circle with
open center
for painting
area)
Engage
students by
getting them
physically
involved
immediately.
Lead the
preliminary
steps
necessary for
the project,
using it as an
opportunity to
give an
interactive
demonstration
on painting
technique,
prepping a
“canvas”, and
proper
brush/paint
Participat
e in
painting
the
cardboard
in
preparatio
n for their
Stella
project
Gesso
Properly
clean up
and care
for
brushes
and all
materials
that they
use.
Sheets for
floor
coverage
Set up
brushes
and rollers
Put out
cardboard
and Gesso
Paint
brushes
Rollers
Cardboard
Smocks
Intro to
new
concepts
and/or
theme
Process
teachings
Result
clean up and
storage.
Introduce
Create PPT Midway
Frank Stella and
through class
unit and his correspondi Introduce
take on
ng video
Frank Stella
shaping the clips
and what we
canvas
will be doing
Create and via PPT that
photocopy
includes:
“Skills
Video clips,
Days”
photo
rubric
examples, a
quick review
of relevant
elements and
principles of
design (term
with photo
example as
well as the
“skills days”
rubric)
Demo
Have all
During hook
proper
materials
activity (Gesso
brush and
actively on painting) and
paint/tray
the go and
as it wraps up,
clean up
ready for
instruct
and care
clean up
students along
the way
(painting and
cleaning along
with them).
Ensure they
understand
the proper
clean up and
storage
procedures for
painting
materials.
Surfaces
are primed
and ready
*To wrap up
have students
think about
and sketch
shapes if time
allows
Fulfilled the Taught
prep
students the
portion of
basics of
After
Gesso
painting is
complete,
give
teacher
full
attention
for the
introducti
on of the
“Painting
Stella
Style” unit
PPT-Stella
Listen as
teacher
demonstra
tes
painting
tips and
clean
up/storag
e
procedure
s.
Brushes
Ensure
that
correct
care, clean
up and
storage is
practiced.
Students
know the
proper
Video clips
Posters of
elements
and
principles
of design
Gesso
Trays
Sinks
Clean up
and
storage
hand out
to continue
Activities
the
painting prep,
assignment. technique,
clean
Students
up/storage
are ready to and caring for
move on to materials.
Shape/form
“Skills day
Introduced
#2”, and
Frank Stella
their
unit to
cardboard
students.
“canvases”
are ready to
be shaped
during
tomorrow’s
lesson.
way to
prep a
“canvas”
with gesso
and have
done so.
Prep
Teacher
objectives
Students
will…
Supplies
and
resources
Teacher will
be cutting out
shapes as
students
arrive. She will
invite them to
join in and get
them all
involved in
cutting out
several
(between 5
and 7) shapes
each.
After shapes
are cut out
and students
are seated
with them,
Students
will cut
out a
variety of
shapes in
different
sizes
(between
5 and 7)
that are
interestin
g to them.
Scissors
Thursday
April 9th
Skills day
#2: Shape
and Form
Hook
Cutting out
various
interesting
shapes
from the
primed
cardboard
“canvas”
Keep same
classroom
arrangeme
nt as skills
day #1 with
painting
space in
center of
room
Elaborate
on shapes,
the
difference
between
Have
students
finish
cutting
their
Intro to
new
concepts
and/or
theme
Students
have been
acquainte
d with
Frank
Stella’s
work as
well as
their
upcoming
Stellainspired
project.
Exacto
knives
Pencils
Protractors
and such
drawing
tools for
optional
use
Finish
Glue gun
cutting out
5-7 shapes Pencil
and take a
seat while Primed
shape and
form as
well as the
relationship
to
shape/form
with line.
shapes and
take a seat.
Photocopy
rubrics to
distribute
to students.
Prepare
demonstrat
ion and
have
materials
on hand for
creating
form.
Process
teachings
Result
Cut out
shapes
alongside
students
and show
them how
as we go
Students
will have all
shapes cut
out that
Prepare a
sample of
an already
created
form made
out of
cardboard.
Emphasize
the
reinforcem
ent of
certain
areas for
support.
elaborate on
shape, the
difference
between
shape and
form as well as
the
relationship to
shape/form
with line.
teacher
gives
presentati
on/instruc
tions.
Listen
attentively
to
shape/for
m talk and
Also do a
instructio
demonstration ns for
on
creating
fastening/crea form with
ting cardboard cardboard.
forms.
Ask any
Explain that 5- questions
7 shapes, and
to clarify
at least 1 form uncertaint
are required
ies.
for their piece.
Store
Distribute
rubric in
rubric for
appropriat
“skills days” to e place for
outline details selfof criteria.
evaluation
of skills to
be handed
in Friday.
Demonstrate
Listen to
drawing
teacher’s
templates and instructio
cutting out
ns
shapes and
attentively
forms.
and
participat
Also, show
e in all
doubling up
activities.
cardboard in
some areas to Participat
keep the piece e by
strong and
starting to
supported.
cut out
shapes.
Teacher has
Everyone
taught a lesson has cut
on shape and
out their
form including shapes
cardboard
Scissors
and exacto
knives
Cardboard
(primed)
Pencil
Shape
drawing
tools
(optional)
Scissors
they will
need for
tomorrow’s
class on
colour
theory
(Skills day
#3)
Activities
the
relationship to
line.
and forms
for
tomorrow’
s class.
Students
understan
d the
difference
between
shape and
form on a
deeper
level.
Prep
Teacher
objectives
Students
will…
Supplies
and
resources
Prepare
icing and
cookies
Teacher will
set up students
with white
icing and food
colouring in
the primary
colours. She
will project a
colour wheel
for their
reference and
have students
mix the
primary
colours to
create
secondary and
treachery
colours.
Introduce the
basics of
colour theory
including
Primary,
Secondary, and
Create a
colour
wheel
using icing
that they
will dye
primary,
secondary
and as
many
treachery
colours as
they can
create.
Icing and
cookies
Students
will watch
the video
clips of
Frank
Stella’s use
Basic
colour
theory PPT
Friday April Skills day
10th
#3:
Colour
Theory
Hook
Colour
theory
using food
Purchase
food dye
Prepare
colour
wheel
Intro to
new
concepts
and/or
theme
Colour
theory and
demo of
painting
shapes
Demo of
basic colour
mixing and
application
to prepared
shapes
Food dye
Colour
wheel
Video clips
according to complementar
the criteria. y colours.
Process
teachings
of colour
after
becoming
Image of a
Once students acquainted
colour
have a grasp
with the
wheel to
on this, she
basics of
project.
will show them colour
a few video
theory.
Prepared
clips that talk
examples of about the
what they
relationship of
are to do.
Frank Stella’s
use of colour
to special
relationships
in his artwork.
Primed
Once the hook After
shapes for
activity is
completin
painting on complete,
g the hook
students will
activity
Prepared
carry on to
and
examples of paint their
watching
the
shapes using:
the video
different
-2 sets of
on colour
techniques
complementar and
to
y colours (can spacial
demonstrat both be used
relationshi
e
on one shape
ps, carry
or spread over on to
Write
two adjacent
painting
colour skills shapes)
shapes
day criteria -3 treachery
using the
on board
colours
required
- At least two
criteria
-2 sets of
examples of
outlines
complemen pattern and/or on the
tary colours texture created board.
-3 treachery using various
colours
painting
-At least
techniques
two
examples of Teacher will
pattern
demonstrate
and/or
interesting
texture
techniques for
created
painting
using
shapes
various
including
painting
taping off
techniques
sections,
layering paint,
Demo
materials
(paint,
brush and
paper)
Paints
Brushes,
rollers,
painting
tools
Colour
wheel
projection
Rubrics
with
criteria
Result
Students
are familiar
with colour
theory and
have
practiced
creating
primary,
secondary,
treachery
and
complemen
tary colours
Review the
day’s
activities on
the board
and relate
to the
week’s
activities, as
well as
activities to
come.
Shapes are
painted
according to
colour
theory
criteria
Activities
Monday
April 13th
Skills day
#4:
Compositio
Prep
brush
techniques,
creating
texture.
Teacher has
both taught
colour theory
and elaborated
on painting
techniques
(which use
colour) while
having
students work
on their
projects.
Students
Student
will have a examples
basic
for review
understan
ding of
colour
theory.
They will
also have a
good start
on
painting
their
She has helped shapes
them with the that will
basic process
be
of applying
assembled
colour with
for their
paint (for
final piece
example
while
putting down
fulfilling
lightest colour all
first).
required
criteria to
Before closing apply what
she will review they
the day’s
learned in
activities and
a practical
relate them to way.
the week’s
activities and
touch on the
following
classAssemblage of
parts and
composition.
Teacher
objectives
Students
will…
Supplies
and
resources
Hook
n and
Assemblage
Mini
composition
s using
magazine
cut outs
Create a
finished
example of
mini
composition
s using
magazines
Teacher will
put out
magazines,
scissors and
glue and use
examples to
prompt
students to
start on their
own minicompositions.
Students
will cut out
shapes of
varying
colours,
textures
and
patterns to
create
interesting
minicompositio
ns.
Intro to new PowerPoint Prepare PPT Teach lesson
Listen to
concepts
presentation presentation on interesting
presentatio
and/or
on
on
and effective
n
theme
composition composition compositions
attentively
and
and
assemblage/fas and ask
assemblage assemblage tening
and
techniques, and relevant
some basic
questions
relevant
to clarify
principles of
uncertainti
design such as: es
Balance, space
(real and
implied), depth
(figure/ground
), movement
Process
Assemblage Set up work Work alongside Student
teachings
of
area for
students
will apply
shapes/part students in
arranging and
what they
s for main
same
fastening parts learned
Stellaclassroom
with hot glue.
during the
inspired
(same
hook
painting
format as
Help students
activity to
project
last time)
apply what
their main
they learned
Stella
Prepare a
through
project.
finished
making mini
They will
example
compositions
take
to their larger
considerati
projects both
ons of the
aesthetically
lesson’s
and technically. teaching
concerning
compositio
n and
assemblag
Magazines
Glue
Paper/han
douts for
compositio
ns
Scissors
PPT
presentati
on
Hot glue
and glue
guns
Scissors
Extra
cardboard
for
reinforcing
Result
Works of art
are
assembled
Teacher has
lead students
through a
series of skills
assignments to
create shapes
that they now
have
thoughtfully
assembled
them.
During the
assembling
process, and
through
e
techniques
while
making
aesthetic
and
technical
choices.
Students
have
assembled
the
cardboard
shapes that
they have
been
working on
to create a
finished
whole in
the style of
Frank
Stella’s
later
works.
Notes:
If there is not time to complete both the hook, introduction of new concepts, and Process/main activity in
the same day, then the lesson will be spread over two days.
If students wish to collaborate on the main activity they may as long as the criteria is met in a greater
proportional capacity (for example doubled in groups of two).