Copyright, 1987, Art Outreach, an extension of the Education Department and School of Art,
Springfield Art Association of Edwards Place, an Illinois non-profit corporation.
#5 Fantasy Through Imagination and Dreams
Images
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
"I AND MY VILLAGE"
"MAELSTROM"
"THE RETURN"
"MALLARME'S SWAN"
"REBUS"
"TREE"
"SPRING PICTURE"
"COMPOSITION 1933”
Artists
Marc Chagall
Salvadore Dali
Rene Magritte
Robert Motherwell
Robert Rauschenberg
Bob Thompson
Kurt Schwitters
Joan Miro
Introduction
Painters of fantasy have the common belief that seeing with the "inner eye" of the imagination is more
important than observing and recording the outside world. Fantasy can bring out truths that would otherwise
be hidden and unknown. This is why dreams can tell us secrets about ourselves that our waking minds might
never guess.
This portfolio can be presented on different levels depending on the children involved. For younger children
with little art background, the concept of fantasy could be approached by asking about dreams that the
children have had and how they differ from real life experiences. "What do you dream about?" "If you could
paint a dream, what would you paint?" "Are dreams real?" Explain that the paintings in this portfolio reflect
the dreams and imagination of the painters who painted them. Ask them to use their imaginations as they
look.
On another level, the following themes could be highlighted and/or compared and contrasted:
Surrealism:(the artist paints as his subconscious dictates, rather than as his conscious mind chooses)
"Maelstrom", "Composition 1933", "The Return", and "I and My Village"
Collage: (a composition made by pasting cut-up textured materials to form all or part of a work of art)
"Spring Picture", "Rebus",& "Composition 1933"
Expressionism: (emphasis is placed by the artist on his inner feelings) Abstract Expressionism: (an
expression by the artist which is to be enjoyed for itself and represents nothing)"The Tree" v. "Mallarme's
Swan"
#5 Fantasy Through Imagination and Dreams, 1
#1
"I and My Villige" by Marc Chagall (1887-1985)
Chagall came to Paris from Russia in 1910 and remained for several years. This is a painting of Chagall's
memory of his native Vitebsk. Because the objects are placed in no particular order and almost appear to
"float", a dream-like state is apparent.
The eye of the cow, centered in the picture, sees many things. The cow has, in its head, a vision of itself with
the milkmaid. Outside itself is the profile of Marc Chagall as a capped peasant.
There is a priest standing in the doorway of his church in the upper part of the painting, as well as houses and
their inhabitants. In the lower left, the sun and moon are combined and repeat a pattern that makes a
diagonal path across the picture.
There appears to be happiness shown by the colorful beads worn by the cow and the smile on Chagall's lips.
•
•
•
•
#2
How does this picture remind you of a dream?
What geometric shapes do you see? Which are repeated?
Which colors have been used to give the feeling of brightness and gaiety?
How many different objects can you find in this picture?
"Maelstrom" by Salvadore Dali (1904-1989)
Dali was a Spanish Surrealist (one who paints as his subconscious dictates, rather than as his conscious mind
chooses). It is said that he made the following comment about his work, "I am the first to be surprised and
often terrified by the images I see appear upon my canvas."
Telephones, parts of bodies, and melted clocks appear totally out of context in his paintings.
Dali, himself, was somewhat different. His life was a continual series of violent explosions. A complete
extrovert, he once showed up at a news conference with green goggles over his eyes and a boiled lobster on
his head.
"Maelstrom", true to the definition of a maelstrom (large, violent whirlpool), shows a variety of objects and
ideas in a swirling motion on the canvas. The objects are carefully drawn and set against a neutral background
for emphasis.
•
•
•
#3
What are some of the objects in this painting?
How do you feel as you look at this painting? Do you feel the movement towards the center
(the bright yellow spot)?
Do you see Dali? (He often appears in his own paintings.)
"The Return" by Rene Magritte (1898-1967)
Rene Magrittte was a Belgian Surrealist. As a surrealist painter (artist) he often put objects into unlikely places:
a hand whose wrist is a woman's face; a stone bird flying above a rocky shoreline; an apple filling a room. He
felt that “if one looks at a thing with the intention of trying to discover what it means, one ends up no longer
seeing the thing itself, but the thing of the question that is raised."
In this painting the large bird takes up a large part of the picture and seems to be cut out of the canvas. One
#5 Fantasy Through Imagination and Dreams, 2
is made to think the bird is coming back to the real-looking nest. The landscape, sky, and bird appear to be
on the outside of the window or on a smaller canvas. Because of the cloud forms in the bird, it seems ghostly.
•
•
•
•
#4
Do you think the bird is flying to the nest? Why is it called "The Return"?
Are the colors used warm or cool?
How is space (distance) shown?
o Blurred outlines of trees are visible in the background of the painting and indicate distance.
We know they are not close to the foreground of the painting because they are not in clear
focus.
What is fantasy in this painting?
"Mallarme’s Swan" by Robert Motherwell (1945-1991)
Robert Motherwell was an American abstract expressionist (one who paints so that the final result does not
represent anything, but is intended to be enjoyed for itself). For him, color was important. He had a
preference for "natural" colors, those that look as though they have come from the world's surface - ochre,
black, white, yellow and blues. In fact, "Motherwell blue" was defined by him as a blue that feels warm - a
state of mind.
This painting contains the "natural" colors, as well as torn paper fragments and flat linear shapes.
•
•
•
#5
What is this painting?
What colors do you see? Are any of the colors repeated?
What shapes do you see? Do the rectangles lie vertically or horizontally?
"Rebus" by Robert Rauschenberg (1925- )
Rauschenberg can be classified as a "pop" artist (one who takes common, everyday objects which are familiar
and popular and incorporates them into his works.) The underlying theme of his painting is to create
harmony out of disparate elements; no particular experience is given priority or importance over another.
In "Rebus" Rauschenberg shows us a "combine" intended to be viewed as a puzzle. It is the city in which he
lives. Objects shown include a campaign poster, comic pages of a newspaper, illustrations from books on art
and insects, and graffiti. On these "found objects" the artist has flung paint and scribbled in crayon. The work
as a whole is both a billboard of city artifacts and a statement on urban life. Develop the concept of collage.
•
•
•
#6
What are some objects that you see? Any you see regularly?
Since pop art relates to common everyday images, can you see why he is called a "pop artist"?
Name the colors used in this painting? Primary or secondary?
"Tree" by Bob Thompson (1937-1966)
Bob Thompson was an American artist who died of a serious illness at the age of 29. He was an Expressionist
(one who paints how he feels rather than what he sees). Many of his paintings show his imagination,
including demons and monsters.
In "The Tree" monsters are devouring each other. The red haired woman and the brown-faced woman are
#5 Fantasy Through Imagination and Dreams, 3
the only figures that look somewhat real. Note the woman on the left of the painting who has uprooted the
tree. The painting shows a very disturbing struggle, like a nightmare. Is Thompson describing the struggle of
how he has to fight off demons and monsters to survive? Bold lines and color tones make a dramatic puzzle
of shapes.
•
•
•
#7
How does this painting make you feel? Do you think it is a dream; a nightmare?
Which is the brighter part of the painting and which is the darker part? What separates the dark
part from the brighter part?
Find the red patches of color and see how the "viewers' eye" moves in a visual path.
"Spring Picture" by Kurt Schwitters (1887-1948)
Schwitters was a German artist whose work was in the form of collages (an arrangement of various materials
fastened to a flat surface). He gathered anything of interest from pasted papers, to tickets, reproductions,
newsprint, and textured materials. Some people called it junk. The collage’s common theme was the city as a
place of much activity and intense experience which renews itself every moment, day and night. Like a snake
casts its skin, the city leaves behind “rubbish”.
•
•
#8
What patterns do you see repeated?
Do you see pieces that show texture, especially the kind that if you could touch you would feel
roughness?
"Composition 1933" by Joan Miro (1893-1983)
Miro was a Spanish painter known for things (biomorphic forms) that look like living creatures. They seem to
change before your eyes - expanding and contracting like wriggling bacteria under microscopes. Sometimes
these shapes look almost human, taking on personalities.
In 1932 and 1933 Miro made 18 giant paintings. His method was to first build a preliminary collage on white
paper of small photos cut out of newspapers or catalogs representing household utensils or machines.
Second, he tacked these groups of "neutral" objects on the wall of his studio and painted them like living
models. Using these trivial, inert elements as points of departure, he succeeded in creating a finely balanced
painting.
•
•
•
Are the shapes geometric or biomorphic (remember, biomorphic shapes are irregular and take the form
of nature)?
Do any shapes remind you of anything in particular?
What colors do you see repeated for balance?
VOCABULARY TERMS
SURREALISM - a style in which the artist paints as his subconscious dictates, rather than as his conscious
mind chooses.
COLLAGE - a composition made by pasting cut-up textured materials to form all or part of a work.
#5 Fantasy Through Imagination and Dreams, 4
EXPRESSIONISM - a style in which the artist expresses his inner feelings rather that what he sees exactly.
ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM - an inner expression by the artist which represents nothing and is to be
enjoyed by itself.
POP ART - a style in which the artist takes common, everyday objects which are familiar and incorporates
them into his works.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Additional information may be found at the Michael Victor II Art Library.
1) Summers, Ian Tomorrow and Beyond 7 58 S64
2) Lakin, David Fantastic Art 709.04 L149
3) Masters, Robert Psychedelic Art 701.15 M393
4) Lancaster, John Introducing Op Art 709.04 L221
#5 Fantasy Through Imagination and Dreams, 5
An Accompaning Art Activity for use in the Classroom.
(An extended period of time in addition to the scheduled portfolio presentation period of 25-30 minutes is
needed for this activity)
FANTASY THROUGH IMAGINATION AND DREAMS
Create a fantasy tree. Draw a tree in the center of the paper using elemental forms. On protruding branches
build ladders and little houses. Invent magical birds and flowers, perhaps fish and other creatures. Fill the
background with stars, moons, and suns. Let your imagination go, imagine a dream where you can create your
own vision. Lay light patches of watercolor, wash over the delineations. Highlight with colored pencil and
marker.
#5 Fantasy Through Imagination and Dreams, 6
#5
Fantasy Through Imagination & Dreams
JOAN MIRO
MATERIALS :
*9X12 construction paper (gray works well) *set of assorted colors of oil pastels (note: to keep colors bright,
remove the black pastels from the sets, use last for outlines and lines) *pencils
OBJECTIVES: Art Production: Students will recognize and use positive and negative shapes, organic
(biomorphic) and geometric shapes, overlapping, balance, and blending colors. Demonstrate how to use oil
pastels and blend colors, and how to plan a composition. Discuss background and foreground. When
students are finished drawing the main part of the composition with pencil, have them add color starting with
the background first, then coloring the shapes. Finally, add black lines to outline the shapes and draw other
lines as Miro would have. Art History: Students will recognize Miro's art work and understand about his life,
work, and accomplishments. Art Criticism: Students will study and compare the elements and principles of
design as applied to Miro's work, such as shape, color, line, and balance. Aesthetics: Have students judge the
aesthetic qualities of the art work, include elements and principles of design. Polar pair words: light/dark,
realistic/abstract, foreground/background, colorful/dull, positive/negative.
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES: Have students study other surrealist artists, use other materials, such as
tempera paint.
CLASS TIME: 30 min.
Please leave color copy of lesson plan in the portfolio, you may make photo copies to use.
#5 Fantasy Through Imagination and Dreams, 7