The Art Institute of Chicago
2013 Curriculum Fair
Thursday, May 9th, 4-7pm
Lesson Plan Template
Adriana Villagomez
LESSON TITLE:
School: Rockford Environmental
Not so easy abstract painting.
Science Academy (RESA) Rockford ,Il Inspired by the reaction “a
Subject(s): Art
kindergartener could do that”
Grade level(s): 6-8
Email (optional):
BIG IDEA:
TIME LINE:
Students will create abstracted work,
10-12: 50 minute sessions
exposing the challenges of creating
nonobjective painting.
DESCRIPTION: People often have an emotional response to abstract artworks.
When you hear their reaction it sounds offensive, but what is happening is the
artwork is provoking thought and challenging their sensibility/perception of what
art can be. By studying abstract art through visual reacting and using the art
making process leads students to greater understanding and appreciation of
abstract art.
OBJECTIVES
• Students will contrast and compare mark making in different abstract
paintings.
• Students will be able to create a nonobjective painting from a photo
source.
• Students will create an artwork using gestural lines.
• Students will create an artwork using a variety of verbal prompts.
ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO ARTWORK
• City Landscape,1955, Oil on linen, Joan Mitchell (American 1925-1992)
• Painting 1952, oil on canvas, Franz Kline (American 1910-1962)
• The First Part of the Return from Parnassus, 1961, Oil paint ,lead pencil,
wax crayon, colored pencil on canvas, Cy Twombly (American 19282011)
• The Basket of Apples,c.1893, oil on canvas Paul Cezanne (French 18391906)
• Houses at Murnau, 1909,oil on cardboard, Vasily Kandinsky (French born
Russian 1866-1944)
• …And Home of the Brave, 1931, oil and graphite on fiberboard, Charles
Demuth (American 1883-1935)
• Ready to Wear, 1955,oil on canvas, Stuart Davis (American 1892-1964)
• Greyed Rainbow,1953, oil on linen, Jackson Pollack (American 19121956)
• Untitled, 1960,Steel,canvas and copper wire, Lee Bontecou (American b.
1931)
The Art Institute of Chicago
2013 Curriculum Fair
Thursday, May 9th, 4-7pm
Lesson Plan Template
GUIDED LOOKING
Activity one: (Day1) Students learn to identify the difference between objective
and nonobjective abstraction.
Ask: Can anyone tell me what the word abstract means in art? If students
struggle ask them to point out an example hanging in the room. Show the work,
The Basket of Apples, by Paul Cezanne.
Ask: How would you classify this painting? (Most would respond realism)
Would you believe at the time it was painted it wasn’t consider realism? The
painting is actually abstract. The painting is giving you the impression of the
objects painted not as they actually appear in real life.
Let’s define the abstract as moving away from what is real. Abstract Art is as
diverse as society meaning there are many types of abstract painting (Cubism,
Expressionism, minimalism, etc.)
We are going to simplify all the different types of abstraction in to two categories
objective abstraction and nonobjective abstraction. What do you think is
objective abstraction?
In objective abstraction the artist uses objects and abstracts them with different
pictorial devices.
In nonobjective painting, the artist does not use objects. Keep in mind the
shapes in art (circle, square, triangle etc.) are not objects.
Show the following works and ask the student to identify them as objective or
nonobjective artworks. Ask student to describe what they see or not see.
• The First Part of the Return from Parnassus, 1961, Oil paint, lead pencil,
wax crayon, colored pencil on canvas, Cy Twombly (American 1928-2011)
• The Basket of Apples, c.1893, oil on canvas Paul Cezanne (French 18391906)
• Houses at Murnau, 1909, oil on cardboard, Vasily Kandinsky (French born
Russian 1866-1944)
• …And Home of the Brave, 1931, oil and graphite on fiberboard, Charles
Demuth (American 1883-1935)
• Ready to Wear, 1955, oil on canvas, Stuart Davis (American 1892-1964)
• Greyed Rainbow, 1953, oil on linen, Jackson Pollack (American 19121956)
• Untitled, 1960, Steel, canvas and copper wire, Lee Bontecou (American b.
1931)
At the beginning of each class review the concept of objective and not objective
abstraction with flashcards I make with images from various art magazines
The Art Institute of Chicago
2013 Curriculum Fair
Thursday, May 9th, 4-7pm
Lesson Plan Template
Addition questions for students while looking at the works involved with
painting activities 1-3 to be used as a class discussion
• What is your first reaction when you look at this painting?
• Why do you feel that way?
• If this artwork looks easy do you think you could create your own abstract
work?
• Can you see anything in this work?
• What in the painting do you look at first?
• What interests you in the painting?
• What elements of art or principles of design do you notice?
• Is the work static?
• What kind of energy does the mark making have?
• How do you think it was made?
• How are the works alike?
• How are they different?
ACTIVITIES / PROCEDURE
Painting activity 1: (Day 1-4 )
Students translate a landscape image into a nonobjective painting using tempera
paint. In this exercise, students discover the challenges of creating an abstract
painting.
1. Students look at and discuss City Landscape, by Joan Mitchell
2. Students choose a landscape image from a magazine to be used for
color and composition inspiration.
3. On 18”x24” black or white paper, students use tempera paint to
translate the landscape image by using it’s compositional elements and
turning images into color and brush strokes to create an abstract
composition. While students are working it is important to interact with
the students reminding them to not paint imagery.
Painting activity 2: (Day 5-6) Students create a painting with black and white
paint with strong gestures on either black or white paper.
1. Students view and discuss Painting 1952 by Franz Kline. As a class,
compare and contrast the works of Kline and Mitchell.
2. Students use18”x24” black and white paint on black or white paper with
large paint brushes to create a painting with physical gestures.
Painting activity 3: (Day7-10) Students are given several verbal prompts to
complete and abstract composition.
1. Students look and discuss the painting The First Part of the Return from
Parnassus by Cy Towmbly. Then compare and contrast the painting styles
to the paintings by Mitchell and Kline.
2. Cy Twombly activity: Students are given an 18”x24” white paper. The
students are given several verbal prompts to complete and abstract
composition.
Verbal Prompts( Use as many as needed, add more if desired)
The Art Institute of Chicago
2013 Curriculum Fair
Thursday, May 9th, 4-7pm
Lesson Plan Template
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Draw a continuous line on the pictorial plain, it maybe any type of
line (straight, curved etc.)
Use 2-5 different colors of oil pastel and blend or smudge in
different areas of your paper.
Students can choose do use all of the following or just a few of
the following
Using pencil write a phone number with no area code this maybe
your first phone number, grandparents, your cell or fictisous.
Make a numerical or alphabetical list that contains no subject
Draw a dot. Now draw up to 100 dots
Draw a straight line across your paper from edge to edge.
Add continuous line Scribbles like cursive with oil pastel or
pencil.
Using a contrasting color add more oil pastel “smudges”.
Add water color paint to any area of your composition.
Evaluate to continue or repeat any direction
Use any of these prompts to add to the other paintings.
MATERIALS: 18”x24”paper in black and
white.
Tempera paint , brushes small to wall
sized , sponges, pencil, oil pastel, water
color paint, landscape images,
Art magazines for flashcards
ASSESSMENTS: In a critique form,
students choose a work they feel was the
most successful and write a brief
statement which includes: Why they feel
the work is successful, what they found
most difficult and what they would change
or add to the assignments. Then have the
students discuss the art making process to
see if their opinions had changed from
when they first viewed the art works. It is
important to remember, these actives are
about the mark making process getting the
student to think and see about art in a
different way and not about the finished
product.
VOCABULARY/GLOSSARY/KEY
WORDS:
Abstract: Moving away from what is
real.
Objective Abstraction: an
abstracted artwork that is bases on
an object/person etc.
Nonobjective abstraction: an
artwork that contains no images.
Gestural painting: movement of
body while painting.
RESOURCES & BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Chicago Art Institute resource
guide,
City Landscape 1955,Joan Mitchell
The Art Institute of Chicago
2013 Curriculum Fair
Thursday, May 9th, 4-7pm
Lesson Plan Template