Impressionism

Who wouldn't be an art teacher that hasn't taught Impressionism? Originally, I found myself attracted to more Modern Art, but I am finding a love for Impressionism. Rarely do I have the students outright copy an artwork, but for this assignment, we do. The reason being is that they can see up close and personal what colors make up the paintings.

    

 

After studying Impressionism, I have the students choose a laminated Impressionistic image. They are allowed to draw a + sign on it with expo marker to help with redrawing it (gridding). They lightly sketch it onto their paper and then use oil pastels in small strokes/marks to create the colors that they see. They must look closely and mix up the whites, blues, reds, and greens that are present. They are usually surprised at what colors truly make up the water, sky, and plants. We talk about how light in Impressionism is the main subject and how the colors are reflected.