1. The "Random Palette" Poster Challenge: (High School Level)
The Concept: The teacher will start the class by referencing Yayoi Kusama and Andy Warhol and how they used color to make repetitive patterns pop. Students will then discuss with their peers what colors they relate to the most. During the peer discussion, encourage them to move from "the color red" to "bright, saturated red" vs. "dark, muted maroon." Students will then be instructed to use a random palette (either generate these using tools like Coolors on their Chromebook or physical paint chips) and must design a small poster using only those colors in a repetitive pattern. Students will be able to design any appropriate topics as long as they use the color palette they were assigned. Students can also choose to make their poster digital or physical to give students a choice on what media they want to tackle. This forces students to really focus on the mood and meaning of their color(s). Students will also have a focal point for their poster. Students can use their most saturated color for the most important information and their most neutral/desaturated color for the background.
Students will learn how to use value (lightness/darkness) and saturation to ensure their poster is legible, even when the colors are unconventional. The students will also learn how to recognize repetitive patterns and focal points.
2. Self Portrait Cubism: (Middle School Level)
The Concept: Students will first look at Cubist artists like Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque and take notes on what makes a Cubist painting. They discuss with the class how different geometric shapes can visually relate to oneself. For example, if students make sharp or angular shapes, they are aggressive or defensive. Or using soft and organic sources shows the student as kind or flexible. This will help students find ways to visually represent themselves and how they want others to perceive them. Students will then "deconstruct" a printed photo of themselves into geometric shapes using color paper and using scissors, and cut the colored paper they need. If students are struggling to find colors that “work” with each other, reference the color wheel and what colors work well together. Give students random colors if they still can't make a choice.
This teaches students how to create visual metaphors, use color theory, make decisions, and work on their fine motor skills. Students must ensure the final piece has unity, meaning all the fragmented parts feel like they belong to the same person. This also should help students find ways to feel more comfortable in themselves.
3. The "Super-Me" Hero Logo Challenge (Elementary School Level)
The Concept: The teacher will start the class by referencing Henri Matisse and Maud Vantours because they both demonstrate how to transform simple, hand-cut paper shapes into powerful visual statements through the layering of bold, contrasting colors. Students discuss with their peers on what kind of “superpowers” they have in real life (e.g., I am a fast runner and I am a good friend) and write it down or draw it. Then the students will look at pre-printed shapes and associate each with “feelings”. Some examples could be that circles are friendly and soft, or triangles are fast and powerful, or squares are strong and brave, etc. Then the teacher puts 3 different colored markers or paper scraps into an envelope. Each envelope will have 3 colors that might not usually go together (e.g., Brown, Orange, and Light Blue). Students will have to use these 3 colors to finish their logo. Students will use scissors and cut out shapes (or pre-cut shapes for students who are struggling to cut) with colored paper, matching the markers' colors they received. Then students will layer and layer the paper on top of each other and glue each layer down when happy with their layers. If students finish one earlier, they can make another one. The art teacher will then put all of the logos on a neutral background to give to the primary teacher of the “super students” that the primary teacher has.
This teaches students about color contrast, layering, and even works on their fine motor skills. If they have two dark colors, they’ll realize they need to use the light color for the most important part so it "pops."
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