Middle School Color Theory Painting

COLOR! COLOR! COLOR!  I love teaching kids about color!

If I always start the year with drawing skills in some form, then the next thing to come is always color theory.  My poor younger students...they get these concepts drilled into their heads every year...but every year I pick up a few more students who now know it all by heart - and that’s my goal! I’m always looking for fun ways to help them use this color theory information and this one is popular with my 8th graders. 

We start by discussing color theory in relation to the following color groups and take notes on our discussion:

Primary

Secondary

Complementary

Warm

Cool

Tint 

Shade

Monochromatic

I make a deal with them:  if they participate and take great notes, I won’t give them a quiz (because they learn better with implementation anyway.)  BUT...if they don’t take good notes and participate...its QUIZ TIME!  This tends to work quite well to inspire all to be involved.

For this project, they are asked to create a drawing (I use 12x18 heavy paper) incorporating their name in block letters (or the font of their choice), a favorite team logo, a favorite food, a favorite hobby/interest, and two other objects that represent them. 

After the drawing is completed, we break it into vertical stripes that are three inches in width so they have six spaces to paint.  In each of those spaces going across they must use a certain set of colors.  In order, from left to right, we use:  primary, secondary, one complementary pair, warm OR cool, monochromatic and the last one is their choice.  

We use tempera paint to paint them and they are allowed to use the tints and shades of any color, as long as they are staying within the guidelines of the piece. 

In grading these, I focus on control and neatness of the paint (they are given a demonstration on how to control it when we begin), use of correct colors, composition and overall neatness.

Its a good one!