COLOR CONTOURS.

Middle School

This project is the culmination of a unit I teach on color. First I discuss color with demonstrations and examples of fine art and package design. Students then paint their own color charts.

Next, I introduce contour as the outline shape of an object. Students practice drawing contours of each other and of various objects. Then they divide newsprint into four 4 x 4" (10 x 10 cm) squares. They draw four of their favorite contours keeping in mind the space in the square. Next, they divide 12 x 16" (31 x 41 cm) drawing paper into twelve 4 x 4" (10 x 10 cm) squares and rub a pencil on the back of their favorite contour to create a carbon. They center the contour on each square and trace it. They draw patterns and designs on both the inside and outside of each contour.

I hand out a color map to each student detailing what color combination to use in each square. They choose which square to put the color scheme in. Scheme are listed below: primary colors (red, yellow, blue); secondary colors (orange, purple, green); compliments (choice of red/green, yellow/purple, orange/blue); monochromatic (several shades of one color); tertiary (colors beside each other on the color wheel); warm colors (red, yellow, orange) cool colors (blue, green, purple) tints and shades (values from black to white) The last four can be any color combination.

Students are required to use at least three different media in their work, composing them to form a comprehensive piece. Some choices of media are crayons, markers, colored pencils, pastels, paint. I also show techniques such as crayon resist, crayon scratch-board, counterpoint, blending, and splatter.

Motivation is high throughout the project. Each square is the student's own mini masterpiece. Often the students will try different techniques and media on their own before using them in their piece.

ClipCard submitted by Veronica Krug, an art teacher at Lehman Middle School in Canton, Ohio.