Art in the Classroom

Lesson: Color

Grade: 5th Grade

Project: Cityscape tints and shading

What you need: • canvases • Project examples • Pencil • Black Crayon (1 per student) • Tempera paints; black, white, color • Paint brush (1 per student) • Paper plate for mixing colors

Set Up: • Each student will receive a two pieces of white paper (1 small and 1 large), pencil black crayon, paint brush, and paper plate • Each table will receive the following to share: white tempera paint, black tempera paint • Set up colored construction paper at front table for mounting Class Time PRE-ACTIVITY: • Begin your lesson with a short discussion about color tinting and shading. Introduce the concept of Monochromatic art.

Demonstrate the technique of tinting a color with white and shading with black. Note: When mixing colors always add the darker color to the lighter color. Pick up a little white and paint a spot onto your plate. Clean your brush, then pick up a little of your color and rub it onto the spot to create a tint. Clean your brush. Now try a shade; pick up a little of your color and put it on your plate. Next, pick up a little black paint to create a shade.

NOTE: This Activity has TWO PARTS PART 1: Practice making tints and shades • Start by letting your students choose one hue to work with. On their plastic plate they should place a spoonful of white, black and 2 amounts of a the hue of their choice. • Have students fold an 8.5” x 11” sheet of white paper in half lengthwise. Next, students should draw six vertical divider lines. • On the top 6 spaces, students should practice making tints. In the first space, use 100% of the color. In the second space, students should mix a tiny bit of white with the color, then paint a sample of the new, lighter color in that space. Add progressively more white for each space (see example). • In the bottom six spaces, students should practice making shades. The first space should have 100% of the color, the next box should contain a mix of the color and a tiny bit of black, and so on.

PART 2: Create a monochromatic cityscape • On the larger white paper, students should draw a simple cityscape, with skyscrapers, windows, clouds, simple trees, sun, or other elements. Use the black crayon. Draw BIG. Try making curved buildings for a more interesting composition. • Next, students should color their art: fill in all the white space of their drawing with tints and shades of the color they chose.

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