Art Masterpiece Lesson- 2nd Grade Janet Fish –“Black Vase with Daffodils” Print Concepts and Key Words: Still life, Lines, Textures, Colors Activity: Mono-print of Flowers Materials Needed: White paper Tempura paint Styrofoam plates Paint brushes Water containers Newspaper This is similar to the image for the lesson Paint shirts? About the Artist… Janet Fish has established herself as one of America’s foremost painters of Realism during the last thirty years. Her still life paintings have a distinctive style that show her incredible understanding of color and light as it moves through a variety of settings. Her paintings are not intentionally symbolic or narrative, but are created from her living spaces in New York and Vermont. Janet Fish was born and educated in Boston. She has worked as an independent artist since she graduated from Yale University. Talk About…. Black Vase with Daffodils is a still life oil painting created in a style called realism. What do you think realism is? A photograph was used to help the artist remember the color, light quality and arrangement of this space. This particular setting is from the artist’s studio home in New England. What colors did she use? Do you see different textures? What are they? How did the artist use lines to create the painting? Activity-Step by Step: 1. Monoprinting is a process of transferring to paper an image made in ink or paint on a smooth surface. (Practice at home before attempting to teach the class) 2. Begin by having the students painting the flower on the backside of the Styrofoam plate. Encourage them to use different colors and to wash and dry their brushes between colors. 3. Q-tips or pencil erasers can be used to wipe away paint and add details. 4. Lift a white piece of paper at diagonally opposite corners. Center in the air over the paint so that it is aligned over the main design. Carefully lay the paper over the design, press the paper down using your fist and using the soft outside edge or your palm. Hold paper with your other hand so that it does not slip. 5. When you see a faint design on the side you are rubbing, the paper is ready to lift. 6. Lift the paper so that the students can see the print. If there are weak areas, discuss some steps that might produce a better print. .