Let children lead the way. Slow them down. Tell them to pick their favorite painting and explore it up close. Explain to kids that artists can use color to help communicate ideas and emotions through their work. This works well with both older and younger kids. Some children may have heard the term “feeling blue.” The color blue sometimes represents sadness. If possible, study pieces from Pablo Picasso’s blue period together. Explain that after his friend died, Picasso painted mostly in blues. What other elements of his work communicate sadness or loss? How might the paintings be different if they were in bright reds and oranges? We recommend exploring other artists’ work and examining how they use color to communicate emotions or ideas. How do some of Claude Monet’s paintings communicate feelings of peace and calm? Encourage your children to explore color and notice the use of color when they study pieces of art. Look closely at brush strokes. Vincent Van Gogh used a lot of paint. What emotions was he trying to convey?
Review with children that a medium is a material used by an artist. Some artists paint, some draw, some take picture, and some artists are sculptors. Sculptures can be made from a wide variety of materials, including clay, stone, wood, metal, paper, or a combination of different mediums. Some artists use found objects or materials that come from nature. Explain that practically anything can be used to create a sculpture!
Several techniques can be used to create sculptures. Manipulation is the process when material in place is shaped and pressed, as in molding clay to form a sculpture. Subtraction is the process of taking material away to create a shape or form, as in chiseling away marble to create a statue. Addition is the process of adding more of the medium to the sculpture. Substitution is the process of replacing parts with something else. Many artists combine different techniques to create their work. You may want to practice each of these techniques together using clay, paper, or other materials that are easy to form and change.
Questions to ask your children:
- How does this painting make you feel?
- How do you think the artist feels?
- Can you spot any shapes the artist used?
- What do you think the artist is saying in this painting?
- Which pieces inspire you?
While at the museum:
Bring paper and pencils. Let children sketch what they see.
When you get home:
Have your child recreate their favorite sculpture at home using a different medium.
Museums Worth Checking Out:
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington DC
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY
Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Washington DC
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY
Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana