Primary Lesson 3: Space & Shape
A Search for Shapes in Space
What You'll Learn in This Lesson
Take a closer look at the world around you! It’s full of wide spaces, small spaces, empty spaces, and spaces packed full of different shapes. There are geometric shapes, organic or free-form shapes, shapes on buildings and shapes in nature. Did you know that spiders have eight eyes and interesting shapes on their faces? Create different spaces and shapes in your own artwork.
How will I learn about Shape & Space?
Experience Space & Shape and discover other art elements in this lesson with a 10-minute video and easy-to-follow projects.
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- SHAPES IN SPACE: Discover the art elements of SPACE, SHAPE (geometric & organic), LINE, COLOR and the principles of pattern, repetition, and proportion. Students create a design that can be crowded with shapes or one that is open and almost empty. The designs can be cut-and-pasted with colored paper, painted, drawn with markers, or created as a texture collage.
- IMAGINARY MUSICAL INSTRUMENT: Explore the art elements of SHAPE, SPACE, COLOR, FORM and LINE. Students may want to observe and listen to different musical instruments. It would be even more interesting for a musician to show students that some instruments come apart and must be assembled to play. Note the variety of parts required to make a musical sound.
- CULTURAL ART: Students will see African masks on the video and different masks in Picasso’s painting, Three Musicians. They may find pictures in books of a wide variety of African Masks, made of numerous components—just like musical instruments.
- FINE ART: Students can reinforce the elements of space, shape, and form by creating 3-D musicians from flat shapes put together or found objects (perhaps recycled.) These will be 3-D artworks inspired by the famous Picasso 2-D artwork, Three Musicians!
- SHAPES IN SCIENCE: Learn about the art elements of SPACE, SHAPE (geometric & organic), LINE, COLOR and the principles of pattern, repetition, balance, and proportion. Inspired by the unusual spider faces in the lesson plan, students may each choose to create a 2D insect, arachnid, animal, reptile, or bird mask with a variety of shapes.
BOOK ART PROJECTS:
- Color Zoo by Lois Ehlert | Project: Discover Colorful Geometric Shapes
- Anansi the Spider by Gerald McDermott | Project: “Spider Mask” writing, drama, and art activity
FINE ART PROJECTS:
Students will reinforce the element of form by creating a 3-D musician from found objects (perhaps recycled) The interesting art of Picasso’s Three Musicians may inspire them to make a 3-D artwork after viewing the famous 2-D artwork!
- Cezanne and Klee Cubes
- Create Cezanne Fruits
- Create a Picasso Found Object Sculpture