Kindergarten Matisse Rooms

 

Here’s the first day of our Matisse Interior Space project.

We used black tempera paint to paint our lines and we just went for it today….no pencils!

Next art class we will be drawing and painting our fishbowls with goldfish!

Matisse Interiors with Kindergarten

 

Here is a break down of day one. I teach this lesson to Kindergarten and the results are always fabulous. I’ll post photos of their work soon.

Below are photos, borrowed from the internet, that show some Matisse interiors. We look at these and discuss various aspects of his paintings before beginning ours.

I am going to try to have the kids start with black paint and no pencil this year…we shall embrace the ‘beautiful oops’ that I’m sure we will encounter. Even as kindergarteners, they are so obsessed with making ‘perfect’ lines. I’m trying to break them early of that bad habit. Save all that mess for high school art teachers. Besides, Matisse was a fauvist, so I’m sure he wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

Here’s the first day of our Matisse Interior Space project.

We used black tempera paint to paint our lines and we just went for it today….no pencils!

Day Two: Fishbowl and Goldfish

Next art class we drew a cylinder for a fishbowl and used watercolors to paint our water! Intentionally, the fish are outside the fishbowl…I like to get the extra skill of cutting something small into this lesson. However, you could easily just draw the fish inside with the oil pastels.

 

Day Three: Cutting out fishbowl, cutting out goldfish and collaging a table into the room, then putting it all together!

Matisse Rooms with Fishbowls - Kindergarten

I love this project and forgot to do it last year! We started this when we got back from xmas break and it's a 3 day project that is really fun!

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Day One: Drawing a Room

 Discuss interior vs. exterior spaces. Talk about artist Henri Matisse. What is a room? I teach them how to draw a simple room with "lines". The wooden floor is optional (that's my art challenge step) and this year I added texture rubbings for a little extra detail in the wallpaper and floor.

 

We also painted over our pencil lines with black paint on day one. We also learn how to say hello and goodbye in French....in honor of Matisse.

 

 

Day Two: Creating the fishbowl.

 

I realize that Matisse's fishbowl was cylindrical, but this fishbowl is fun and easy for Kinders and also gets them a "large" fishbowl.

 

We trace a butter lid on an 8"x8" square of white paper...then we outline in black sharpie (draw seaweed) and then paint with cool color watercolors.

 

 

I also read the story "Gilbert Goldfish Wants a Pet"...which was really cute!

 

 

 

Day Three: Assembling the Room (making goldfish)

First, I handed back their rooms so they could finish coloring with crayons...didn't get the texture rubbings out this day....

Then, we gathered at the demo table and I showed them how to cut out their fishbowl, build a table and make fish. (I split these steps up throughout the class though...didn't try to do it all at once.)

 

 

I just love the "BOLDNESS" of these paintings! (thanks Matisse)

 

I also like the wallpaper that got painted solid black...I may have to use that idea for next year. :)