Unit Five: Watercolor Painting
In this unit we will explore the art of watercolor painting. We will learn several different techniques that professional watercolor artist use to create special visual effects in their artwork. For the final project in this unit we will explore the creation of landscapes by producing unique postcards about our dream vacation destinations. At the end of this lesson, you will have a better understanding of watercolors and have a handle on how watercolors can be used to capture beautiful locations around the world !
Task One: An Introduction to Watercolor
In class we will be using different materials to enhance the painting of these apples. For the purpose of this class, the use of these materials in combination with watercolor paints will be referred to as "special effects". Below is a list of different materials that can be used to create these "special effects".
Lemon Juice = Lighten paint
Crayon= Blocks from absorbing into paper
Salt= Absorbs some pigment and creates a speckled effect
Rubber Cement = Blocks paint from absorbing into the paper and is removable so that you can paint in that area at a later time
Watercolor Pencils and Crayons = allowed the artist to draw the pigment into place before wetting a brush and activating the color
Lemon Juice = Lighten paint
Crayon= Blocks from absorbing into paper
Salt= Absorbs some pigment and creates a speckled effect
Rubber Cement = Blocks paint from absorbing into the paper and is removable so that you can paint in that area at a later time
Watercolor Pencils and Crayons = allowed the artist to draw the pigment into place before wetting a brush and activating the color
Task Two: Color Wheel
A large part of painting is to be able to master how to mix different colors. In this class, we will learn how to use a color wheel to help us make color choices and mix different hues. Use this small scale color wheel template to create a color wheel in your sketchbook. Your completed color wheel should include primary, secondary and tertiary colors. You may use colored pencils or watercolor paints to complete this assignment.
Task Three: Who Can Be An Artist ?
One of the major questions that we try to answer in this class is "what is art?" This is a very complicated and difficult question to answer and it is in many ways an opinion that each and every one of you has to develop individually. To help you develop your own answer to the question of "what is art?" I would like for you to consider this painting created by Jello, the Rhino from Potter Park Zoo in Lansing. I would like you to answer the questions provided below and be prepared to discuss in class your opinion of the artistic abilities of Jello and whether or not you consider this painting to be a work of art.
"Cool" by Jello the Rhino was donated by Potter Park Zoo in 2012 to the Holt Junior High Art Department.
Task Three: Watercolor Postcards
Step One: Pick Your Destination
Pick your dream vacation and start researching! Use the Internet or the travel books provided in class to research about your dream vacation destination. You will need to include a minimum of three facts in your note home on the back of your postcard. You can use the "How to Format a Postcard" form provided below to help you organize and prepare your information for the back of your postcard. One site that may help you begin your research is National Geographic's travel site http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/ . You can also research the official page of a destination you are interested in. For example, if you were to paint the Eiffel Tower, the official website for that location http://www.toureiffel.paris/en.html would be an excellent place to find some interesting facts.
Step Two: Start Painting
For the second part of task three it is now for you to create the watercolor landscape that will represent your dream vacation. To help you paint a more accurate representation of your location, start out with a pencil sketch before you begin to paint. Remember to include at least one of the "special effects" for watercolor painting that was taught in class. A complete rubric for this project and the project evaluation form are provided below.
Watercolor Postcard Rubric
Project Evaluation
Complete this form and turn it in with your finished postcard.
Examples of Finished Projects
Here are examples of finished postcards completed by former Holt Junior High students.