LESSON PATTERN INSTRUCTIONS
COLOR
Lesson Objectives: To learn about Georgia O’Keeffe and her famous flower paintings and to learn how to use watercolors to build up layers of color for richness.
Time Required: 1 hour
Artist & Print: Georgia O’Keeffe, Yellow Cactus, Oriental Poppies, any of her flower paintings
Materials:
Watercolor paper
Watercolor paints
Watercolor pencils
Paintbrushes
Water
Paper towel
Tissue
Scratch paper
Printed sheets of different kinds of flowers (see binder for examples)
Presentation:
Discuss Georgia O’Keeffe. Explain how she painted close-ups of flowers, so only part of the flower fits on the page, and parts of the petals fall off the edge of the page. You can use a viewfinder (small piece of rectangular tag board with the center cut-out) to look at a picture of a flower close up. Looking through the viewfinder will help the student see which details are included in a close-up, and which are not. This lesson can be used in value too, here’s a sample value lesson presentation for the same project.
Procedure:
- Pass out viewfinders, photographs of flowers, and scratch paper. With the flower the student selects, have them draw the outline on scratch paper to practice. It’s a close-up, so the entire page should be filled.
- Using a light colored watercolor pencil, draw the outline of the flower on the watercolor paper.
- Start by painting the lighter colors first. Use light amounts of paint, building the shades of color in layers rather than in one dark coat.
- Rinse brush between colors of paint.
- Paint the background a contrasting color.
- Tissues may be used to blot background for texture or to soak up areas with excess water.
- Use watercolor pencils to outline petals, then go back over it with a wet brush to blend.
- Watercolor pencils can be used to add other textural details as well.
