Jhirunrtx@aol.com said on 4/24/01 8:02 PM :
> I'm still searching for ideas to use with kindergarten. Also, some good
> portrait lessons for third thru fifth grade.
Here's a Picasso portrait idea ... with a little history too. It is from my
book, Discovering Great Aritsts. Hope you enjoy it ... the kids usually like
this one a lot. I would show them some portrait prints by Picasso so they
can see cubism in portrait work.
~~ MaryAnn
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*** Fractured Friend
Pablo Ruiz Picasso, 1881-1973
Pablo Picasso is one of the most famous artists of all time. He was an
artistic genius and is particularly remembered for his style of art called
Cubism. Picasso grew up in Spain and later studied and lived in Paris. As a
child, Picasso showed incredible artistic talent and was considered a child
prodigy. In fact, Picasso's father, who was also an artist, gave all of his
own art supplies to 13 year old Picasso because he showed such amazing
talent. By the time he was nineteen, Picasso was a fully trained,
professional painter. He moved to Paris and lived a very poor, simple life
while painting over 200 works. These paintings showed his sadness over what
he saw and felt about the poor lives of those around him. This was called
his Blue Period. But then, Picasso began to paint a happier type of painting
showing clowns and performers at the circus. This was called his Rose
Period. Then he began to paint pictures that looked more like puzzles with
the pieces all out of order. Sometimes Picasso would stick things to his
paintings like newspaper clippings, a label of a wine bottle, buttons,
cloth, or string. This technique called collage was invented by Picasso.
Picasso painted until the very day he died at the age of 92 years.
Picasso and the other Cubists tried to create a new way of seeing things
in art. They would look at something and try to break it apart in the way
they painted it. For instance, Picasso tried to show the models he painted
from all sides at once, not just from one normal view. He might show a woman
with her eyes facing the right but her nose turned to the left. Her basic
body shapes would be changed into cubed or square shapes, facing various
directions at once. She might be put together somewhat like a jigsaw puzzle
or a broken mirror.
Many other artists learned from what Picasso painted and incorporated
this into their sculptures and paintings. Cubism changed the concept of art
and led the way to Surrealism and Modern Art. Young artists can explore
Picasso's Cubist technique of painting a picture that looks like jumbled
puzzle pieces by cutting apart a painting of a friend and then putting it
back together Cubist style.
Materials
€ white drawing paper (9X12)
€ dark crayon (optional)
€ white glue
€ paints and brushes
€ scissors
€ drawing paper, 9X12, any color
€ some collage items, such as -
newspaper clippings bottle labels string
buttons cloth paper bits
Process
1. Ask a friend to act as a model for this painting. The friend should sit
or stand in an open area near the artist. The artist looks at the model and
paints a painting on the white paper. It doesn't have to look exactly like
the friend. Paint the way it feels best. Then allow the painting to dry
overnight. Note: If the painting has curled while drying, it can be ironed
by an adult with an iron on a medium setting. First cover the board with
clean newsprint. Place the painting on the newsprint. Next place another
sheet of paper over the painting. Iron slowing until the curls come out.
2. The painting can be cut apart free-hand with scissors, or lines can first
be draw with a dark crayon and then cut. If drawing lines, mark out some
large shapes like puzzle pieces on the painting. Squares, triangles, and
other Cubist shapes work well. Cut the painting apart on or near these
lines. Note: The line can be sketchy instead of solid. The pieces should be
bold and not small.
3. Next, glue the pieces of the painting onto the remaining sheet of paper.
They can be glued in order or out of order. Upside down pieces work well
too. When all the pieces are glued on the paper, glue a few more collage
items into the Cubist design to experience Picasso's idea of collage.
4. When satisfied with the art work, it is complete. The friend will be
fractured in Cubist shapes with collage items mixed in, just like Picasso
would appreciate.
Variation:
* Look in a mirror and draw a self-portrait. Then make a Fractured Self!
