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Truck-Drivin' Fish? - teaching color in preschool - Brief Article
Arts & Activities, Sept, 2001 by AnnMarie Jones
Walking by a preschool classroom, I spotted some interesting abstract paintings that featured unique textures and color blending. A sign above the art explained: "truck Painting by Preschool." The wheels of toy trucks had been driven through primary colors of paint and then driven across the papers to create these colorful works of art!
I had been contemplating ways to practice color mixing with my first-grade classes. Because the toy tires come in many different shapes and sizes--and the trucks can be driven in any direction to mix the colors--this lesson promised to be a personalized and exciting lesson in color mixing. Even though it requires patience, it will also be a lesson that the children won't soon forget.
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Looking for a theme. I thought of rainbow fish. We first looked at underwater environments in reference books, carefully noting many examples of fish and plant life. With artistic composition in mind, I pointed out overlapping areas and size differences, in addition to the various objects that exist on the ocean floor.
I demonstrated drawing a line for the sand and adding different shapes for plants and rocks. Shells, pebbles, crabs and treasure chests are just a few examples of things to include in the sand. Background fish can also be added, being careful to keep them small and in the background so that the rainbow fish would be the center of interest.
Students were full of ideas and anxious to create a world for their truck-painted fish. They went to their tables and drew their background scenes with crayons. Students were encouraged to leave two empty spaces in their backgrounds to accommodate their blended fish. They were also reminded to outline the animals and plants with black or dark colors. This helps bring the final composition together and decrease contrast between the rich paint and softer crayon colors.
Before painting begins, each paper should have the student's name and class written on the back. Also, at this time, it is good to review the new colors that can be made by mixing the provided primary colors. In addition to green, orange and purple, some new colors will undoubtedly be "discovered" by the creative truck drivers. The students must be cautioned to avoid mixing all three colors together in order to prevent "muddy" colored fish.
In order to minimize confusion, only small groups of students were allowed to paint at any one time. Students could "drive" the toy trucks through paint, only after their individual table numbers had been called. For this purpose, I borrowed toy trucks from the preschool department and brought in a few from home. Any handheld toy car or truck will do, but look for a variety of tire treads and sizes. Miniature Tonka[R] trucks are a good size with which to work. The trucks can be cleansed fairly well with soap and water at the end of the day. Students really got into the color-mixing, with their engine sound effects adding to the fun. Excitement rose as secondary colors were created in the process. I encouraged students to go in different directions and cross over lines with different colors. They do not have to paint to the edges because two or three fish will be cut out from the painted area the following week. A challenge with this form of play and experimentation is for students to know when to stop.
At the second class session, students were given both papers -- the background sheet and the blended paper. We then reviewed how to use ovals for the fish bodies and how to add a tail and fins. Students were encouraged to draw large images and to draw the fish going in different directions. It is best to draw on the back of the paper so mistakes can be corrected.
After cutting out the fish and gluing them to the backgrounds, students painted the eyes and mouths. (As an alternative, plastic wiggle eyes could be glued on for eyes, and markers used to draw the mouths.) Our truck-painted fish now swam through their underwater worlds.
This proved to be an interesting and beautiful lesson in color mixing, texture and environment. Moreover, students were awakened to the possibilities of using other, nontraditional, objects or tools for their art.
AnnMarie Jones teaches art at Johnson Street Elementary School in High Point, N. C. This lesson was conducted when she was teaching at Sydnor Jennings Elementary School in Halifax County, Va.
COPYRIGHT 2001 Publishers' Development Corporation
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group
