Joan Miro: pure color, shape, line and space

Arts & Activities, March, 2004 by Lois Vederman

Last summer I visited the Joan Miro museum in Barcelona, Spain. I was particularly impressed with his paintings of animals. They were simple in form, well-balanced and used pure colors. Perfect inspiration for a lesson plan!

As a prelude to our art lesson, we read How Artists See Animals by Colleen Carrol (Abbeville Press, 1998). it is a wonderful book for all elementary students. It has many illustrations on how artists interpret animals from realistic to abstract. Students were then asked to critique their favorite reproduction and tell what elements of design they recognized.

Next I hung up on my white board a poster-size reproduction by Joan Miro titled Figur vor roter Sonne (this and other Miro works can be seen and purchased at http://a-prints.com/m/miro.shtml) and shared with my class a brief biography on this 20th-century artist. My students immediately recognized that the artist simplified an animal, used pure color, line and made good use of his space. They were able to connect to his child-like art. They all felt confident that they could create their own Joan Miro-like painting.

Next I demonstrated how to draw an animal by using only simple shapes on 18" x 20" white drawing paper. Then I showed them how to go over their pencil drawing with permanent black marker. Next I demonstrated how to make a contour line around their animal and any other parts in their drawing. The contour line was very important as it enables the students to save that white space similar to Miro. Next I painted in my shape using "Biggie Tempera Cakes."

My students were told to close their eyes and think of an animal they wanted to draw. Emphasis was on shape and simplification. All the students were able to complete their animal drawing and start painting in the first week.

In our second art class, the students were able to complete their painting. They were encouraged to go over their black marker lines with black permanent marker. Always during art class my students are asked to be caring, sharing artists and hold up their artwork. All felt their projects were as creative as Joan Miro. I had 100-percent success!

MATERIALS

* white 18" x 24" drawing paper

* Pencils and erasers

* Black permanent markers

* Biggie tempera cake sets

* Brushes

* Water

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Students will ...

* recognize and use the elements of design: line, shape, color and space.

* learn how artists interpret animals in their art.

* learn about artist Joan Miro and create a Miro-like animal painting.

Lois Vederman teaches art at Stockton Elementary School in Cherry Hill, N.J.