Art Introduction Lesson Plans
Introduction: The Value of Art Education
Art education plays
an essential role in developing creative and critical thinking skills
in students. Art lessons for introduction level classes should
balance foundational art concepts with engaging activities that
foster a love for art. These structured lesson plans will guide
middle school and high school teachers, aiding both classroom
instruction and self-learners seeking systematic coverage of
essential art topics.
**Lesson 1: Elements
of Art**
- Purpose:
Understanding the basic elements of art is foundational to all
art-making processes.
- Activity: Have the
students create a “Elements of Art” chart, visually depicting
line, shape, form, space, color, value, and texture.
- Materials Needed:
Drawing paper, colored pencils, markers.
- Historical Example:
Reference Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night,” discussing his use
of line and texture.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Lesson 2:
Principles of Design**
- Purpose: Grasping
the principles of design helps students understand how to structure
artwork effectively.
- Activity: Students
will create a collage that demonstrates balance, contrast, emphasis,
movement, pattern, rhythm, and unity.
- Materials Needed:
Scissors, glue, magazines, construction paper.
- Historical Example:
Use Wassily Kandinsky’s “Composition VIII” to illustrate these
principles in practice.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Lesson 3: Color
Theory**
- Purpose: Learning
the basic principles of color theory including the color wheel,
primary, secondary, and tertiary colors.
- Activity: Have
students paint a color wheel and mix colors to see the relationships
and outcomes.
- Materials Needed:
Paints (primary colors plus white and black), brushes, and watercolor
paper.
- Historical Example:
Discuss the color usage in Claude Monet’s “Water Lilies”
series.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Lesson 4:
Introduction to Drawing**
- Purpose: Developing
fundamental drawing skills through observation and practice.
- Activity: Conduct a
still life drawing session using simple objects like apples, bottles,
and flowers.
- Materials Needed:
Pencils, erasers, drawing paper.
- Historical Example:
Show examples from Leonardo da Vinci’s sketchbooks and discuss his
dedication to drawing from observation.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Lesson 5:
Perspective Drawing**
- Purpose:
Understanding one-point and two-point perspective to create a sense
of depth.
- Activity: Have
students draw a cityscape using one-point perspective, focusing on
vanishing points and horizon lines.
- Materials Needed:
Rulers, drawing paper, pencils.
- Historical Example:
Analyze Raphael’s “The School of Athens” to see perspective in
action.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Lesson 6:
Introduction to Sculpture**
- Purpose: Exploring
three-dimensional forms and basic sculpture techniques.
- Activity: Create
simple sculptures using clay, focusing on building form and texture.
- Materials Needed:
Modeling clay, sculpting tools.
- Historical Example:
Discuss the works of Auguste Rodin, particularly “The Thinker.”
Duration: 1 hour.
**Lesson 7: Portrait
Drawing**
- Purpose: Learning
the proportions and techniques required for drawing human faces.
- Activity: Students
will draw self-portraits or portraits of classmates.
- Materials Needed:
Pencils, mirrors, drawing paper.
- Historical Example:
Examine the portraits by Rembrandt, focusing on his use of light and
shadow.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Lesson 8:
Exploring Printmaking**
- Purpose:
Introduction to basic printmaking techniques such as relief printing.
- Activity: Create
simple block prints using linoleum or rubber blocks.
- Materials Needed:
Linoleum blocks, cutting tools, ink, brayers, paper.
- Historical Example:
Study Katsushika Hokusai’s “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” as an
exemplar of relief printmaking.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Lesson 9:
Introduction to Watercolor Painting**
- Purpose: Learning
watercolor techniques like wet-on-wet, dry brushing, and layering.
- Activity: Paint a
landscape focusing on the blending and layering of colors.
- Materials Needed:
Watercolor paints, brushes, watercolor paper.
- Historical Example:
Discuss J.M.W. Turner’s watercolor landscapes.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Lesson 10:
Abstract Art**
- Purpose:
Understanding the concepts behind abstract art and how to create
non-representational works.
- Activity: Create an
abstract painting or drawing focusing on form, color, and
composition.
- Materials Needed:
Paints or drawing supplies, paper or canvas.
- Historical Example:
Explore Piet Mondrian’s “Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow”
to discuss balance and simplicity.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Lesson 11: Mixed
Media Art**
- Purpose: Engaging
students in the practice of combining different materials and
techniques in a single work of art.
- Activity: Create a
mixed media piece using paper, paint, fabric, and found objects.
- Materials Needed:
Various papers, paints, fabric scraps, glue, found objects.
- Historical Example:
Discuss the impact of Robert Rauschenberg’s combines.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Lesson 12:
Understanding Art Movements: Impressionism**
- Purpose: Learning
about the historical context and characteristics of Impressionism.
- Activity: Create an
Impressionist-style painting focusing on light and color.
- Materials Needed:
Acrylic or oil paints, brushes, canvas or heavy paper.
- Historical Example:
Analyze the works of Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Lesson 13:
Understanding Art Movements: Surrealism**
- Purpose: Exploring
the Surrealism movement and its emphasis on dream-like imagery.
- Activity: Create a
surrealist collage or drawing.
- Materials Needed:
Magazines for collage, drawing or painting supplies.
- Historical Example:
Discuss the works of Salvador Dalí and René Magritte.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Lesson 14:
Introduction to Digital Art**
- Purpose:
Familiarizing students with basic digital art tools and techniques.
- Activity: Create a
digital piece using software like Adobe Photoshop or free
alternatives like GIMP.
- Materials Needed:
Computers, digital art software.
- Historical Example:
Explore contemporary digital artists and their impact.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Lesson 15:
Analyzing Art**
- Purpose: Developing
skills in art criticism and analysis.
- Activity: Students
will write a critical analysis of a chosen artwork.
- Materials Needed:
Reproductions of various artworks, paper, and pens.
- Historical Example:
Use Edouard Manet’s “Olympia” to discuss new approaches to art
and its reception.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Lesson 16:
Creating Art with a Message**
- Purpose:
Understanding how art can convey social or political messages.
- Activity: Create an
artwork that addresses a current issue or personal belief.
- Materials Needed:
Any preferred art supplies.
- Historical Example:
Discuss Pablo Picasso’s “Guernica” and its message about the
horrors of war.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Lesson 17:
Introduction to Calligraphy**
- Purpose: Exploring
the art of beautiful writing by learning the basics of calligraphy.
- Activity: Practice
basic calligraphy strokes and create a quote in calligraphy style.
- Materials Needed:
Calligraphy pens or brushes, ink, and paper.
- Historical Example:
Explore ancient illuminated manuscripts and their intricate
calligraphy.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Lesson 18: Art
from Different Cultures**
- Purpose:
Appreciating and understanding the diversity of art from various
cultures.
- Activity: Create art
inspired by different cultural traditions.
- Materials Needed:
Research materials, various art supplies depending on the cultural
style chosen.
- Historical Example:
Discuss Native American, African, or Asian art examples.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Lesson 19:
Environmental Art**
- Purpose: Introducing
the concept of eco-friendly art and the use of natural materials.
- Activity: Create art
using natural or recycled materials.
- Materials Needed:
Natural items like leaves, stones, or recyclable materials.
- Historical Example:
Discuss the works of Andy Goldsworthy in environmental art.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Lesson 20: The
Role of an Art Gallery**
- Purpose:
Understanding the function and importance of art galleries in
preserving and showcasing art.
- Activity: Plan a
virtual or physical visit to a local gallery; write a reflection on
one piece that stood out.
- Materials Needed:
Internet access for virtual tours or arrangement for physical visit.
- Historical Example:
Examine a world-renowned gallery like the Louvre and its
contributions to art history.
Duration: 1 hour
(excluding time for the visit).
Lesson Ideas for Teachers
**Conclusion:
Reflecting on Art Education**
- Purpose: Encouraging
students to reflect on what they have learned and how they have
improved.
- Activity: Create a
portfolio of the best works produced in the class and present it.
- Materials Needed:
Portfolio folders or digital portfolio tools.
- Historical Example:
Reflect on how artists historically kept sketchbooks and portfolios
to document and refine their practices.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Incorporate Art
History Effectively**
- Purpose: Integrating
historical examples of art to give students a well-rounded
understanding.
- Activity: Relate
each lesson to an art movement or specific artist to illustrate the
application of techniques.
- Materials Needed:
Reproductions of historical artworks.
- Examples: For
Cubism, refer to Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque.
- Discussion: What is art?
Duration: Ongoing
through each lesson.
**Implementing Art
Critique Sessions**
- Purpose: Developing
critical thinking and verbal skills through peer reviews.
- Activity: Organize
regular critique sessions where students present their work and
give/receive feedback.
- Materials Needed:
Student artworks, a structured critique format.
- Historical Example:
Research famous art critiques and how they shaped artists' careers.
Duration: Part of
each class, or dedicate a full hour intermittently.
**Exploring
Contemporary Art Trends**
- Purpose: Keeping
students informed about current trends and movements in the art
world.
- Activity: Research
and present on a contemporary artist or trend.
- Materials Needed:
Internet access, presentation tools.
- Historical Example:
Examine the street art movement and artists like Banksy.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Teaching Art in
Context: Cross-Disciplinary Approaches**
- Purpose: Connecting
art with other subjects like history, literature, and science.
- Activity: Create a
piece of art inspired by a historical event or literary work.
- Materials Needed:
Art supplies, historical/literary sources.
- Historical Example:
Show how the Renaissance integrated art with science and literature.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Utilizing
Technology in Art Education**
- Purpose: Integrating
modern technology to enhance art education.
- Activity: Use apps
and online platforms to create digital portfolios, interactive
lessons, and virtual museum tours.
- Materials Needed:
Computers, tablets, internet access.
- Historical Example:
Discuss how digital media has revolutionized contemporary art.
Duration: Ongoing
through each lesson.
**Interactive Field
Trips to Museums**
- Purpose: Broadening
students' exposure to art by organizing field trips to local museums
and galleries. (see Los Angeles County Museum of Art LACMA)
- Activity: Plan a
visit and encourage students to sketch and take notes on their
favorite pieces.
- Materials Needed:
Sketchbooks, pencils, permission slips.
- Historical Example:
Discuss how museum visits inspired artists like Vincent van Gogh.
Duration: 1 hour
(excluding travel time).
**Art Journals for
Reflection and Growth**
- Purpose: Encouraging
students to maintain art journals to document their progress and
ideas.
- Activity: Regularly
write about and sketch thoughts, inspirations, and reflections in
journals.
- Materials Needed:
Journals, pens, pencils.
- Historical Example:
Examine the sketchbooks of artists like Leonardo da Vinci.
Duration: Part of
each class or dedicated time.
**Portfolio
Development and Presentation Skills**
- Purpose: Teaching
students to develop and present their art portfolios effectively.
- Activity: Guide
students in curating a portfolio that showcases their best work and
growth.
- Materials Needed:
Portfolio folders, digital portfolio tools.
- Historical Example:
Research how professional artists present their portfolios.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Using Critique
Rubrics**
- Purpose: Setting
clear expectations and standards for art critiques.
- Activity: Provide
and explain a rubric outlining criteria for art critiques.
- Materials Needed:
Rubric templates, examples.
- Historical Example:
Analyze critiques of famous art pieces using rubric criteria.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Group Art Projects
for Collaboration**
- Purpose: Promoting
teamwork and collaboration among students through group art projects.
- Activity: Create a
mural or collaborative sculpture.
- Materials Needed:
Large canvas or wall space, mixed media materials.
- Historical Example:
Discuss collaborative art projects like Diego Rivera’s murals.
Duration: Several
class periods.
**Motivating
Students through Art Contests**
- Purpose: Encouraging
students to participate in art contests to showcase their skills and
gain recognition.
- Activity: Organize
classroom or school-wide art contests with themes and awards.
- Materials Needed:
Art supplies, prize materials.
- Historical Example:
Look at historical art competitions like the Prix de Rome.
Duration: Ongoing.
**Integrating
Cultural Themes in Art Projects**
- Purpose: Teaching
students about various cultures through thematic art projects.
- Activity: Create
artworks that reflect cultural themes and traditions from around the
world.
- Materials Needed:
Various art supplies, research materials.
- Historical Example:
Study the cultural significance of masks in African art.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Learning Art
Preservation Techniques**
- Purpose: Teaching
students how to preserve their artwork properly.
- Activity: Discuss
techniques for framing, storing, and handling art.
- Materials Needed:
Preservation materials, demonstration pieces.
- Historical Example:
Explore how museums preserve artworks.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Incorporating
Guest Artists and Lectures**
- Purpose: Enhancing
learning through exposure to professional artists.
- Activity: Invite
guest artists for lectures or virtual sessions to discuss their work
and career.
- Materials Needed:
Scheduling tools, audio-visual equipment.
- Historical Example:
Discuss examples of guest artists who inspired students.
Duration: 1 hour per
session.
**Exploring
Self-Taught Artists**
- Purpose: Encouraging
students to appreciate diverse paths to becoming an artist.
- Activity: Research
and present on self-taught artists.
- Materials Needed:
Research tools, presentation materials.
- Historical Example:
Discuss artists like Henri Rousseau and Grandma Moses.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Hosting Art
Exhibitions**
- Purpose: Providing
students with opportunities to exhibit their work.
- Activity: Organize a
school exhibition to display students’ art.
- Materials Needed:
Display boards, labels, art pieces.
- Historical Example:
Examine the significance of the Salon exhibitions in Paris.
Duration: Several
class periods for preparation and execution.
**Building Art
Appreciation through Videos and Documentaries**
- Purpose: Using
multimedia resources to teach art history and appreciation.
- Activity: Watch and
discuss art documentaries or videos.
- Materials Needed:
Audio-visual equipment, access to video resources.
- Historical Example:
View documentaries on artists like Michelangelo or contemporary art
movements.
Duration: 1 hour per
session.
**Interactive Online
Art Communities**
- Purpose: Connecting
students with the broader art community.
- Activity: Encourage
participation in online platforms where they can share and critique
art.
- Materials Needed:
Internet access, accounts on online art communities.
- Historical Example:
Discuss the benefits of platforms like DeviantArt.
Duration: Ongoing.
**Experimenting with
Unconventional Art Materials**
- Purpose: Broadening
students' perspective on what materials can be used in art.
- Activity: Create art
using unconventional materials like recycled items, food, or
technology components.
- Materials Needed:
Unconventional materials, basic art supplies.
- Historical Example:
Study artists who used unconventional materials, like Marcel Duchamp.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Exploring Art and
Emotion**
- Purpose:
Understanding how art can express and evoke emotions.
- Activity: Create an
artwork based on a specific emotion and discuss how colors, lines,
and forms convey it.
- Materials Needed:
Art supplies, reflective journals.
- Historical Example:
Analyze the emotional impact of Edvard Munch’s “The Scream.”
Duration: 1 hour.
**Understanding
Public Art**
- Purpose: Learning
about public art and its role in the community.
- Activity: Research
and create a proposal for a public art project.
- Materials Needed:
Research tools, presentation supplies.
- Historical Example:
Discuss famous public art projects like the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Using Art to
Develop Spatial Awareness**
- Purpose: Teaching
students to understand and utilize space effectively in their art.
- Activity: Create a
3D diorama or installation artwork.
- Materials Needed:
Cardboard, mixed media materials.
- Historical Example:
Study installations by artists like Christo and Jeanne-Claude.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Art and Technology
Integration**
- Purpose: Fostering
an understanding of how technology can enhance traditional art
techniques.
- Activity: Combine
hand-drawn art with digital enhancements.
- Materials Needed:
Drawing supplies, computers with digital art software.
- Historical Example:
Discuss artists who combine traditional and digital methods.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Art Portfolios: A
Semester Long Project**
- Purpose: Compiling a
body of work that represents students’ progress and achievements
over a semester.
- Activity: Guide
students in creating and refining their portfolios throughout the
semester.
- Materials Needed:
Portfolio materials, ongoing feedback from the teacher.
- Historical Example:
Reference how art students traditionally compile portfolios for art
school applications.
Duration: Several
class hours over the semester.
**Environmental
Themes in Art**
- Purpose: Encouraging
students to participate in environmental activism through art.
- Activity: Create a
series of artworks focused on environmental sustainability.
- Materials Needed:
Art supplies, recyclable materials.
- Historical Example:
Discuss the work of environmental artists like Maya Lin.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Engaging Art
Mystery Projects**
- Purpose: Developing
creativity and investigative skills through art projects.
- Activity: Provide
clues and have students create a piece based on these thematic clues.
- Materials Needed:
Thematic clues, art supplies.
- Historical Example:
Examine how artists like Hieronymus Bosch included mysteries and
narratives in their work.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Art Careers
Exploration**
- Purpose: Providing
insights into various career paths in the art world.
- Activity: Research
and discuss various careers that utilize art skills.
- Materials Needed:
Research tools, presentation methods.
- Historical Example:
Explore the career progression of artists who transitioned to
different roles within the art world.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Developing
Artistic Confidence**
- Purpose: Building
students’ self-confidence in their artistic abilities through
practice and positive reinforcement.
- Activity: Regularly
showcase student art and provide constructive feedback.
- Materials Needed:
Display space, feedback templates.
- Historical Example:
Discuss how public recognition improved confidence in historically
famous artists.
Duration: Ongoing.
**Exploring Light
and Shadow**
- Purpose:
Understanding how light and shadow affect perceptions of depth and
form.
- Activity: Create
artwork focusing on the use of chiaroscuro.
- Materials Needed:
Art supplies, lamps/lighting tools.
- Historical Example:
Analyze Caravaggio’s use of light and shadow.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Art and
Mathematics**
- Purpose: Exploring
the relationship between art and mathematical concepts like symmetry
and proportion.
- Activity: Create
geometric art using mathematical principles.
- Materials Needed:
Rulers, compasses, drawing tools.
- Historical Example:
Study the use of the Golden Ratio in Renaissance art.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Storytelling
through Art**
- Purpose: Using
visual art to tell a narrative story.
- Activity: Create a
comic strip or visual storyboard.
- Materials Needed:
Drawing paper, pens, markers.
- Historical Example:
Discuss the works of graphic novelists and illustrators.
Duration: 1 hour.
**Art Reflecting
Personal Experience**
- Purpose: Encouraging
students to create art
See also: The Metropolitan Museum of Art