Monet's Japanese Bridge

Lesson Plan, Grades 3-5, Art, Math, Science, Mixed Media

Description

Lesson Plan and Artwork by Mary Reilly

Claude Monet is credited with being the father of Impressionism. He was a prolific painter. His beloved garden and water lily pond in Giverny, France was the subject of many of his landscape paintings. This lesson plan uses one of his Japanese Bridge paintings as a starting point to dig deeper into the composition of landscape painting focusing on background, middle ground and foreground. The complete line of Mr. Sketch® scented crayons, gel crayons and markers were used to create the different planes in this project.

Objectives

Students will learn to identify background, middle ground and foreground in the composition of a landscape painting.

Students will create a landscape using different mediums and three dimensional techniques to showcase the three different planes in a landscape composition.

Supplies Needed

Mr. Sketch® Premium Scented Watercolor Markers, Set of 8
Mr. Sketch® Premium Scented Stix Markers, Set of 10
Mr. Sketch® Scented Crayons, Set of 8
Mr. Sketch® Scented Gel Crayons, Set of 12
Mr. Sketch® Scented Crayons, Set of 18
Elmer's® Glue-All Non-Toxic Glue, White, 7.625 oz.
Elmer's® Acid Free Foam Board, Bright White, 20" x 30", Pack of 2
*Here are the supplies needed for this lesson plan for reference. Find a convenient carousel of shoppable products for this lesson below.

Standards

Standard #1: Generated and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
Standard #3: Refine and complete artistic work.
Standard #4: Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation.
Standard #7: Perceive and analyze artistic work.
Standard #10: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.

Instructions

1

Share with students different types of landscape paintings. Discuss the meaning of foreground, middle ground and background.

2

Ask students to identify the three landscape planes in the shared examples.

3

Explain about how light, size, color, shape, perspective and texture play a role in defining the different landscape planes.

4

Show how the same element can be in all three planes but executed differently in each. Monet's lilies are a good example of this.

5

Share with students different three-dimensional techniques they can use to enhance the three planes in their landscape composition. Examples: cut-out and elevated bridge and application of 3-D flowers.

6

Have students select a landscape painting or photo to inspire them. Encourage students to find a common element to focus on in each plane using a different technique or medium to make the plane and element standout.