Art Class, Level 3: Kandinsky and Color Mixing

Product Description

Most people know the basics of color mixing: the primary colors are red, blue, and yellow. If we mix two primary colors, we get secondary colors: green, violet, and orange. Wasilly Kandinsky’s painting, Farbstudie Quadrate, turns this common knowledge into an adventure. Imitating his painting becomes an invitation not only to explore color mixing, but also to explore what happens when we put colors next to each other. Learning color theory has never been so much fun!

Kandinsky’s life is a window on the tumultuous events of the early 20th century. He lived in Russia before and after the Communist Revolution, he lived in Germany while the Nazis were rising to power, and he lived in France during World War II. Because of his life’s historical setting, his art is influenced by French Impressionism, Russian Constructivism, and the German Bauhaus movement.

The lesson introduces students to Kandinsky’s art and to the proportions that one needs to follow in order to mix colors successfully. Students will mix 5 colors to create 18 colors and will use the colors to create their own version of Kandinsky’s famous painting, Farbstudie Quadrate.

Unlike other ArtAchieve lessons, this lesson does not require a printed warm-up. A painting warm-up is, however, included in the lesson.

This lesson includes both POWERPOINT and VIDEO versions of the lesson.

Approximate Time to Complete the Art Class:

• Warm-up (learning to mix colors in proper proportion): 35 minutes
• Painting the picture: 60 minutes

Families will have access to the online lesson for one year from the date of purchase.