DRAWING PENCILS | OIL PASTELS | WATERCOLORS

Surrealism in Watercolor
Objectives: Students will apply their understanding of the concepts of Surrealism as they create an original watercolor painting that demonstrates understanding of that genre. They demonstrate proficiency in watercolor techniques Lesson Background: Discuss Surrealistic artists with students and show them examples of surrealistic work.* Explain the cultural context of the time period. Ask students to identify and list the artistic devices used by these artists and suggest how these effects were created. Ask students to create an original watercolor painting based upon Surrealistic imagery and the following project criteria as follows. Criteria: each painting will include (1) some part of a human or animal form, in whole or fragmented, (2) an object, drawn from life and (3) an environment.
*The work of Rene Magritte, Salvador Dali, and Marc Chagall or contemporary Surrealists such as Don Proch and Paul Wunderlich can offer insight into the past and present applications of Surrealistic conventions. Use slides, books and a variety of visual stimuli to introduce these concepts to the students. Procedure: Demonstrate use of Portfolio Series watercolors, then ask students to proceed as follows. They: Sketch ideas for the paintings, using visual resources, actual objects, and their imaginations. Students manipulate and juxtapose these components to produce dreamlike, surreal images exhibiting strong compositional qualities. Use these sketches to create a well-composed drawing as preliminary to the paintings Transfer drawing to an appropriate ground such as watercolor paper or bristol board. Tape the paper to a rigid surface such as hardboard or drawing board to prevent warping. Prior to working on the final painting, the students practice each effects demonstrated in class. Use techniques explored in points 1-3 to develop the effects that bring your drawing to life. Work on final paintings, utilizing at least three of the watercolor techniques per painting to enhance the paintingís surreal effects. Evaluation Evaluation of student work will be based upon the criteria listed above.
Media Tools Portfolio Series watercolors, watercolor brushes of various sizes, watercolor paper scraps, watercolor paper or Bristol board, table salt, sponges, tissues, liquid paper mask, packaging tape, water-filled containers. National Art Standard For Visual Tools: Addresses Content Standard: Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes. Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and culture.