Just a couple weeks ago, my new batch of Kindergarteners walked through the doors of the Art Room for the first time. Many of them looked up and around the room, taken aback by all of the colors, patterns, and crazy things springing from the walls and ceiling. After they found their name tags and assigned seats, they learned that all of the different tables in the Art Room are named after famous artists: Matisse, DaVinci, Monet, Picasso, Warhol, and O’Keeffe.
Pablo Picasso was the inspiration for our first project of the year. This Spanish artist is known for his cubist style and use of color. I wanted to start the year off on a high note, so I showed Kindergarteners pictures of Picasso’s crazy guitars.
Something about Picassos’ guitars and their energy bring me back to my childhood. Few people know this, but I used to be in a band. The band consisted of myself, my little brother, and my dad. We used to jump around, write music, and record our songs in the little room above our old garage. This has always been one of my fondest memories and I wanted to translate this fun energy into an art lesson where kids not only learn about Pablo Picasso, but create a bit of magic.
Pablo Picasso Guitar
So I turned on some music for my Kindergarteners as we started our lesson, discussing warm colors and cool colors. Each student received a colored sheet of construction paper, smock, and plate of paint. I called the first day of the lesson CRAZY PAINT DAY because our goal was to cover the paper with as much color and paint as possible. Before we began, I demonstrated several painting techniques such as sponging and color blending. I used a wooden tool to create detail by carving into the top layer of paint, showing the layer underneath. Kindergarteners learned how to create mono-prints by folding their papers down the middle while the paint was still wet. After some demonstrating and experimenting, I set the Kindergarteners back to their tables to PLAY. This resulted in some pretty cool looking abstract artwork!
On the second day of this lesson, I distributed cardboard cut outs of guitars and the dry artwork from last week. I showed students how to use the cardboard guitar as a template and trace around it. Students took turns using the cardboard cut outs and tracing the guitar shape onto their abstract background paper. I was very impressed with the amount of patience this little group demonstrated! Once guitars were stenciled onto the crazy paintings, students used scissors to cut out their guitar shapes. Again, I was impressed with how well Kindergarteners knew how to use their scissors and how hard they worked. This was probably a little hard for them, but no tears of frustration were shed!
Next, Kindergarteners glued their guitars onto black construction paper and started adding the details. I gave each group of children a button jar, oil pastels, and tissue paper circles. Students added buttons, string, tissue paper, and other details. I didn’t overload them with rigid instructions because I wanted to see what they could come up with!
Pablo Picasso Art Lesson Project Artist Biography Distance Artist Learning
For me, the most fun part of this lesson was walking around and watching children take little breaks to strum the strings of their guitar. I could tell that they were absorbed into this fantasy world and quite taken by their magical guitars. To complete the backgrounds, we crumpled up brown packing paper to glue on colorful construction paper for a bit of color and texture. The guitars were cut out from black paper and glued to their new backgrounds. What do you think?Second graders are having a great time working on their Picasso inspired Blue Period Abstract guitars. I find it’s an excellent experience to really apply an artistic choice of realism vs. abstraction.
As our school has been discussing ‘growth mindset’ lately, as I taught the lesson I addressed Picasso’s dedication to an idea. Students love to hear that as an artist, he was not afraid to be different! Picasso was willing to try something that everyone might laugh at when they first saw it or even that he would make art that others would hate at first.
Picasso perfectly embodies growth mindset in terms of dedication, persistance and exploration as well as important studio habits of mind- ‘Stretch and explore’ and 'engage and persist'.. (Want to know more about using studio habits of mind? Check out this Art of Ed post)
Violin And Guitar, 1943 Art Print By Pablo Picasso
I begin by sharing a google slides presentation of Picasso’s guitar themed art Here is a link the slideshow I use if you would like to use it too! I started with someone else’s presentation from slideshare and then modified it for my needs. Click here to view it!
Students begin by cutting two guitar halves. I have tried this a few different ways, but this year students cut one white side and one blue side. We put the blue side in the table folders and worked only with the white side on day one.
We mix tints and shades of blue on small pieces of foil (my perferred palettes) to apply line designs to our guitar halves. This is a quick thing, so the students accomplish what they can in ten to fifteen minutes.
Pablo Picasso Inspired Art Challenge Collage Activity Pack
Supplies for next class:one 6”x9” paper per studentTray of paper for collage- I use all the scraps from cutting the guitar halves last week, plus another variety of blue, sheet music, newspaper and some brown shadesGlue sponges (I love these things, if you’ve never tried them, google this!)Scissorspencils/erasers“Parts of a guitar” drawn poster
Next class, we take out both guitar halves and discuss how they might be attached. The idea of abstraction is reviewed and students are encouraged to make their own choices about how realistic or abstract to make their guitar overall.
Students press the 6x9” paper to the glue sponge and then attach their two guitar halves to that. If any paper is showing on the sides, they trim it off.
The Crayon Lab: Picasso Collage
Next they glue a long 3”x14” paper strip for the neck of the guitar. If you have the resources, you could provide a lot of choice in the paper selection here too. Students also use the glue sponge to glue the guitar neck. We discuss how it can be arranged in any manner, including folding the guitar neck.
Students refer to the ‘parts of a guitar’ reference poster for the other items they need to create with the understanding that each piece has the option of being abstracted.
Trays of newspaper, sheet music photocopies, shades of blue (scraps and more) along with some browns are provided as collage materials. A headstock, tuning pegs, a sound hole and a bridge are all created using the varieties of paper provided. I also encourage some shapes on the guitar body or neck that are not more ‘decorative.
Famous Artists For Kids To Study + Classroom Art Activities For Primary School
On the final day of work, students will review objectives and glue an information/exit slip to the back of their art. This includes some talking points for them to use when they take their art home and explain to their families what we did. It also gives a tiny bit of background for parents. On my information slip, I end it with a prompt for families:
I like to close the lesson by gathering students together to read, Just Behave Pablo Picasso, by Jonah Winter. Amazon link here. And I close the story with one more reminder to be true to yourself, take risks and be persistent!
Not many! What's wonderful about a project like this is that students are able to approach the subject matter at their own level with great success. As always, I recommend giving just a couple directions at a time and providing visual, written and demonstrated directions for your students.
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