Visual Art Lesson on Abstract Art
What's the Big Idea? Activities and Adventures in Abstract Art
This article reviews What's the Big Idea? Activities and Adventures in Abstract Art by Joyce Raimondo and gives some lesson ideas for using abstract art in the classroom.
What's the Big Idea? Summary
This book provides an introduction to the world of abstract art, with examples from the great abstract artists such as Picasso and Matisse. The book is filled with excellent activities to demonstrate the different styles of abstract art and how to recreate similar work. Raimondo's focus is to introduce, but not to encourage, exact replicas and to use the sample artwork as a springboard for young aspiring artists to create their own masterpieces. What's the Big Idea? is the fifth book in the Art Explorer series that explores the wonder of art in its many forms.
Raimondo has introduced another great tool for the art class. Her book is simple but filled with wonderful lessons to teach students art history and art techniques. Abstract art is a wonderful medium because the student does not need to reproduce works of art, rather they use their imagination, lines, colors, and shapes to produce art. Abstract art accepts errors and all different forms of lines, there are rules to the art but they are easy to implement.
Teacher Bookshelf Recommendation
Teachers would be best to have the series on hand to assist in their lesson plans for art and other subject areas. Raimondo's book provides lessons for primary, junior, and senior students. Her book gives a brief history of six abstract artists that can be shared with the class. Instead of the traditionally life stores of artists, Raimondo provides brief and entertaining snippets of their lives. Students learn best if they are able to do not just listen, and Raimondo has ensured students will listen, look, and do with her activities.
The writing of the book is geared for teachers, as it bolds important information and provides open discussion questions to engage students in an art conversation. The questions make the students think, as there is not one correct answer but rather many.
Connecting Art with Other Subjects
Language Arts
Raimondo's activities can be easily incorporated into the language arts program. For example, students create a mixed up picture and write about their art. Students are to explain why they created the art and why they used specific colors, lines, and shapes. Next step is for students to glue their answer to the back of the picture and provide a title for their artwork. Title can be specific or general. Final step is for students to write about other students' artwork and explain what they see and why they might have used bright colors or short lines in their art. Since students work at different levels, this activity allows students who are finished quickly to remark about several art pieces while other students may remark only about one.
Math
Leger's work dealt with geometric shapes and this is an excellent artist to employ into mathematics. Teacher may give students specific parameters to create a scene with geometric shapes. If students are learning about area, the teacher may choose to give students a selection of areas to be calculated and to use their shapes for their art piece. Another option is to employ fractions to create an art piece.
Science
Recycling can be strengthened with artwork. Students are to create abstract models with recycled materials only.
Reference information:
Book Title: What's the Big Idea? Activities and Adventures in Abstract Art
Author: Joyce Raimondo
Publisher: Watson-Guptill Publications
Art Explorer Series: Expressionism, Pop Art, Surrealism, Impressionism
