Vincent William van Gogh
December lesson Plan for Kindergarten
Sunflowers
Biographical information
Vincent Willem van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853.Van Gogh was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter remembered for his use of bright colors and the emotions in his work
When he was 27 years old, he taught himself how to paint. He attended art school for a little bit, but decided to leave art school because his teachers did not think he was very talented. Boy were they wrong! Much of what we know about Van Gogh has been learned from letters he wrote. Over a period of seventeen years he wrote over 800 letters to his family and friends. Most of them were written to his brother Theo who recognized his brother's talent, and encouraged him.
When van Gogh would paint, he would squeeze the paint directly on the canvas and work with it there. He used watercolors and also thicker oil paints. He often painted outside. If the wind was blowing, grains of sand would stick to the paint and become a part of the picture.
People did not realize how great of an artist van Gogh was while he was still alive. Van Gogh did not become famous until many years after his death. Today, he is recognized as one of the greatest painters and his work played a very strong influence on the modern art that came after him.
In the beginning, van Gogh’s paintings used mostly earth tones (shades of brown and green) and did not include any of the bright colors he became famous for later on. He discovered the French Impressionist style of painting when he moved to Paris. This type of painting inspired van Gogh to start using more color and show movement in his paintings. He also started to paint more mountains, trees and rivers, which are called landscapes. He was inspired by the strong sunlight and his work grew brighter in color and he developed his own style of painting, which is what he is most known for today.
Today many of his pieces—including his self-portraits, landscapes, portraits, and sunflowers—are among the world's most recognizable and expensive works of art. Some say that during his lifetime he only sold one painting. He had no idea he would become so famous, but after his death people began to appreciate his work. One of his paintings sold for $82.5 million. That's the most anyone has ever paid for a painting
- Direct the students’ attention to the art examples at the end of this document. Use the questions below to discuss the art works. Talk about his use of color and how he used brushstrokes to show movement. Ask the students’ how the different color palettes make them feel. Is van Gogh showing emotion by his use of color and painting technique?
Vocabulary Words
Post Impressionist – Artists of this style used vivid colors, thick application of paint, distinctive brush strokes, and real-life subject matter.
Modern Art - Modern artists experimented with new ways of seeing and with fresh ideas about the nature of materials and functions of art.
Discussion Questions
Here are a few questions to ask the students while showing examples of van Gogh’s works of art.
What do you see?
Why do you think he uses the colors he does?
Do you see any sort of pattern that he seems to use in his paintings?
What shapes did van Gogh use to show movement?
Here are some questions to ask the students after they have completed their project. If time allows, they can even use their own works of art to answer the following.
How did this project make them feel?
Did they like painting this way?
Basically a brief reflection on what they had created. This is designed to be a fun activity that introduces children to a new style of art.
Sunflower Vases
Materials: white construction paper, 4x6 colored paper, scissors, glue stick, pencil; yellow, orange, red, purple, and white tempura paint, paint brushes, sponges for stamping, and plates for paint. Paper towels and wipes for cleanup. Please use newspapers to cover tables and drying area.
Demonstrate the lesson by following these step by step instructions, please remember to have the students put their name on the back of their paper before they get started and to roll up their sleeves. They should also wear their art smock.
Give each student a piece of white paper and a piece of colored construction paper. They should use their own scissors and glue. Pour colored paints on paper plates, do not overload the plates, and plan to add more as the kids work on the project, one color per plate. Place a few plates on each worktable. Distribute a few stamps per plate. Encourage the kids to allow their petals and colors to overlap.
Step 1: Making the Vase.
Show the students how to fold their piece of colored paper in half. Just as you might cut out a heart, demonstrate how to draw a vase like shape and then have the students cut it out, making sure the creased line stays intact. Once the shape is cut out, have them open up their paper to see their vase. It doesn't matter how they cut the line, or where, whatever shape they end up with is fine.
Step 2: Gluing down the Vase.
Using a glue stick, glue the vase onto the white paper. The vase should be placed towards the bottom of the paper so that there is room for the flowers.
Step 3: Stamping the petals.
Have the students paint a few yellow circles above the vase. These circles will be the centers of their flowers. Using the sponges, have the students dab their sponges into the paint and then stamp next to their yellow center. Continue until the flower is complete, then using a different color begin the next flower, It is okay for the flowers to overlap. Continue until complete.
Step 4: Completion
Monitor their progress and take the painting away as you see them complete all of their flowers.
Vincent van Gogh
Sunflowers, 1888
Note the monochromatic color scheme
Irises, 1889
Note the use of color and the visible brush strokes. There are also many curved lines and overlapping flowers.