Meet the Masters :: Pablo Picasso

"All children are artists. 

The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." 

~ Pablo Picasso from Chiquita's Famous Painting Card Set  

(Note: This post contains affiliate links.) 

"MOM! I have that painting in my Famous Painting Card Set!" 

In July, when it was 109˚ outside during the hottest week of our summer, we spent some time inside studying art and finishing up Track A of our Meet the Masters Art Course, including the unit study on Pablo Picasso! I purchased the 10-Adult version and we all complete the lessons together as a family. I read the script which goes along with the online slideshow, with occasional modifications for the younger children. Our artistic little seven year old hasn't had any trouble participating with a little extra help here and there, and even Rose, who is only 4, has loved the program and creating her own art alongside her older siblings.

.: Master Artist Introduction :. 

Pablo Picasso (pe-KAH-so)

Spanish Painter (1881-1973)

The genius of Picasso allowed a review of the art elements previously introduced - line, shape, balance, and texture. The children investigated Picasso's varied styles and were able to trace the transformation of this artist during his different periods of art.  

Art Activity Emphasis: Cubist Compositions with line, shape and color

Media: Cut Paper, Black Marker and Chalk Stain

Vocabulary: Cubism, Blue Period, Rose Period, Warm/ Cool Colors, Portrait, Studio, Pattern, Classical Period, Abstract, Profile, Composition

Mom: Can you tell me what this painting shows?  

Boy #1: Ummmm…. Santa… in Africa…  Boy #2: With some really funny lookin' elves? 

Mom, laughing: It's actually a family of circus people! It's called Family of Saltimbanques.

.: Art Supplies :. 

One 11"x11" white construction paper (we used card stock instead of construction paper)
One 12"x12" colored construction paper (variety of bright colors: blue, green, orange, violet, etc)
One 8-1/2"x11" sheet of scrap paper
Tissue
One black marker
Bright Colored Chalk
Guitar Line Drawing from Learning Packet
Glue Stick
Scissors
Pencil

.: Practice Technique - Picasso's Composition :. 

 Can you tell that a couple of my children like to doodle on their worksheets? 

.: Art Project - Three Musicians :. 

I helped Rose copy the musical instruments over from the Guitar Line Drawing into the various boxes, she would tell me what she wanted where, on her folded white paper. She took over from there, tracing my pencil drawings with her black marker and then adding a colorful pastel stain with some of her favorite colors before mounting it onto the background paper. 

The older kids switched around their artwork to see if their Dad could figure out who created which, after trying to convince him into choosing his favorite!

They all did an amazing job… I'd choose their artwork over Picasso's any day! ;) 

.: Additional Reading :. 

Picasso and the Girl with a Ponytail

Painting with Picasso (Mini Masters)

Picasso and Minou

We also checked the following books out from our local library: 

Just Behave, Pablo Picasso!  

Picasso: Getting to Know the World's Artists

Who Was Pablo Picasso?

Paris in the Spring with Picasso

You can scroll through all of our completed Meet the Masters unit studies here. 

Summer Fun :: Paint By Number

A few years ago the girls were each given a Paint-by-Number Craft Kit for Christmas from one of their uncles. They were a little young for them at the time, but inspired by our most recent Meet-the-Masters lesson on Claude Monet (a favorite from Tract A which I still need to blog about!) they asked if they could try painting the pictures. After a couple late nights and extra early mornings, the girls were able to complete their paintings before their Daddy and older brothers arrived home from summer camp on July 19th.  I had no idea that a paint-by-number could turn out so nicely, or that our little artists would enjoy them so much!

Seaside Garden by Twinkle Toes (age 10) 

Chickadees and Lilacs by Chiquita (age 9)

“He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.” ~ St. Francis of Assisi

Meet the Masters :: Piet Mondrian

Piet Mondrian was the next Master Artist, following Mary Cassatt in our Meet the Masters Art Course this year. We completed this unit study at the beginning of March.  Each of the units has taken us about three hours to complete - one for the lesson/discussion, one for the worksheets, and one for the art activity.  We prefer spending one afternoon completing the units, but they could easily be broken up and spread out over the week or month. My goal for this year is to complete Tract A, which leaves us with just Pablo Picasso and Claude Monet before our summer break!

.: Master Artist Introduction :. 

Piet Mondrian (MON-dree-ahn) 

Dutch (1872-1944)

Mondrian's geometric, abstract art illustrated the balance of shapes and colors in modern art. After being introduced to the work of this master artist from Holland, the children imitated his expressive arrangements of colors, lines, and shapes.

Art Activity Emphasis: Balance of Shapes, lines, and colors

Media: Paper

.: Art Supplies :. 

Three 3"x3" squares of paper (1 each of red, yellow, blue)
Twelve 1/2"x12" strips paper (2 blue, 2 red, 8 yellow)
One 12"x12" sheet of light gray paper (we used cream)
One piece of scrap paper (for dab of glue)

One Q-tip

White glue

Note: The program suggested construction paper but we used card stock since I already had plenty on hand.  We didn't follow the instructions exactly - I need to start reading them ahead of time, and preferably not in the middle of (at that point unknowingly) fighting H1N1! ;) - but I thought the final results still turned out great.

.: Practice Technique  - Mondrian's Balance :. 

.: Art Project - Broadway Boogie Woogie :. 

You can scroll through all of our completed Meet the Masters unit studies here.