Fun Middle School Art: Watercolor Project

When you are planning art lessons for your classroom or home learning student, don't miss out on this one.  This lesson plan is easy to follow and a lot of fun.  Plus, this art lesson touches on many skills, including an art history component.  Students will learn about color relationships, the art element of pattern, drawing techniques, and watercolor painting skills.  They also learn about the artist, Henri Matisse, who was an amazing colorist. 

​•This is a fun art lesson plan for students grade 6 – 12. -I have had great success with my 8th graders!
•This project takes about twelve full class periods for most students (including set up and clean up time).
•Students learn about the artwork of Henri Matisse and how he approached color.
•Students learn about pattern, shapes, and lines.
•Students learn about watercolor and watercolor techniques.
•Students develop compositional and color strategies.

Students create an amazing watercolor painting that they will be proud of! It will blow their own expectations away! 

Before we go too far, let’s review some basic color vocabulary. ​

•Hue = color
•Analogous = similar colors
•Complimentary = colors opposite each other
•Monochromatic = primarily one color
•Warm colors = yellows, reds, browns
•Cool colors = blue dominant colors
•Split complimentary colors = the color adjacent
​ to its compliment
•Chroma = the brightness of a color
•Tints = colors with white added (pastels)
•Shades = colors with black added
•Primary = red, yellow, blue
•Secondary = green, violet, orange
•Tertiary = yg, bg, bv, rv, ro, yo. 

​Henri Matisse

 (1869 – 1954)

 One of the greatest artists of the 20th century!  

​Originally, Matisse studied and trained to become a lawyer. Shortly after graduating from law school in 1889, he had an acute bout of appendicitis that required a long period of recovery.  During this time, he took up painting to ease his boredom.

After that, he was hooked.  Even after going back to work, he continued to paint and started taking drawing classes.   

Here is one of his early paintings.  You can see his interest in Impressionism, with his choppy brushstrokes, as well as his eye for color.  These early works were still very involved with studying form.  

Blue Pot and Lemon (1897), Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia

​Here is one of his early paintings.  You can see his interest in Impressionism, with his choppy brushstrokes, as well as his eye for color.  These early works were still very involved with studying form.  

Matisse was also influenced by a style of art called pointillism. George Seurat pioneered this style, which uses little dots of color to show forms.  Below is Matisse’s version of pointillism.  

​Luxe, Calme et Volupté, 1904, Musée d'Orsay, Paris, France[27]

In the early 1900s Matisse became part of an art movement called, Fauvism (wild beasts) 

Henri Matisse. Woman with a Hat, 1905. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

Discussion: How does Matisse use color in the picture above?

Open Window, Collioure, 1905, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Fauvism did not last long, only until about 1906, but the ideas of using pure color to show emotion, stayed with Matisse. 

Gradually, Matisse began to use more flat shapes and patterns, along with color, to create highly designed paintings.  He also began to get attention, and positive press.  

Henri Matisse (1908) Oil on canvas Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg

Pattern is one of the elements of art.  What would this painting be like without the use of pattern? 

Later in life, Matisse became ill and was confined to either bed or a wheelchair.  No longer able to paint, he created a new style using cut out shapes of hand colored paper.  These pictures are known as, “Cut-Outs.” 

The Snail, Henri Matisse (1953) Tate Gallery, London

Why do you think this picture is called,
"The Snail?" 

Okay, Who was paying attention? 

​•Before becoming a painter, what was Matisse’s occupation?

•What are two styles of art that influenced Matisse?

•What does the French word, “Fauvism” mean?

• What is one characteristic of Fauvism paintings?

•Why did Matisse begin making cut-outs instead of painting?

•When two colors are opposite each other on the color wheel, what are they called?

•When colors are near each other on the color wheel, what are they called?
​
•What are the secondary colors? 

Here are the supplies you will need for this art lesson

• 18” X 24” Heavy white drawing paper.
  
• Black and white reproduction of Matisse’s painting, “Woman in a Purple Coat.”
• A yard stick and ruler
• Watercolor paints
• Brushes
• Pencil
• Eraser
• Cup of water
• Paper towel
• crayons 
• scissors 
• scrap paper 
• masking tape 

On your handout, draw a 2” x 2” grid using a ruler and colored pencil.  (Don’t worry about that small remainder on the right side.  We will pretend it is not there)

​On your large drawing paper (18" X 24") first rule in a 3” border on all sides. Then create a 4” X 4” grid in the rectangle you will have made.

Pro Tip:  When measuring, be sure to place two marks on your page where you want the line to go.  If you only measure one mark and try to draw a line, you will get a slanted line.  

You're doing Great! 

Now, take a sheet of scratch paper or copy paper and measure a 2” box.  Then cut it out.  This will be used as a window that you place on your handout as you draw.  ​

Next, go one square at a time, drawing in the outline of Matisse’s painting onto your larger picture.

Remember, this is going to be a combination of your picture and Matisse’s, so feel free to change up the patterns or add other details, like a hat, jewelry, different flowers, etc.   ​

You and Matisse are partners in this project! ​

There will be a row of shorter boxes at the top.  Don't worry about that.  You can fill it in with colors and patterns.  

Now it is time to get the watercolor paints out and have some fun! 

The following pictures will show you the steps of how to paint your picture.  The idea is to add in your colors and patterns as you like.  If you want to go with what Matisse did, that is okay.  Or, if you want to change it up a bit, that is okay,  Just try to remember to use a color scheme.  

Here are my tips: 

• Plan your color scheme out in advance and practice it on another sheet of paper.  It may take a while to learn to mix the colors you want. 
  
• Use light pencil lines to draw in additional patterns.  
• Paint in your lightest colors first.  With watercolor, you can go over light colors with dark colors, but not the other way around.  
  

Finally, here are some examples of student artwork.  These middle school students did a great job with the project and their paintings came out great.  I am sure your student's paintings will also be beautiful.  

Here is another amazing free art lesson for a middle school to adults.  It's an animal zentangle lesson plan.  The fun part, is it uses a graphite transfer method, so students with low drawing skills can still be successful. These projects always turn out great!

Free Zentangle Lesson

Did you enjoy this art project? If so, would mind following me on Instagram and Facebook? It really helps.  Also, you can find more articles like this on my website.  

I am happy to provide this art lesson plan free of charge, assuming that is being used for educational purposes.  

Happy Painting!