Grade 3: Create like Van Gogh
Third grade artists in Cathy Naughton’s class have been studying Vincent Van Gogh, and this week they were at work in the clay room making plates inspired by the famous painter. Van Gogh was a post-impressionist artist who was influenced by Japanese art to use color and expression in his work, according to art teacher Cathy Naughton. “He painted outside quite a bit, where he studied how light affected the colors in nature,” she says.
Third grade artists in Cathy Naughton’s class have been studying Vincent Van Gogh, and this week they were at work in the clay room making plates inspired by the famous painter.
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Van Gogh was a post-impressionist artist who was influenced by Japanese art to use color and expression in his work, according to art teacher Cathy Naughton. “He painted outside quite a bit, where he studied how light affected the colors in nature,” she says.
In the clay room, students received a perfect circle of gray sculpting clay and the flower designs they created in a previous lesson. After dampening the clay with water, they lay their drawings face down and transferred the designs onto the clay. Then, using tools, they cut away the edges of the flower and traced the design onto the clay. After it is fired at 1750 degrees in the kiln, the piece will harden and turn white. In a future class period, students will glaze the pieces to add color and shine. The glaze also makes the pieces safe for use with food.
We can’t wait to see the finished plates! Go create!
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
