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henri matisse

May 23, 2025 Leave a Comment

Artworks that Show Space

Inside: A curated collection of artworks that exemplify the use of space in art—demonstrating how artists create depth, perspective, and a sense of environment. This resource is part of our comprehensive Elements and Principles of Art series, designed to support and inspire your art lessons.

Space is a fundamental element that helps convey depth and dimension in art. Whether through perspective, overlapping, or the use of positive and negative areas, artists manipulate space to guide the viewer’s eye and create a sense of realism or abstraction.

In this post, you’ll find a variety of artworks showcasing different techniques to represent space, perfect for sparking discussion and analysis in your classroom.

👉 Want a printable to accompany these examples? Grab the free Elements & Principles Pack below. Just click the yellow Download button.

Free Resource!

* Elements & Principles Printable Pack *

The Elements & Principles of Art are the foundation of every artwork, but teaching them can be a bore. Wake your students up and engage them with full color artworks, easy to understand definitions, and thought-provoking higher level thinking questions. This versatile resource can be hung in the classroom or used as an art manipulative.

Download

Free Resource!

* Elements & Principles Printable Pack *

The Elements & Principles of Art are the foundation of every artwork, but teaching them can be a bore. Wake your students up and engage them with full color artworks, easy to understand definitions, and thought-provoking higher level thinking questions. This versatile resource can be hung in the classroom or used as an art manipulative.

Explore the full Elements of Art series for more resources and examples to enrich your curriculum.

For ready-to-use classroom activities, check out our printable art interpretation worksheets.

It’s Elements and Principles of Art time again! I’ve been working my way through all of the elements and principles of art in order to give you a one-stop resource to find great example artworks for each element and principle. So far, I’ve completed Line, Color, Shape, Balance, and Emphasis.

Today, we tackle Space. First, check out this other post I wrote about space last year. Then, check out the below list.

I will add to this list when I find more, so this is a good one to pin or bookmark! The horizontal picture collages do not have all the pictures from the categories.

Please note, this post includes Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Download the Free Elements and Principles Printable Pack


This pack of printables was designed to work in a variety of ways in your classroom when teaching the elements and principles of art. You can print and hang in your classroom as posters/anchor charts or you can cut each element and principle of art in its own individual card to use as a lesson manipulative.

Examples of Space in Art

The Art Curator for Kids -Artworks that Show Space - Vast Space and Overlapping

Space in Art Examples: Vast/Open Space

  • Caspar David Friedrich, Monk by the Sea, 1809
  • Andrew Wyeth, Christina’s World, 1948
  • Maruyama Okyo, Geese Over a Beach, 18th century
  • Sanford R. Gifford, Isola Bella in Lago Maggiore, 1871

Artworks that Show Space using Overlapping

  • John Sloan, South Beach Bathers, 1907-08
  • Horace Pippin, Man on a Bench, 1946
  • Trigo Piula, Ta Tele Gabon, 1988
  • Jacob Lawrence, The Library, 1960
The Art Curator for Kids -Artworks that Show Space - Relative Size and Vertical Position on the Picture Place

Space in Art Examples: Relative Size

  • John Sloan, South Beach Bathers, 1907-08
  • Ben Shahn, Italian Landscape, 1943-1944
  • Abraham Bloemaert, Shepherd Boy Pointing at Tobias and the Angel, c. 1625-1630
  • Pierre Adolphe Valette, Albert Square, Manchester, 1910

Artworks that Show Space using Vertical Position on the Picture Plane

  • John Sloan, South Beach Bathers, 1907-08
  • Andrew Wyeth, Christina’s World, 1948
  • Basawan and Chatar Muni, Akbar and the Elephant Hawai, ca. 1590
  • Tom Wesselmann, Still Life #12, 1962
  • Jacob Lawrence, The Library, 1960
The Art Curator for Kids -Artworks that Show Space - Flat Space and Foreshortening

Artworks with Flat/Shallow Space

  • Byzantine, Justinian and his Attendants, Basilica di San Vitale, 547 C.E
  • Giotto, Scrovegni Chapel Frescoes, ca. 1305
  • Henri Matisse, Red Room (Harmony in Red), 1908
  • Juan Gris, Violin and Playing Cards, 1913

Artworks with Foreshortening

  • Caravaggio, Conversion on the Way to Damascus, 1601
  • Andrea Mantegna, Lamentation Over the Dead Christ, c. 1501
  • James Montgomery Flagg, I want you for U.S. Army, c.1917
The Art Curator for Kids -Artworks that Show Space - Linear Perspective

Artworks with Linear Perspective

  • Masaccio, Trinity, 1427-28
  • Raphael, School of Athens, 1510
  • Meindert Hobbema, The Avenue at Middelharnis, 1689
  • Gustave Caillebotte, The Floor Scrapers, 1875
  • Leonardo da Vinci, Last Supper, 1498
  • Pietro Perugino, Christ Giving the Keys to St. Peter, 1481–1482
  • Dorothea Lange, The Road West, 1938
  • Salvador Dali, The Disintegration of The Persistence of Memory, 1952-54
  • Camille Pissarro, Place du Théâtre Français, Paris: Rain, 1898
  • Charles Sheeler, City Interior, 1936
  • Piero della Francesca, Ideal City, c. 1470
  • Filippo Brunelleschi, Perspective drawing for Church of Santo Spirito in Florence, c. 1428
  • Edith Hayllar, A Summer Shower, 1883
  • Vincent van Gogh, A Corridor in the Asylum, 1889
  • Anselm Kiefer, To the Unknown Painter, 1983

Artworks with Multipoint (2+) Perspective

  • Canaletto, Santa Maria Zobenigo, c.1765
  • Gustave Caillebotte, Paris: A Rainy Day, 1877
  • George Tooker, The Subway, 1950
  • Jan Vredeman de Vries, Studies in Perspective, c. 1604
The Art Curator for Kids -Artworks that Show Space - Aerial Perspective and Isometric Projection

Space in Art Examples: Atmospheric/Aerial Perspective

  • Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa, c. 1503-19
  • Claude Lorrain, Landscape with Ruins, Pastoral Figures, and Trees, c. 1650
  • Albert Bierstadt, Sunrise, Yosemite Valley, c. 1870
  • Sanford R. Gifford, October in the Catskills, 1880
  • Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Hunters in the Snow, 1565
  • Pierre Adolphe Valette, Albert Square, Manchester, 1910

Space in Art Examples: Isometric Projection/Perspective

  • Chinese, Portraits of the Yongzheng Emperor Enjoying Himself during the 8th lunar month, Yongzheng period, 1723—35
  • Yi Eungnok, Scholar’s accoutrements (chaekgeori), c. 1860-1874
  • David Hockney, Self-Portrait With Blue Guitar, 1977

Space in Art Examples: Amplified/Exaggerated Perspective

  • Alexander Rodchenko, At the Telephone, 1928
  • Salvador Dalí, Christ of Saint John of the Cross, 1951
  • Giorgio de Chirico, Mystery and Melancholy of a Street, 1914
The Art Curator for Kids -Artworks that Show Space - Positive and Negative Space

Positive and Negative Space in Art

  • Henry Moore, Recumbent Figure, 1938
  • Eadweard Muybridge, Sallie Gardner at a Gallop, 1878
  • Alberto Giacometti, The Cage, 1930-31
  • Keith Haring, Pop Shop IV (Man with Hole), 1989
  • Andy Goldsworthy, Circles, Varied
  • Kenneth Snelson, Needle Tower, 1968
  • Sesshū Tōyō, Haboku-Sansui, 1495
  • Richard Serra, Sequence, 2006
  • Auguste Rodin, The Cathedral, 1908

Remember I will add to this, so don’t forget to pin this post! 🙂

💡 Looking for more comprehensive art appreciation resources?

Join the Curated Connections Library to access a wealth of lessons, activities, and professional development materials tailored for art educators.
👉 Learn more here

Do you have a great example to teach space? Share it with me in the comments, and I will add it to the list!

There you have it! The best space in art examples for your elements and principles of art lessons. Want more elements and principles of art teacher resources? Check out the below posts.

Elements and Principles Teaching Bundle

This extraordinary bundle includes the best resources for teaching each of the elements and principles—37 worksheets/handouts, 15 lessons (with accompanying PowerPoints and Handouts), 3 ready-to-go art analysis activities, 3 art analysis videos, and 13 elements and principle PDF articles.

Buy Now

For more elements and principles of art examples, visit the following resources:

The Art Curator for Kids -Example Artworks that Show Space - The Elements and Principles of Art Series-300The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Line - The Elements and Principles of Art - 300The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis - The Elements and Principles of Art SeriesElements and Principles of Art - Artworks that Show Proportion in art and ScaleThe Art Curator for Kids - Elements and Principles of Art Series - Artworks that Show Shape - 300The Art Curator for Kids - Why I Hate the Elements and Principles But Teach Them Anyway - 300The Art Curator for Kids - How Artists Depict Space - Masterpiece Monday - John Sloan , South Beach Bathers, 1907-1908, Art Lessons for Kids - Elements of Art Lessons

Filed Under: Elements and Principles of Art
Tagged With: abraham bloemaert, albert bierstadt, alberto giacometti, alexander rodchenko, andrea mantegna, andrew wyeth, andy goldsworthy, anselm keifer, auguste rodin, ben shahn, camille pissarro, canaletto, caravaggio, caspar david friedrich, charles sheeler, claude lorrain, david hockney, dorothea lange, eadward muybridge, edith hayllar, filippo brunelleschi, george tooker, giorgio de chirico, giotto, gustave caillebotte, henri matisse, henry moore, horace pippin, jacob lawrence, james montgomery flagg, jan vredeman de vries, john sloan, juan gris, keith haring, kenneth snelson, leonardo da vinci, maruyama okyo, masaccio, meindert hobbema, michelangelo, piero della francesca, pierre adolphe valette, pieter bruegel, pietro perugino, raphael, richard serra, salvador dali, sanford gifford, sesshū tōyō, tom wesselmann, trigo piula, vincent van gogh, yi eungnok

 

May 8, 2025 4 Comments

Artworks that Use Shape

Shape is one of the most accessible elements of art—students can see it immediately, but helping them understand it on a deeper level opens up a whole new way of seeing.

In this post, you’ll find artworks that demonstrate shape in all its forms, ready to support your next elements of art lesson, critique, or student project.

👉 Want a printable to go with it? Grab the free Elements & Principles Pack below to bring this concept to life in your classroom. Click the yellow “Download” button.

Free Resource!

* Elements & Principles Printable Pack *

The Elements & Principles of Art are the foundation of every artwork, but teaching them can be a bore. Wake your students up and engage them with full color artworks, easy to understand definitions, and thought-provoking higher level thinking questions. This versatile resource can be hung in the classroom or used as an art manipulative.

Download

Free Resource!

* Elements & Principles Printable Pack *

The Elements & Principles of Art are the foundation of every artwork, but teaching them can be a bore. Wake your students up and engage them with full color artworks, easy to understand definitions, and thought-provoking higher level thinking questions. This versatile resource can be hung in the classroom or used as an art manipulative.

Inside: A curated collection of artworks that show how artists use shape—from bold geometric compositions to expressive organic forms and powerful uses of negative space.

Explore the full Elements of Art series for more resources and examples to enrich your curriculum.

I’m continuing the Elements and Principles of Art series today with a post that includes example artworks that use shape.

Download the Free Elements and Principles Printable Pack


This pack of printables was designed to work in a variety of ways in your classroom when teaching the elements and principles of art. You can print and hang in your classroom as posters/anchor charts or you can cut each element and principle of art in its own individual card to use as a lesson manipulative.

Shape in Art Examples

The Art Curator for Kids - Elements and Principles of Art Series - Artworks that Show Shape1

Example Artworks that Use Shape, General

  • Henri Matisse, The Snail, 1953
  • Okun Akpan Abuje, Nigerian Funerary shrine cloth, late 1970s
  • MC Escher, Cycle, 1938
  • Pablo Picasso, Three Musicians, 1921
  • Grant Wood, Spring Turning, 1936
  • Edward Steichen, The Sunflower, c. 1920
The Art Curator for Kids - Elements and Principles of Art Series - Artworks that Show Shape2

Artworks with Geometric Shape

  • Piet Mondrian, Broadway Boogie-Woogie, 1942-43
  • Marsden Hartley, Night – and Some Flowers, 1940
  • Grant Wood, Parson Weems’ Fable, 1939
  • Paul Klee, The Red Balloon, 1922
  • Le Corbusier, Notre-Dame-du-Haut at Ronchamp (interior), 1950-1955
  • Claes Oldenburg, Geometric Mouse – Scale A, 1969-1971
  • Wassily Kandinsky, Squares with Concentric Circles, 1913
The Art Curator for Kids - Elements and Principles of Art Series - Artworks that Show Shape3

Artworks with Organic or Free-Form Shape

  • Paul Gauguin, La Orana Maria (Hail Mary), 1891
  • Joan Miro, Harlequin’s Carnival, 1925
  • Henri Matisse, The Joy of Life, 1905-06
  • Henri Matisse, Icarus, from Jazz series, 1947
  • Henri Marisse, Beasts of the Sea, 1950
  • Pablo Picasso, Great Still Life on Pedestal, 1931
  • Kara Walker, Darkytown Rebellion, 2001
The Art Curator for Kids - Elements and Principles of Art Series - Artworks that Show Shape4

Shapes Made by Negative Space

  • David Smith, Cubi IX, 1961
  • Andy Goldsworthy, Circles, Varied (Shape, Color, Value)
  • Henry Moore, Reclining Figure, 1951
  • André Kertész, Self-Portrait, 1926
  • Ancient Roman, Pont du Gard, 40-60 C.E.

Shapes that Guide your Eye Around the Picture

  • Grant Wood, Parson Weems’ Fable, 1939
  • Marsden Hartley, Night – and Some Flowers, 1940
The Art Curator for Kids - Elements and Principles of Art Series - Artworks that Show Shape5

Shapes Used to Organize Picture (Pyramidal Configuration, etc.)

  • Leonardo da Vinci, Virgin of the Rocks, c. 1483
  • Michelangelo Buonarroti, Pieta, 1498-99
  • Diego Velázquez, Las Meninas, 1656
  • Raphael, Madonna in the Meadow, 1506
  • Georges Seurat, A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, 1884

💡 Looking for more comprehensive art appreciation resources?

Join the Curated Connections Library to access a wealth of lessons, activities, and professional development materials tailored for art educators.
👉 Learn more here

The Art Curator for Kids - Elements and Principles of Art Series - Artworks that Use Shape

For ready-to-use classroom activities, check out our printable art interpretation worksheets.

Elements and Principles Teaching Bundle

This extraordinary bundle includes the best resources for teaching each of the elements and principles—37 worksheets/handouts, 15 lessons (with accompanying PowerPoints and Handouts), 3 ready-to-go art analysis activities, 3 art analysis videos, and 13 elements and principle PDF articles.

Buy Now

There you have it! The best shape in art examples for your elements and principles of art lessons. Want more elements and principles of art teacher resources? Check out the below posts.

The Art Curator for Kids -Example Artworks that Show Space - The Elements and Principles of Art Series-300The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Line - The Elements and Principles of Art - 300The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis - The Elements and Principles of Art SeriesElements and Principles of Art - Artworks that Show Proportion in art and ScaleThe Art Curator for Kids - Elements and Principles of Art Series - Artworks that Show Shape - 300The Art Curator for Kids - Why I Hate the Elements and Principles But Teach Them Anyway - 300The Art Curator for Kids - How Artists Depict Space - Masterpiece Monday - John Sloan , South Beach Bathers, 1907-1908, Art Lessons for Kids - Elements of Art Lessons

Photo Credits:

  • Pont du Gard, Benh LIEU SONG

Filed Under: Elements and Principles of Art
Tagged With: andre kertesz, andy goldsworthy, claes oldenburg, david smith, diego velazquez, edward steichen, georges seurat, grant wood, henri matisse, joan miro, kara walker, le corbusier, leonardo da vinci, m.c. escher, marsden hartley, michelangelo, okun akpan abuje, pablo picasso, paul gauguin, paul klee, piet mondrian, raphael, wassily kandinsky

 

May 8, 2025 8 Comments

Artworks that Show Line

I don’t know about you, but I often find myself needing to teach a lesson on one of the elements and principles of art, but it takes a bit of digging to find good examples of art that teach that particular element. To help those in that situation, I have created an elements and principles series that includes lists of example artworks you can use in your elements and principles of art lessons.

Finding the right artwork to teach the elements of art can take time. That’s why I created this Elements & Principles series—to help you skip the endless search and get straight to powerful, conversation-starting artworks.

Below, you’ll find artworks that clearly demonstrate the many types of line—perfect for your next lesson or student project.

👉 Want a printable to go with it? Grab the free Elements & Principles Pack below. Click the yellow “Download” button.

Free Resource!

* Elements & Principles Printable Pack *

The Elements & Principles of Art are the foundation of every artwork, but teaching them can be a bore. Wake your students up and engage them with full color artworks, easy to understand definitions, and thought-provoking higher level thinking questions. This versatile resource can be hung in the classroom or used as an art manipulative.

Download

Free Resource!

* Elements & Principles Printable Pack *

The Elements & Principles of Art are the foundation of every artwork, but teaching them can be a bore. Wake your students up and engage them with full color artworks, easy to understand definitions, and thought-provoking higher level thinking questions. This versatile resource can be hung in the classroom or used as an art manipulative.

Inside: A curated list of artworks that show the different types of line in art—including implied lines, gesture lines, contour lines, expressive lines, and more. 

👉 This post is part of the Elements of Art series—explore them all to build a complete foundation for your classroom.

Download the Free Elements and Principles Printable Pack

This pack of printables was designed to work in a variety of ways in your classroom when teaching the elements and principles of art. You can print and hang in your classroom as posters/anchor charts or you can cut each element and principle of art in its own individual card to use as a lesson manipulative.

Examples of Types of Line in Art

The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks the Show Types of Line in Art - General

Artworks that Show Line, General

  • Richard Long, A Line Made by Walking, 1967
  • Richard Long, Cornish Slate Line, 1990
  • Frank Stella, Jarama II, 1982
  • Roy Lichtenstein, Brushstroke, 1965
  • Charles Sheeler, Classic Landscape, 1931
  • Joan Miró, The Farm, 1921–1922
  • Rembrandt van Rijn, Two Studies Of A Bird Of Paradise, 1630
  • John Singer Sargent, El Jaleo, 1882
The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks the Show Line - Horizontal and Vertical Lines in Art

Horizontal and Vertical Lines in Art

  • Stonehenge, ca. 2600-2000 B.C.E.
  • Ancient Greece, The Parthenon, 447-438 B.C.E.
  • Frank Lloyd Wright, Fallingwater, 1936-7
  • Piet Mondrian, Composition in Red, Blue, and Yellow, 1937-42
  • Byzantine, Justinian and his Attendants, Basilica di San Vitale, 547 C.E
The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks the Show Line - Diagonal Lines in Art

Diagonal Lines in Artworks

  • Edgar Degas, Blue Dancers, c. 1899
  • Gustave Caillebotte, Le Pont de L’Europe, 1881-1882
  • Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Slaying Holofernes, 1614–20
  • Franz Marc, Fate of the Animals, 1913
  • Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, The Crucifixion of Saint Peter, 1600-1601
  • Francisco Goya, The Forge, c. 1817
  • Rembrandt van Rijn, Militia Company of District II under the Command of Captain Frans Banninck Cocq, known as the ‘Night Watch’, 1642
The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks the Show Line - Contour Lines and Outlines

Contour Lines and/or Outlines

  • Leonardo da Vinci, Self-Portrait, c. 1512
  • Paul Signac, Still Life with Pitcher, 1919
  • Carl Krull, Olmec Drawings and Scroll Drawings
  • Yoruba artist, Shrine Head, 12th-14th century
  • Andy Warhol, Red Lenin, 1987
  • Amedeo Modigliani, Jacques and Berthe Lipchitz, 1916

Gesture Lines, Lines that Show Movement

  • Jean-Honoré Fragonard, The Swing, 1767
  • Utagawa Hiroshige, The Whirlpools of Awa: Naruto Rapids, ca. 1853
  • Giacomo Balla, Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash (Leash in Motion), 1912
  • Natalia Goncharova, The Cyclist, 1913
  • Henri Matisse, Dance (I), 1909
  • Marino Marini, Miracle (Miracolo), 1952
  • Jacob Lawrence, Harriet Tubman Series, No. 4, 1939-40
  • Keith Haring, Untitled, 1985

Want to explore how line leads the eye and creates movement in art? Check out these rhythm in art examples to see visual flow in action.

Lines that Help Guide The Viewer’s Eye through the Picture and/or Implied Lines

  • Marc Chagall, I and the Village, 1911
  • Georges de La Tour, The Cheat with the Ace of Clubs, late 1620s
  • Frederic Remington, Dash for the Timber, 1889
  • Suzanne Caporael, Seeing Things: Rain, 1990
  • Fernando Botero, The Musicians, 1991
  • Grant Wood, Parson Weems’ Fable, 1939

Lines that Show Feeling/Emotion, Expressive Lines

  • Vincent van Gogh, The Starry Night, 1889
  • Mark Di Suvero, Are Years What? (for Marianne Moore), 1967
  • Jean-Michel Basquiat, Untitled, 1984
  • Egon Schiele, Portrait of Paris von Gütersloh, 1918
  • Odilon Redon, Death: “My irony surpasses all others!”, 1889
  • Jackson Pollock, Lavender Mist No. 1, 1950
The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks the Show Line - Repetition and Pattern

Repetition of Line, Pattern Using Line, Decorative Line

  • Henri Matisse, Purple Robe and Anemones, 1937
  • Berenice Abbott, El, Second and Third Avenue Lines from the portfolio Retrospective, 1982
  • Aubrey Beardsley, The Peacock Skirt, 1893
  • Albrecht Dürer, The Rhinoceros, 1515
  • Benin, Memorial head, 1550-1650
  • Richard Anuszkiewicz, Deep Magenta Square, 1978
The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks the Show Line - Lines in Architecture

Lines in Architecture

  • Frank Lloyd Wright, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, NYC
  • Frank O. Gehry, Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain
  • Stonehenge, ca. 2600-2000 B.C.E.
  • Ancient Greece, The Parthenon, 447-438 B.C.E.
  • Frank Lloyd Wright, Fallingwater, 1936-1937

Lines in Sculpture

  • Kenneth Snelson, Needle Tower, 1968
  • Songye, Mask (kifwebe), 19th century AD
  • Mark Di Suvero, Are Years What? (for Marianne Moore), 1967
  • Benin, Memorial head, 1550-1650
  • Yoruba artist, Shrine Head, 12th-14th century
  • Marino Marini, Miracle (Miracolo), 1952

Lines that Show Texture and/or Shading

  • Vincent van Gogh, Garden of Flowers, 1888
  • Rembrandt Van Rijn, The Three Crosses, 1653
  • Käthe Kollwitz, Self Portrait, 1921

Lines that Show Space and/or Linear Perspective

  • Gustave Caillebotte, The Floor Scrapers, 1875
  • Leonardo da Vinci, Last Supper, 1498
  • Pietro Perugino, Christ Giving the Keys to St. Peter, 1481–1482
  • Dorothea Lange, The Road West, 1938

Lines the Show Emphasis

  • Grant Wood, Parson Weems’ Fable, 1939
  • Francisco Goya, Third of May, 1808
  • Jonathan Borofsky, Walking to the Sky, 2004
  • Leonardo da Vinci, The Last Supper, 1494-99
  • Richard Anuszkiewicz, Deep Magenta Square, 1978
  • Rembrandt van Rijn, Militia Company of District II under the Command of Captain Frans Banninck Cocq, known as the ‘Night Watch’, 1642
  • See more artworks that show emphasis.

💡 Want more done-for-you lessons like this?

The Curated Connections Library gives you full access to hundreds of art appreciation resources, trainings, and classroom-ready materials.
👉 Click here to learn more.

Elements and Principles Teaching Bundle

This extraordinary bundle includes the best resources for teaching each of the elements and principles—37 worksheets/handouts, 15 lessons (with accompanying PowerPoints and Handouts), 3 ready-to-go art analysis activities, 3 art analysis videos, and 13 elements and principle PDF articles.

Buy Now


There you have it! The best types of line in art examples for your elements and principles of art lessons. Want more elements and principles of art teacher resources? Check out the below posts.

The Art Curator for Kids -Example Artworks that Show Space - The Elements and Principles of Art Series-300The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Line - The Elements and Principles of Art - 300The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis - The Elements and Principles of Art SeriesElements and Principles of Art - Artworks that Show Proportion in art and ScaleThe Art Curator for Kids - Elements and Principles of Art Series - Artworks that Show Shape - 300The Art Curator for Kids - Why I Hate the Elements and Principles But Teach Them Anyway - 300The Art Curator for Kids - How Artists Depict Space - Masterpiece Monday - John Sloan , South Beach Bathers, 1907-1908, Art Lessons for Kids - Elements of Art Lessons

Photo Credits:

  • Stonehenge, Diego Delso
  • Parthenon, Steve Swayne
  • Laocoön and His Sons, LivioAndronico
  • Needle Tower, Onderwijsgek

Filed Under: Elements and Principles of Art
Tagged With: albrecht dürer, amedeo modigliani, andy warhol, artemisia gentileschi, aubrey beardsley, basquiat, caravaggio, carl krull, charles sheeler, dorothea lange, edgar degas, egon schiele, emile nolde, fernando botero, francisco goya, frank gehry, frank lloyd wright, frank stella, franz marc, frederic remington, georges de la tour, giacomo balla, gian lorenzo bernini, grant wood, gustave caillebotte, henri matisse, jackson pollock, jacob lawrence, jean-honore fragonard, joan miro, john singer sargent, jonathan borofsky, kathe kollwitz, keith haring, kenneth snelson, leonardo da vinci, marc chagall, marino marini, mark di suvero, natalia goncharova, odilon redon, paul signac, piet mondrian, pietro perugino, rembrandt, richard long, roy lichtenstein, sandro botticelli, suzanne caporael, théodore géricault, utagawa hiroshige, vincent van gogh

 

May 8, 2025 12 Comments

The Ultimate Collection of Color in Art: Examples and Definitions

Color is often the first thing students notice when they look at a work of art. It’s emotional. It’s bold. It shapes the entire mood and message of the piece.

That makes it one of the most powerful tools you can teach.

In this post, you’ll find a curated collection of artworks that show color in action—from symbolism and contrast to harmony and chaos. Use them to spark discussion, inspire student work, and bring the element of color to life in your classroom.

👉 Want a printable to go with it? Grab the free Elements & Principles Pack below to get ready-to-use teaching materials. Click the yellow “Download” button.

Free Resource!

* Elements & Principles Printable Pack *

The Elements & Principles of Art are the foundation of every artwork, but teaching them can be a bore. Wake your students up and engage them with full color artworks, easy to understand definitions, and thought-provoking higher level thinking questions. This versatile resource can be hung in the classroom or used as an art manipulative.

Download

Free Resource!

* Elements & Principles Printable Pack *

The Elements & Principles of Art are the foundation of every artwork, but teaching them can be a bore. Wake your students up and engage them with full color artworks, easy to understand definitions, and thought-provoking higher level thinking questions. This versatile resource can be hung in the classroom or used as an art manipulative.

Inside: A curated collection of color in art examples, showcasing how artists use color to express emotion, create contrast, and shape meaning. A continuation of the Elements and Principles of Art series.

This post is part of the Elements of Art series—check out the full collection to build a rich, connected curriculum.

Looking for classroom-ready activities? These printable art interpretation worksheets pair perfectly with the artworks in this post.

Download the Free Elements and Principles Printable Pack

This pack of printables was designed to work in a variety of ways in your classroom when teaching the elements and principles of art. You can print and hang in your classroom as posters/anchor charts or you can cut each element and principle of art in its own individual card to use as a lesson manipulative.

Examples of Color in Art

The Art Curator for Kids - Color in Art Examples - Primary Color Art

Primary Color Art

The primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. The primary colors are the basis for all other colors. You cannot do anything to mix blue, yellow, or red. They just exist.

  • Piet Mondrian, Broadway Boogie Woogie, 1942-43
  • Mark Rothko, Untitled (Yellow, Red, and Blue), 1953
  • Jacob Lawrence, Workshop (Builders #1), 1972 and many others
  • Cy Twombly, Summer Madness, 1990 (Click link, then click #20)
  • Hans Hofmann, The Golden Wall, 1961
  • Pablo Picasso, Claude and Paloma Playing, 1950
  • Fritz Glarner, Relational Painting No. 64, 1953
  • Roy Lichtenstein, Stepping Out, 1978
  • Ancient Roman, Glass Garland Bowl, late 1st century B.C.E.
  • Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Ambassadeurs Aristide Bruant in his cabaret, 1892
  • Nicolas Poussin, The Death of Germanicus, 1627

Complementary Colors in Art

Complementary colors in art are opposite each other on the color wheel. They create a lot of contrast in art. Look around in the world, and you will be surprised how often complementary colors are used. What are the sets of complementary colors? The basic complementary color pairings are red and green, purple and yellow, and orange and blue.

  • Wassily Kandinsky, Improvisation 31 (Sea Battle), 1913
  • Pablo Picasso, Woman in Striped Armchair, 1941
  • Rufino Tamayo, Women of Tehuantepec, 1939, Oil on canvas

The Art Curator for Kids - example of color in art - Complementary Colors in Art - Green and Red

Complementary Colors in Art – Red and Green

  • Marc Chagall, I and the Village, 1911
  • Ando Hiroshige, Plum Estate, Kameido From “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo”, 1857
  • Shinobo Ishihara, Test for Color Deficiency
  • Vincent van Gogh, The Night Café, 1888
  • Jan van Eyck, The Arnolfini Portrait, 1434
  • Henri Matisse, Portrait of Madame Matisse (Green Stripe), 1905
  • Pablo Picasso, Woman with Hat, 1962
  • Georgia O’Keeffe, Anything, 1916 (Click link, top right image)
  • Vincent van Gogh, La Berceuse (Woman Rocking a Cradle; Augustin-Alix Pellicot Roulin, 1851-1930), 1889
  • Kay Kurt, Weingummi II, 1973

Complementary Colors in Art - Blue and Orange

Complementary Colors in Art – Blue and Orange

  • Mary Cassatt, Mother and Child, 1890
  • Edgar Degas, Ballerina and Lady with Fan, 1885
  • Claude Monet, Rouen Cathedral, West Façade, Sunlight, 1892
  • Paul Klee, Ad Parnassum, 1932
  • Vincent van Gogh, Self-Portrait, 1889
  • Claude Monet, Impression, Sunrise, 1872
  • Fritz Bultman, Blue I, 1958
  • Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Portrait of Oscar Wilde, 1895
  • Sandy Skoglund, Revenge of the Goldfish, 1981
  • Stuart Davis, Colonial Cubism, 1954
  • Edvard Munch, The Scream, 1893
  • Arnold Böcklin, Island of the Dead, 1880

artist who use colour - Complementary Colors in Art - Purple and Yellow

Complementary Colors in Art – Purple and Yellow

  • Claude Monet, Water Lilies, 1914-1926
  • Fritz Scholder, Dream Horse G, 1986
  • Henri Matisse, The Dream, 1940
  • Pablo Picasso, Woman with Yellow Hair, 1931 (also red/green)
  • Ray Spillenger, Purple and Yellow, 1963
  • Francis Bacon, Study after Velázquez’s Portrait of Pope Innocent X, 1953
  • Federico Barocci, The Nativity, c. 1597
  • Mark Rothko, Untitled, 1954

The Art Curator for Kids - elements of color in art - Analogous Colors Examples

Analogous Colors Examples

Analogous colors are next to each other on the color wheel. They create unity in art because they are made of the same colors. Example sets of analogous colors are blue, blue-green, and green or orange, red-orange, and red.

  • Josef Albers, Homage to the Square: Soft Spoken, 1969
  • Vincent van Gogh, The Olive Trees, 1889
  • Claude Monet, The Water-Lily Pond, 1899
  • Mark Rothko, Untitled (Violet, Black, Orange, Yellow on White and Red), 1949
  • Helen Frankenthaler, Freefall, 1992
  • Ed Paschke, Painted Lady, 1995
  • Giorgio de Chirico, Mystery and Melancholy of a Street, 1914
  • Jean-Honoré Fragonard, Young Girl Reading, c. 1770
  • Geertgen Tot Sint Jans, John the Baptist in the Wilderness, ca. 1490

Warm and Cool Colors in Art

Warm colors are the colors red, orange, and yellow. They are bright and pop out. They create energy and excitement in an artwork. Blue and green are cool colors. These cool colors create a calming energy in an artwork. Violet/purple can be both warm and cool depending on how much red or how much blue is in the violet.

The Art Curator for Kids - Color in Art Examples - Warm Colors in Art

Warm Colors in Art

  • Vincent van Gogh, Sunflowers, 1888
  • Paul Gauguin, Still Life with Mangoes, 1891-1896
  • Mark Rothko, Untitled (Violet, Black, Orange, Yellow on White and Red), 1949
  • Vincent van Gogh, The Night Café, 1888
  • Robert Adam, The Croome Court tapestry room, Worcestershire, 1758-67
  • Frederic Church, Cotopaxi, 1862
  • Caravaggio, The Incredulity of Saint Thomas, 1601-1602

The Art Curator for Kids - famous artists that use colour - Cool Colors in ArtCool Colors in Art

  • Claude Monet, The Artist’s Garden at Giverny, 1900
  • Winslow Homer, Fishing Boats, Key West, 1903
  • Richard Parkes Bonington, The Undercliff, 1828
  • James McNeil Whistler, Nocturne, Blue and Silver: Chelsea, 1871
  • Natalya Goncharova, Linen, 1913
  • Katsushika Hokusai, 36 Views of Mount Fuji, ca. 1829-32

The Art Curator for Kids - Color in Art Examples - Neutral Colors in Art

Neutral Colors in Art

Neutral colors are created by using white and black or are created by mixing sets of complementary colors together to make varying shades of brown. Examples of neutrals include gray, brown, tan, white, black, etc.

  • El Lissitzky, Proun 19D, c. 1922
  • Claude Monet, Sunrise (Marine), 1873
  • Georgia O’Keeffe, Black Iris, 1926
  • Camille Pissarro, Place du Théâtre Français, Paris: Rain, 1898
  • Marcel Duchamp, Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2, 1912

Color Intensity in Art

Intensity refers to how saturated a color is. It is the brightness or the dullness of a color. Colors with high intensity are bright, and colors with low intensity are dull.

The Art Curator for Kids - elements of art colour - Color Intensity in Art: High Intensity

Color Intensity in Art: High Intensity

  • Pablo Picasso, The Weeping Woman, 1937
  • Andre Derain, Charing Cross Bridge, 1906
  • Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Seated Girl (Fränzi Fehrmann), 1910
  • Jim Dine, The Circus #3, 2007

Color Intensity in Art: Low Intensity examples

Color Intensity in Art: Low Intensity

  • Salima Hashmi, Poem for Zainab, 1994
  • Paul Klee, Hammamet with Its Mosque, 1914
  • Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Moulin Rouge The Departure of the Quadrille, 1892
  • Camille Pissarro, Place du Théâtre Français, Paris: Rain, 1898
  • Helen Frankenthaler, Mountains and Sea, 1952

💡 Want even more lessons like this—ready to go?

Join the Curated Connections Library for hundreds of done-for-you art appreciation lessons, teacher trainings, and resources.
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Elements and Principles Teaching Bundle

This extraordinary bundle includes the best resources for teaching each of the elements and principles—37 worksheets/handouts, 15 lessons (with accompanying PowerPoints and Handouts), 3 ready-to-go art analysis activities, 3 art analysis videos, and 13 elements and principle PDF articles.

Buy Now


For more elements of art examples and principles of design examples, visit the following resources.



The Art Curator for Kids -Example Artworks that Show Space - The Elements and Principles of Art Series-300The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Line - The Elements and Principles of Art - 300The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis - The Elements and Principles of Art SeriesElements and Principles of Art - Artworks that Show Proportion in art and ScaleThe Art Curator for Kids - Elements and Principles of Art Series - Artworks that Show Shape - 300The Art Curator for Kids - Why I Hate the Elements and Principles But Teach Them Anyway - 300The Art Curator for Kids - How Artists Depict Space - Masterpiece Monday - John Sloan , South Beach Bathers, 1907-1908, Art Lessons for Kids - Elements of Art Lessons

Filed Under: Elements and Principles of Art
Tagged With: ando hiroshige, andre derain, arnold böcklin, camille pissarro, caravaggio, claude monet, cy twombly, ed paschke, edgar degas, edvard munch, el lissitzky, ernst ludwig kirchner, federico barocci, francis bacon, frederic church, fritz bultman, fritz glarner, fritz scholder, geertgen tot sint jans, georgia o'keeffe, giorgio de chirico, hans hofmann, helen frankenthaler, henri de toulouse-lautrec, henri matisse, jacob lawrence, james whistler, jan van eyck, jean-honore fragonard, jim dine, josef albers, kay kurt, marc chagall, marcel duchamp, mark rothko, mary cassatt, natalia goncharova, nicolas poussin, pablo picasso, paul gauguin, paul klee, piet mondrian, ray spillenger, richard parkes bonington, robert adam, roy lichtenstein, rufino tamayo, salima hashmi, sandy skoglund, stuart davis, vincent van gogh, wassily kandinsky, winslow homer

 

May 8, 2025 3 Comments

Rhythm in Art: The Ultimate List of Rhythm in Art Examples

Rhythm in art is more than repetition—it’s the visual beat that moves your eyes across a composition, guiding attention and building energy.

For students, it’s one of the easiest elements to feel and one of the hardest to define. That’s what makes it such a powerful teaching moment.

Below, you’ll find a curated selection of rhythm-in-art examples that will help you and your students identify, understand, and feel the pulse of rhythm in visual form.

👉 Want a printable to use in your classroom? Grab the free Elements & Principles Pack below. Click the yellow “Download” button.

Free Resource!

* Elements & Principles Printable Pack *

The Elements & Principles of Art are the foundation of every artwork, but teaching them can be a bore. Wake your students up and engage them with full color artworks, easy to understand definitions, and thought-provoking higher level thinking questions. This versatile resource can be hung in the classroom or used as an art manipulative.

Download

Free Resource!

* Elements & Principles Printable Pack *

The Elements & Principles of Art are the foundation of every artwork, but teaching them can be a bore. Wake your students up and engage them with full color artworks, easy to understand definitions, and thought-provoking higher level thinking questions. This versatile resource can be hung in the classroom or used as an art manipulative.

Inside: The ultimate collection of rhythm in art examples, including everything from regular to random, plus a rhythm in art definition. A continuation of our Elements and Principles of Art series.

This post is part of the Elements of Art series—explore them all to build a strong foundation for your classroom. Want more ways to get students engaging with artworks? Check out these printable art worksheets designed for deeper connection and interpretation.

Below, you’ll find a growing collection of rhythm-in-art examples. These are perfect for introducing rhythm in your elements and principles lessons.
(Tip: Bookmark this post—I update it as I discover new examples!)

Download the Free Elements and Principles Printable Pack


This pack of printables was designed to work in a variety of ways in your classroom when teaching the elements and principles of art. You can print and hang in your classroom as posters/anchor charts or you can cut each element and principle of art in its own individual card to use as a lesson manipulative.

Rhythm Art Definition

Rhythm is a principle of design that suggests movement or action. Rhythm is usually achieved through repetition of lines, shapes, colors, and more. It creates a visual tempo in artworks and provides a path for the viewer’s eye to follow.

Principles of Design Examples Rhythm in Art

Rhythm in Art Examples

rhythm in art examples
  • Jacob Lawrence, Parade, 1960
  • André Derain, Charing Cross Bridge, 1906
  • Marcel Duchamp, Nude Descending a Staircase (No. 2), 1912
  • Gino Severini, Dynamic Hieroglyphic of the Bal Tabarin, 1912
  • Marsden Hartley, Indian Composition, 1914-15
  • George Tooker, The Subway, 1950
  • Martin Puryear, Ladder for Booker T. Washington, 1996
  • Grant Wood, American Gothic, 1930
  • Alexandra Exter, The Boat and the Town, 1925
  • Louise Bourgeois, The Blind Leading the Blind, c. 1947-49
  • Albert Renger-Patzsch, Beech Forest in Fall, 1936

Alternating Rhythm

Alternating rhythm describes an artwork that contains a repetition of two or more components that are used interchangeably. Some alternating rhythm examples include alternating light and dark colors or placing various shapes and/or colors in a repeating pattern.

alternating rhythm in art examples
  • Henri Matisse, Red Room, 1908
  • M.C. Escher, Lizard, 1942
  • George Tooker, Government Bureau, 1956
  • Frank Lloyd Wright, Interior, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
  • Robert Delaunay, Endless Rhythm, 1934
  • Andy Warhol, Untitled from Marilyn Monroe, 1967 (9 Screen prints)
  • Hans Hinterreiter, ME 25 B, 1935
  • Bernard Hoyes, Sweeping Ribbons

Random Rhythm

Random rhythm describes an artwork that contains repeating elements without a specified order or arrangement. Some random rhythm examples include splatters of paint or shells on a beach.

random rhythm in art examples
  • Piet Mondrian, Broadway Boogie Woogie, 1942-3
  • René Magritte, Golconde, 1953
  • Alexander Calder, International Mobile, 1949
  • Bridget Riley, Recollection, 1986
  • Mary Martin, Compound Rhythms with Blue, 1966
  • Alice Aycock, A Little Cosmic Rhythm, 2007
  • Chuck Close, Self Portrait, 2007
  • Joan Miro, Rhythmix Characters, 1934
  • Jackson Pollock, Autumn Rhythm (Number 30), 1950

Flowing Rhythm

Flowing rhythm describes an artwork that contains curved or circular elements that give the art movement. Some flowing rhythm examples include flowers, clouds, or waves.

flowing rhythm in art examples
  • Vincent van Gogh, The Starry Night, 1889 (See: The Starry Night story and lesson)
  • Gloria Petyarre, Bush Medicine Dreaming, 2008
  • Edvard Munch, The Scream, 1893 (See: The Frieze of Life, Lesson & Project, Visual Analysis Lesson)
  • Henri Matisse, The Dance, 1910
  • Hans Hokanson, Helixikos Number 3, 1968
  • Sonia Delaunay, Electric Prisms, 1914
  • Hokusai, The Great Wave, 1829-32
  • Gustav Klimt, Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I, 1907
  • Bruce Barnbaum, Dance of the Corn Lilies, 1991
  • Bruce Barnbaum, Moonrise over Cliffs and Dunes,1992
  • Gustav Klimt, Fish Blood, 1897-8

Regular Rhythm

Regular rhythm describes an artwork that contains repeating elements with a specified order or arrangement that can be measured. Some regular rhythm examples include evenly spaced windows or tiles.

regular rhythm in art examples
  • Donald Judd, Untitled, 1969/1982
  • Christo and Jeanne-Claude, The Gates, 2005
  • Do-Ho Suh, Floor, 1997-2000
  • Wayne Thiebaud, Banana Splits, 1964
  • Wayne Thiebaud, Nine Jellied Apples, 1963
  • Grant Wood, Fall Plowing, 1931
  • Andy Warhol, Twenty-Five Colored Marilyns, 1962
  • Ferdinand Hodler, Rhythmic landscape on Lake Geneva, 1908
  • Marimekko, Hevoskastanja, 2005
  • Paul Klee, Pastoral (Rhythms), 1927

Progressive Rhythm

Progressive rhythm describes an artwork that contains repeating elements in a pattern that change either in size or color as they repeat. Some progressive rhythm examples include building blocks arranged from smallest to largest and spirals.

progressive rhythm in art examples
  • Victor Vasarely, Alom, 1966
  • Marcel Duchamp, Nude Descending a Staircase (No. 2), 1912
  • Sydney Opera House
  • Hilma af Klint, Altarpiece No. 1, Group X, 1915
  • Jasper Johns, Three Flags, 1958
  • MC Escher, Smaller and Smaller, 1956
  • Wayne Thiebaud, Banana Splits, 1964
  • Grant Wood, Fall Plowing, 1931
  • Andy Goldsworthy, Carefully broken pebbles scratched white with another stone, 1985
  • Bramante Staircase in the Vatican, 1932

In this fun rhythm in art examples video, the differences between pattern, repetition, and rhythm are described and put to music:

Rhythm in Art Resources

  • Art Soup Video: Principles of Design: Rhythm
  • Horse in Motion & The First Moving Pictures
  • Early Photography Inspired Flipbook Project

Remember I will add to this, so don’t forget to pin this post!

Do you have a great example to teach rhythm in art? Share it with me in the comments, and I will add it to the list!

Elements and Principles Teaching Bundle

This extraordinary bundle includes the best resources for teaching each of the elements and principles—37 worksheets/handouts, 15 lessons (with accompanying PowerPoints and Handouts), 3 ready-to-go art analysis activities, 3 art analysis videos, and 13 elements and principle PDF articles.

Buy Now

💡 Want more ready-to-use art appreciation lessons?

The Curated Connections Library includes resources like this—plus hundreds more lessons, activities, and trainings for art teachers.
👉 Click here to learn more.

There you have it! The best rhythm in art examples for your elements and principles of art lessons. Want more elements and principles of art teacher resources? Check out the below posts.



The Art Curator for Kids -Example Artworks that Show Space - The Elements and Principles of Art Series-300The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Line - The Elements and Principles of Art - 300The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis - The Elements and Principles of Art SeriesElements and Principles of Art - Artworks that Show Proportion in art and ScaleThe Art Curator for Kids - Elements and Principles of Art Series - Artworks that Show Shape - 300The Art Curator for Kids - Why I Hate the Elements and Principles But Teach Them Anyway - 300The Art Curator for Kids - How Artists Depict Space - Masterpiece Monday - John Sloan , South Beach Bathers, 1907-1908, Art Lessons for Kids - Elements of Art Lessons

Filed Under: Elements and Principles of Art
Tagged With: Albert Renger-Patzsch, alexander calder, Alexandra Exter, Alice Aycock, andre derain, andy goldsworthy, andy warhol, Bernard Hoyes, Bridget Riley, Bruce Barnbaum, Charles Burchfield, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Chuck Close, do-ho suh, Donald Judd, edvard munch, ferdinand hodler, frank lloyd wright, george tooker, Gino Severini, Gloria Petyarre, grant wood, gustav klimt, Hans Hinterreiter, Hans Hokanson, henri matisse, Hilma af Klint, jackson pollock, jacob lawrence, Jasper Johns, joan miro, Louise Bourgeois, m.c. escher, marcel duchamp, marsden hartley, martin puryear, Mary Martin, paul klee, piet mondrian, rene magritte, Robert Delaunay, Sonia Delaunay, Victor Vasarely, vincent van gogh, wayne thiebaud

 

December 19, 2019 10 Comments

Decoding Style: How to Teach Students to Read an Artwork

How can you tell a Rembrandt from a Vermeer? They both are from the same location and same time period, but they each have their own way of painting, and they are each categorized in art history as Northern Baroque, Rembrandt’s thick application of paint and raw emotion is easily distinguishable from Vermeer’s crisp genre paintings.

Left: Rembrant, Saint Matthew and the Angel, 1661. Right: Vermeer, The Astronomer, 1668

Putting some of their works side by side, they have many similarities but also many key differences. I love putting artworks side by side and asking students to find the differences. Teaching students how to recognize the parts of an artwork that make it unique and the choices the artist had made helps them connect with the art and trains them to see the world around them in different ways.

In my opinion, one of the most important strategies when learning from works of art is to focus on the style of the art. Style is an artist’s way of making art. It’s how we tell one artist or one art movement from another. It’s the way they apply the paint, the compositional choices they make, the colors they use, etc.

I always begin an art history course with a discussion on style, because it is something we come to again and again and again throughout the semester.

I have a free lesson that goes along with this post.

The way I teach style is through practice. I did this activity with my 7th graders last semester during a lesson on Post-Impression, and they ate it up! They loved it!

Here’s what I do. First, I put up 4 artworks on the screen – 3 are done by the same artist and one is done by a different artist. I pick artworks that are very similar with noticeable but not overt differences. For the first time, I ask students to write in their notes which one is not by the same artist, which one doesn’t fit. Then, they have to describe the why. What makes the fourth one different? This starts to train their eye to notice detail in art.

After they have the chance to reflect individual, we take a class vote–who thought it was A, or B, etc. Sometimes, one is a clear win, but other times there is some discussion. Whether they get it right or wrong, they are still spending time with art in valuable ways.

My first set I usually use is a group of pre-Raphaelite paintings. Three are done by Dante Gabriel Rossetti and the fourth is by John Millais. In this discussion, students notice the backgrounds, the textiles, the way they’re dressed, the facial features of the women, the patterns, the way the compositions are cropped, and the emotions.

The next set is a little harder than the first–three Rodin sculptures and one sculpture from Matisse. The most obvious different is the shine of the bronze, but students must dig deeper to find the answer. The Rodin ones are more realistic with detailed body features, muscles, skin, etc. The Rodins are more emotional and more raw. The Matisse is blank, more abstract, and looks more like a sculpture than the living, breathing Rodins. (You can tell I love Rodin, can’t you?)

After a few rounds of picking the different artwork, I switch things up. This time, I show 3-4 artworks by one artist and ask the students to study them carefully. They right down the stylistic characteristics they notice about the artist. For this step, I usually choose Rembrandt, because he has such a distinctive style.

We look at textures from Rembrandt, how he applied the paint thickly, his use of golds, red, and browns, the simple dark backgrounds, the raw emotion. After a few minutes of study, I switch the slide and show one Rembrandt that they haven’t seen alongside three other Northern Baroque period artists. I ask, which one is Rembrandt?

Each of the other artworks on the slide are from the same time period as Rembrandt so they have commonalities like the dark backgrounds, lit figures, similar color palette, genre scenes, etc.  Only one has the rich painterliness of Rembrandt. That is his style.

For a free copy of my lesson for this activity, click the button below.

Free PowerPoint!

How to Teach Style – Free PowerPoint Lesson

Teach students to “read” an artwork and understand the basics of style with this interactive lesson.

Download

Free PowerPoint!

How to Teach Style – Free PowerPoint Lesson

Teach students to “read” an artwork and understand the basics of style with this interactive lesson.

This post was originally published on January 2, 2017.

Filed Under: Art Connection Activities
Tagged With: auguste rodin, best of art class curator, dante gabriel rossetti, henri matisse, johannes vermeer, john millais, rembrandt

 

December 27, 2016 2 Comments

7 Exciting Art History for Kids Projects that Made Me Say “WOW!”

Inside: This collection of exciting art history for kids projects will excite your students with creative process art at the same time as connecting with an artist from art history. These art history for kids projects are so clever!

the Art Curator for Kids - 7 Art History for Kids Projects that made me say Wow!

While I was developing the Art History for Kids pinboard, I came across approximately 400 projects based on Kandinsky’s circles (I don’t judge. I totally did a Kandinsky circle project with my elementary kids when I taught, and it was uber-successful.) and many more fabulous art history for kids projects. But after a while they were all starting to blend together, but there were a couple that stood out and made me say “Wow! That is amazing!” I kept thinking about these projects over the next few days and decided I needed to give these awesome bloggers a shout-out.

So here you go. In no particular order, here are 7 awesome art history for kids projects that I found to be super exciting.

I am always choosing 5 things, so I went with 7 today. It feels weird. I miss 5.

“Where the Fauve Things Are” at My Small Potatoes

Art History for Kids Projects, Fauvism Projects for Kids, Henri Matisse

This art history for kids project is so amazing. Look at those kids. They are having a BLAST! Arlee at My Small Potatoes totally captures the essence and sheer joy of Fauvism and really taught her kids something about Fauvism and Henri Matisse in such a fun and silly way. Not to mention, the images on her blog are just gorgeous. What a treat!

“Kids Get Arty: Exploring Mike Kelley for Kids” at Red Ted Art

Art History for Kids Projects, Mike Kelley

I loved this project, because of it’s close ties with the artwork, the unexpected artist choice of Mike Kelley, and the sheer fun of the activity. How fun would it be to stick a bunch of random stuff in clay? Really fun. Excuse me while I go do this.

“Starry Night Art with Melted Crayons” at Happy Hooligans

Art History for Kids Projects, Vincent van Gogh

In this project, Jackie and the Hooligans painted in shades of blue and yellow onto aluminum foil and then melted crayon shavings onto the paintings. Yes! So beautiful and satisfying and all things perfect.

“Kids Get Arty: Exploring Street Art & Banksy” at Red Ted Art

Art History for Kids Projects, Banksy Art Projects for Kids, Street Art for Kids

Maggy at Red Ted Art gets an extra shout-out, because she is just that awesome. I really love projects that go beyond the usual suspects of Monet, van Gogh, etc. Her project inspired by the street artist Banksy takes kids outdoors and gets them thinking about art in new and different ways. And that kangaroo they put on the side of the house? Super cute.

“The Great Artist Vincent van Gogh…A Study in Self Portraiture” at My Small Potatoes

Van Gogh Mirror Painting, Art History for Kids

I totally realize I just said I like projects that go beyond van Gogh, and then I included two van Gogh-inspired projects. Sshh. I know. I know. This one I loved again because the kids get to explore and do something new and different. Art is more than paper and paint. Arlee nails it again by having her kids paint their portraits right onto the mirror. And then they take paper and make a print from the mirror? Icing on the cake.

“Inspired {Wayne Thiebaud}” at Dilly-Dali Art

Art History for Kids, Wayne Thiebaud

Speaking of icing, check this out. She made FROSTING PAINT. That’s all I have to say about that. FROSTING PAINT! Genius.

“Inspired {Helen Frankenthaler}” at Dilly-Dali Art

Art History Projects for Kids, Helen Frankenthaler, Abstract Expressionism for Kids

I really love this art history for kids activity. Not only is the final product beautiful, but it really captures the spirit of Abstract Expressionism emphasis on the expression and actions of an artist. Extra bonus points go to Aleacia at Dilly-Dali Art for choosing a woman artist, Helen Frankenthaler, for her project.

~

This art history for kids post was originally published on October 24, 2014.

Filed Under: Art Teacher Tips
Tagged With: banksy, helen frankenthaler, henri matisse, mike kelley, vincent van gogh, wayne thiebaud

 

April 10, 2015 13 Comments

Best Artist Books and Movies for Kids and Adults

The Art Curator for Kids - Children's Books about the Lives of the Artists - Artist Books for Kids

Although I don’t think it is necessary to study the lives of individual artist to enjoy and connect with their artwork, hearing stories about artists can make their art come alive in new and exciting ways.

Several months ago, I received a message from a reader. This is what she said.

My number one struggle in teaching art to my kids is making artists come alive. I really want them to grasp art from cave drawings to modern art. To help them understand that there is a person behind each piece that has lived through struggles and joys. I want them to understand that art is an expression of the soul creating it.

~Tee from Wisteria and Worms

I love her statement here, because art is about people and connecting with people. When you are moved by a work of art, you are moved because of the person behind that artwork and what they were thinking and feeling. I believe art becomes more powerful when you recognize that truth.

I will never forget reading The Agony and the Ecstasy about Michelangelo. I read it before I studied abroad in Italy in college. After reading that book, I felt like I intimately knew both Michelangelo and where he lived, Florence, Italy. Going to Florence after reading that book was a magical experience for me.

Here are my favorite biographical novels, movies, and children’s books for both kids AND adults!

Please note, this post includes Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Books about Artists for Kids

The Art Curator for Kids - Children's Books about the Lives of the Artists - Artist Books for Kids

  • Henri’s Scissors by Jeanette Winter
  • Action Jackson by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan
  • Uncle Andy’s by James Warhola
  • Frida by Jonah Winter
  • Diego by Jonah Winter
  • My Name Is Georgia by Jeanette Winter
  • The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau by Michelle Markel

Laurence Anholt’s Books about Artists For Children

This is a great series of books where artists and children meet.

  • Degas and the Little Dancer
  • Cezanne and the Apple Boy
  • The Magical Garden of Claude Monet
  • Leonardo and the Flying Boy
  • van Gogh and the Sunflowers
  • Picasso and the Girl with a Ponytail
  • Camille and the Sunflowers
  • Papa Chagall, Tell Us a Story
  • Matisse, King of Colour

Movies and Books about Artists for Adults

The Art Curator for Kids - Artist Biographies for Adults, Books and Movies - Michelangelo, van Gogh, Vasari, Artemisia Gentileschi, Frida Kahlo, Jackson Pollock

Books about Artists

  • The Agony and the Ecstasy: A Biographical Novel of Michelangelo by Irving Stone
  • The Lives of the Artists by Giorgio Vasari
  • The Passion of Artemisia: A Novel by Susan Vreeland
  • Lust for Life by Irving Stone

Other Books about Artists

Tracy Chevalier and Susan Vreeland write good books surrounding artists but the historical accuracy isn’t as good, so I didn’t put them in the above list. I also really want to read The Private Lives of the Impressionists, but since I haven’t read it, I didn’t put in on the list. 🙂

Movies

  • Pollock
  • Frida
  • Girl with a Pearl Earring
  • Basquiat
  • Midnight in Paris

 

Filed Under: Downloads and Resources
Tagged With: andy warhol, artemisia gentileschi, basquiat, camille pissarro, diego rivera, edgar degas, frida kahlo, georgia o'keeffe, giorgio vasari, henri matisse, henri rousseau, jackson pollock, leonardo da vinci, marc chagall, michelangelo, pablo picasso, paul cezanne, vincent van gogh

 

January 6, 2015 19 Comments

A Year of Art Appreciation for Kids: 52 Artworks your Child Should Know

I have compiled for you a massive list of artworks for you to look at with your kids this year. I picked one artwork for each week of the year, and I tried to pick the best of the best. If you haven’t been showing art to your kids, this is a great list to start with! Just sit down and talk about a new artwork each week for a few minutes.

Please note, this post includes Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

How to Talk about Art with Your Kids

Here are some posts from Art Class Curator for tips at looking at art with your kids.

  • How to Look at Art with your Children
  • How to Look at Art with Toddlers and Preschoolers
  • Charlotte Mason Picture Study: An Easy Way to Introduce Art to your Kids

Art Appreciation for Kids

Instead of dividing by week, I divided by time period. Regrettably, this list does not include non-western art or contemporary art. For more awesome non-western art, check out my Art Around the World series. Each entry below includes a link to find the picture.

the Art Curator for Kids - Art Appreciation for Kids - Ancient to Classical Art

Ancient to Classical Art

  • Prehistoric, Nude Woman (Venus of Willendorf), c. 28,000-25,000 B.C.E (On ACFK, 5 Artworks to Promote Introspection) (Buy replica on Amazon)
  • Sumer, the Standard of Ur, about 2600-2400 B.C.E. (Book about this artwork)
  • The Law Code of Hammurabi, King of Babylon, c. 1750 B.C.E (Book about Hammurabi’s Code)
  • Ancient Egyptian, Palette of King Narmer, c. 3000-2920 B.C.E.
  • Myron (Ancient Greek), Discus-thrower (Discobolus), Roman copy of a bronze original of the 5th century BC (Book about this artwork)
  • Hellenistic Greek, Laocoön and His Sons, early first century C.E.
  • Ancient Roman, Augustus of Primaporta, first century, C.E.
  • Ancient Roman, The Alexander Mosaic, ca. 100 BC (Poster of this artwork)

the Art Curator for Kids - Art Appreciation for Kids - Medieval to Renaissance Art

Medieval and Renaissance Art

  • Byzantine, Justinian and his Attendants, Basilica di San Vitale, 547 C.E
  • Gothic, Chartres Cathedral (Book about Chartres)
  • Jan and Hubert van Eyk, Adoration of the Mystic Lamb (Ghent Altarpiece), 1432 (Book about the Nazi theft of this artwork)
  • Sandro Botticelli, The Birth of Venus, 1482-85 (Poster of this artwork)
  • Leonardo da Vinci, Last Supper, 1498 (Print of this artwork on wood)
  • Michelangelo Buonarroti, Sistene Chapel Ceiling, 1508-12 (Jigsaw puzzle of this artwork)
  • Raphael, School of Athens, 1509-11 (Coffee mug of this artwork)
  • Michelangelo Buonarroti, Slaves or Prisoners, ca. 1520-23



the Art Curator for Kids - Art Appreciation for Kids - 17th-18th Century Art

17th-18th Century Art

  • Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Beheading Holofernes, 1614-20 (On ACFK, Masterpiece Monday) (Novel about the Artist)
  • Gianlorenzo Bernini, Apollo and Daphne, 1622-25 (Replica of this sculpture)
  • Judith Leyster, Self-Portrait, c. 1630
  • Rembrandt, Officers and Men of the Company of Captain Frans Banning Cocq and Lieutenant Wilhelm van Ruytenburgh, known as the Night Watch, 1642 (Canvas print of this artwork)
  • Diego Velázquez, Las Meninas, 1656 (On ACFK, 20 Great Artworks to Look at with Young Kids) (Poster of this artwork)
  • Jean-Honoré Fragonard, The Swing, 1767 (Poster of this artwork)
  • Jacques-Louis David, Oath of the Horatii, 1785 (Poster of this artwork)

the Art Curator for Kids - Art Appreciation for Kids - 19th Century Art

19th-Century Art

  • Francisco Goya, Third of May, 1808 (Mouse pad of this artwork)
  • Eugène Delacroix, July 28: Liberty Leading the People, 1830 (Poster of this artwork)
  • William Turner, Slave Ship (Slavers Throwing Overboard the Dead and Dying, Typhoon Coming On), 1840 (Poster of this artwork)
  • Claude Monet, Les Nymphéas (The Water Lilies), 1840-1926 (Monet magnets)
  • Jean-François Millet, L’Angélus, c. 1857-1859
  • Georges Seurat, A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, 1884 (Coffee mug of this artwork)
  • Auguste Rodin, The Burghers of Calais, 1884-95 (Coffee mug of this artwork)
  • Paul Gauguin, Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?, 1897-98
  • Vincent van Gogh, The Starry Night, 1889 (On ACFK, 5 Exciting Art History Projects for Kids that Made me Say “WOW!”) (Umbrella of this artwork)

the Art Curator for Kids - Art Appreciation for Kids - Modern Art

Modern and Contemporary Art

  • Henri Matisse, Harmony in Red/La Desserte, 1908 (Jigsaw puzzle of this artwork)
  • Edvard Munch, The Scream, 1910 (Inflatable Scream Doll)
  • Franz Marc, Fate of the Animals, 1913 (On ACFK, Art Spotlight: Franz Marc’s Fate of the Animals)
  • Marc Chagall, I and the Village, 1911 (On ACFK, 5 Artworks Your Children will Love) (Poster of this artwork)
  • Wassily Kandinsky, Panel for Edwin R. Campbell No. 4, 1914
  • Salvador Dali, The Persistence of Memory, 1931 (Melting clock)
  • Pablo Picasso, Guernica, 1937 (Jigsaw puzzle of this artwork)
  • Frida Kahlo, The Two Fridas, 1939 (On ACFK, 5 Artworks to Intrigue Your High Schooler) (Poster of this artwork)
  • Jackson Pollock, One: Number 31, 1950, 1950 (Book about this artwork)
  • Francis Bacon, Study after Velazquez’s Portrait of Pope Innocent X, 1953 (On ACFK, Art Around the World in 30 Days – Ireland)
  • Andy Warhol, Campbell’s Soup Cans, 1962 (Converse shoes of this artwork)
  • Robert Rauschenberg, Skyway, 1964
  • Andy Goldsworthy, Fall Leaves (On ACFK, 5 Exciting Art History Projects for Kids that Made me Say “WOW!”) (Book about this artist)

the Art Curator for Kids - Art Appreciation for Kids - American

American Art

  • John Singleton Copley, Watson and the Shark, 1778  (On ACFK: Charlotte Mason Picture Study: John Singleton Copley)
  • Thomas Moran, The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, 1872 (Jigsaw puzzle of this artwork)
  • John Singer Sargent, El Jaleo, 1882 (Poster of this artwork)
  • Frederic Remington, A Dash for the Timber, 1889 (Poster of this artwork)
  • Grant Wood, American Gothic, 1930 (Children’s book about this artist)
  • Jacob Lawrence, The Migration Series, 1940-41 (Children’s book about this series)
  • Edward Hopper, Nighthawks, 1942 (Poster of this artwork)

Whew! This is quite a list. It was hard to choose, and I know I left out some great artworks. Keep reading on Art Class Curator to learn more about teaching art to kids.

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Filed Under: Art Connection Activities
Tagged With: andy goldsworthy, andy warhol, artemisia gentileschi, auguste rodin, claude monet, diego velazquez, edvard munch, edward hopper, eugene delacroix, francis bacon, francisco goya, franz marc, frederic remington, frida kahlo, georges seurat, gian lorenzo bernini, grant wood, henri matisse, jackson pollock, jacob lawrence, jacques-louis david, jan van eyck, jean-francois millet, jean-honore fragonard, john singer sargent, john singleton copley, judith leyster, leonardo da vinci, marc chagall, michelangelo, pablo picasso, paul gauguin, raphael, rembrandt, robert rauschenberg, salvador dali, sandro botticelli, thomas moran, vincent van gogh, wassily kandinsky, william turner

 

June 11, 2014 4 Comments

5 More Great Children’s Books About Art

I’m back with more art children’s book recommendations to add on to my previous list. All of these books I either own or have read before. I’ve used all of them in either my classroom or with my own kids. I highly recommend each book on this list!Great Art Books for Kids

Please note, this post includes Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


beautiful oops by barney saltzberg homeschool artBeautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg
“A life lesson that all parents want their children to learn: It’s OK to make a mistake. In fact, hooray for mistakes! A mistake is an adventure in creativity, a portal of discovery. A spill doesn’t ruin a drawing—not when it becomes the shape of a goofy animal. And an accidental tear in your paper? Don’t be upset about it when you can turn it into the roaring mouth of an alligator.” — Amazon.com


Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Leonni homeschool artLittle Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Leonni
“Little Blue and Little Yellow are best friends, but one day they can’t find each other. When they finally do, they give each other such a big hug that they turn green! How they find their true colors again concludes a wonderfully satisfying story told with colorful pieces of torn paper and very few words.” — Amazon.com


ish by peter h. reynolds homeschool artIsh by Peter H. Reynolds
“Drawing is what Ramon does. It¹s what makes him happy. But in one split second, all that changes. A single reckless remark by Ramon’s older brother, Leon, turns Ramon’s carefree sketches into joyless struggles. Luckily for Ramon, though, his little sister, Marisol, sees the world differently. She opens his eyes to something a lot more valuable than getting things just ‘right.'” — Amazon.com


When a Line Bends . . . A Shape Begins by Rhonda Gowler Greene homeschool artWhen a Line Bends . . . A Shape Begins by Rhonda Gowler Greene
“A line is thin. A line is narrow—curved like a worm, straight as an arrow. Squares, circles, triangles, and many more shapes abound in this lively book. With jaunty, rhyming text, young readers are invited to find different shapes on each busy, vibrant page. Once you start looking, you won’t be able to stop! The perfect book for little ones beginning to distinguish shapes.” — Amazon.com


When Pigasso Met Mootisse by Nina Laden homeschool artWhen Pigasso Met Mootisse by Nina Laden
“When Pigasso met Mootisse, what begins as a neighborly overture escalates into a mess. Before you can say paint-by-numbers, the two artists become fierce rivals, calling each other names and ultimately building a fence between them. But when the two painters paint opposite sides of the fence that divides them, they unknowingly create a modern art masterpiece, and learn it is their friendship that is the true work of art.” — Amazon.com


Filed Under: Downloads and Resources
Tagged With: henri matisse, pablo picasso

 

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