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jonathan borofsky

June 26, 2018 3 Comments

5 Artworks your Children will Love

5 Artworks your Children will Love

Inside: These five artworks for kids are perfect to share in any classroom or age group. Each one includes discussion questions to get the conversation started!

5 Artworks for Kids

Here are 5 artworks for kids that are, in my experience, fun to discuss with all ages. I have given guiding questions below with each work, and you can also see my “How to Talk to your Kids about Art” post as well with tips for starting and maintaining art discussions with your children.

1. Marc Chagall, I and the Village, 1911

5 Artworks for Kids
Marc Chagall, I and the Village, 1911

I can’t get enough of this painting and the work of Marc Chagall. His bold colors, sweet love, and whimsical touches always put a smile on my face. Give your kids a chance to explore this painting. Ask them what they think is going on. Let them take the lead in figuring it out. Your role is to facilitate their unraveling of the painting through asking questions and connecting their ideas together.

Questions to ask: What is going on in this painting? What do you see that makes you say that? Is this a real or imaginary place? What elements of this painting seem real and what elements seem dreamlike? What emotions do you notice in the artwork? How did the artist use line, shape, and color to contribute to the mood or meaning? Why do you think this artist created this work?

2. Shiva Nataraja as Lord of the Dance, Indian, ca. 950-1000

5 Artworks for Kids
Indian, Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja), ca. 11th century, Met Museum

This sculpture depicts the Hindu god Shiva who is the destroyer and recreator of the universe. His dance destroys the universe and prepares for its recreation. This sculpture is rich with symbolism. His hand signals (or mudras) stand for different ideals in the Hindu religion. He dances upon Apasmaru who is a demon and a symbol of ignorance and temptation. Keep what you know secret about the art until after your kids have had a chance to share their own ideas about what they see.

Questions to Ask: Describe the sculpture. What is going on? Who is this? What is he doing? Put your body into this pose and dance with him. How does it feel? What story is being told here? “How can you tell a story through dance or choreography?” (DMAconnect). What is Shiva standing on? Why do you think he is standing on it? Describe the lines and shapes that you see. Research the hand symbols (or mudras) on the internet. What do they symbolize? Why did the artist choose to show these symbols? How does this artwork make you feel? How can you connect this artwork to your own life?

3. Jonathan Borofsky, Walking to the Sky, 2004

5 Artworks for Kids
Jonathan Borofsky, Walking to the Sky, 2004

More Pictures here.

Although I am in love with this artwork, I was hesitant to add it to today’s list, because the internet can’t fully capture how amazing this is in person. This sculpture has 10 realistic and life-size people (from a business man to a young girl) walking on the stainless steel pole that goes 100 feet into the sky. The artist says it was inspired by a story from his dad about a friendly giant in the sky who would help you with your goals for the future.

Questions to ask: What is going on here? What are they doing? Where do you think they are going? What do you think they will find at their destination? How do they feel about this journey? How can you connect this to your life? (Tell story of the giant.) What would you want to ask the friendly giant in the sky?

4. Grant Wood, Parson Weems’ Fable, 1939

5 Artworks for Kids
Grant Wood, Parson Weems’ Fable, 1939

Years ago, I was employed as a Gallery Teacher at the Amon Carter Museum, where this painting is located. I loved discussing this with my students. This painting tells the famous story of George Washington chopping down the cherry tree. Shocking to most, it turns out that the story is not true and was made up by Parson Weems, who appears in this painting as the narrator of the production. Students love the old man’s head on the kid’s body!

5 Artworks your Children will Love
Gilbert Stuart, Portrait of George Washington (The Athenaeum Portrait), 1796

(Check out that head… it’s the same painting as the dollar bill copied from the famous Gilbert Stuart painting pictured right). The repetition of shapes and the directional lines pointing to the action of the story give you a chance to easily visually analyze the composition of the work.

Questions to Ask: What’s going on in this painting? How can you tell? Who are these people? Who is the guy in front? What is his role in the painting? What is strange about this painting? Which area of the painting is emphasized by the artist? What shape is repeated throughout the painting? Why do you think the artist repeated that shape? How does the artist use line and color to draw attention to George Washington?
Want to learn more about Parson Weems’ Fable? Check out this blog post all about the painting.

5. Akbar and the Elephant Hawai

5 Artworks your Children will Love
Basawan and Chetar Munti, Akbar’s Adventure with the Elephant Hawa’i in 1561, 1590-95

In my opinion, Indian narrative miniature painting is some of the coolest art out there. Indian artists had a masterful way of putting the horizon line way up at the top of the picture so you could see lots of space and elements to the story at once. Mix that with bold colors, energetic diagonals, and intricate patterns, and you’ve got a perfect artwork to show the littles. In this story, the ruler Akbar took control of one wild elephant (Hawai) and attacked another wild elephant. During the battle, he chased the elephant to a pontoon bridge and collapsed it. In the end, Hawai was tamed and the other animal was defeated. Akbar celebrated this story “as an allegory of his ability to govern — this is, to take charge of an unruly state” (Kleiner and Mamiya 752).

Questions to ask: What is happening in this artwork? How can you tell? Which character is this story about? How can you tell? Describe the behavior of the elephant and other people in the painting? What do you think happened before this scene? What do you think happened next? Describe the lines, colors, and patterns in this artwork.

This post was originally posted on April 1, 2014.

Filed Under: Art and Artists
Tagged With: grant wood, jonathan borofsky, marc chagall

 

May 24, 2015 2 Comments

The Best Examples of Emphasis in Art

Here’s another Elements and Principles of Art list to help you in planning your art lessons! Today’s post includes example artworks for emphasis in art.

It was hard to break this one down to categories, because chances are if the artwork shows emphasis well, it usually used more than one element or principle to do so. So, I have put the elements and principles of art that the artist used to show emphasis in art in parenthesis next to the artwork.

I will add to this list when I find more, so this is a good one to pin or bookmark! The horizontal images do not contain all of the 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.

Emphasis in Art Examples

The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis in Art - The Elements and Principles of Art Series
  • Grant Wood, Parson Weems’ Fable, 1939 (Line, Shape)
  • Jonathan Borofsky, Walking to the Sky, 2004 (Line, Movement)
  • Francisco Goya, The Shootings of May Third 1808, 1814 (Value, Color, Line)
  • Jean-Honoré Fragonard, The Swing, 1767 (Complementary Color, Movement)
  • Leonardo da Vinci, The Last Supper, 1494-99 (Balance, Line, Space)
The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis in Art - The Elements and Principles of Art Series
  • Richard Anuszkiewicz, Deep Magenta Square, 1978 (Color, Line, Shape, Light)
  • Albert Bierstadt, Sunrise on the Matterhorn, after 1875 (Size, Space, Light, Contrast)
  • Georges de La Tour, St. Joseph the Carpenter, c. 1645 (Contrast, Value, Light)
  • Andrew Wyeth, Christina’s World, 1948 (Space)
The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis in Art - The Elements and Principles of Art Series
  • George C. Ault, Sullivan Street, Abstraction, 1924 (Contrast, Shape, Line, Color, Light)
  • Rembrandt van Rijn, Militia Company of District II under the Command of Captain Frans Banninck Cocq, known as the ‘Night Watch’, 1642 (Line, Value, Movement)
  • Edgar Degas, The Star, ca. 1878 (Shape, Balance, Line, Movement)
  • Andy Goldsworthy, Circles, Varied (Shape, Color, Value)
The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis in Art - The Elements and Principles of Art Series
  • Ancient Egypt, Nebamun Hunting in the Marshes, ca. 1350 B.C.E. (Scale/Size, Line)
  • Fra Bartolommeo, Savonarola, 16th century (Light, Contrast)
  • Jean Arp, Enak’s Tears (Terrestrial Forms), 1917 (Color, Shape)
  • Caravaggio, The Incredulity of Saint Thomas, 1601-02 (Composition, Line, Contrast, Light, Color)
  • Alexander Calder, Saucers Skirting a Planet, 1968 (Shape, Color)
  • Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Slaying Holofernes, c.1620 (Line, Movement, Contrast, Value)
  • Gertrude Käsebier, Portrait of Alfred Steiglitz, 1902 (Texture, Value)
  • René Magritte, The Art of Living, 1967 (Shape, Space)

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 emphasis in art examples for your elements and principles of art lessons. Want more elements and principles of art examples? 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:

  • Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne — Int3gr4te
  • Borofsky’s Walking to the Sky — doreen

Filed Under: Elements and Principles of Art
Tagged With: albert bierstadt, alexander calder, andrew wyeth, andy goldsworthy, artemisia gentileschi, caravaggio, edgar degas, fra bartolommeo, francisco goya, george ault, georges de la tour, gertrude käsebier, gian lorenzo bernini, grant wood, jean arp, jean-honore fragonard, jonathan borofsky, leonardo da vinci, michelangelo, rembrandt, rene magritte, richard anuszkiewicz

 

April 29, 2015 8 Comments

Artworks that Show Line

Inside: This is ultimate list of example artworks that show the different types of line in art for your elements and principles of art lessons. The list of types of line in art includes implied lines, diagonal lines, gesture lines, outlines, contour lines, expressive lines, and more!

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.

To start, I am going to focus on example artworks that use the different types of line in art.

I will add to this list of the types of line in art 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, FYI.

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 Types of Line in Art - Horizontal and Vertical Lines in ArtHorizontal 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 Types of Line in Art - Diagonal Lines in ArtDiagonal 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 Types of Line in Art - Contour Lines and OutlinesContour 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 examples artwork

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

Implied Lines artwork examples

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

expressive lines artwork examples

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 PatternRepetition 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 ArchitectureLines 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 artwork examples

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.

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

 

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