leonardo da vinci

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.

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* 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.

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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! 🙂

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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.

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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-300

The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Line - The Elements and Principles of Art - 300

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

Elements and Principles of Art - Artworks that Show Proportion in art and Scale

The Art Curator for Kids - Elements and Principles of Art Series - Artworks that Show Shape - 300

The Art Curator for Kids - Why I Hate the Elements and Principles But Teach Them Anyway - 300

The 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

May 13, 2025 2 Comments

The Best Examples of Emphasis in Art

Inside: A curated collection of artworks that exemplify emphasis in art—showcasing how artists draw attention to focal points through contrast, placement, color, and more. This resource is part of our comprehensive Elements and Principles of Art series, designed to support and inspire your art lessons.

Emphasis is a powerful principle that guides the viewer’s eye to the most important parts of an artwork. Whether it’s a bold color contrast, strategic placement, or unique texture, artists use emphasis to tell a story and convey meaning.

In this post, you’ll find a variety of artworks demonstrating different techniques of emphasis, 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.

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* Elements & Principles Printable Pack *

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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.

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.

Download the Free Elements and Principles Printable Pack

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)

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)

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)

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)

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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.

Photo Credits:

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

May 13, 2025 7 Comments

The Best Examples of Balance in Art: Symmetrical, Asymmetrical, and Radial

Inside: A curated collection of examples of balance in art—including symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radial compositions. This resource is part of our comprehensive Elements and Principles of Art series, designed to support and inspire your art lessons.

Balance is a fundamental principle in art that helps create visual harmony and stability. Whether through symmetry, asymmetry, or radial designs, artists use balance to guide the viewer’s eye and evoke specific feelings.

In this post, you’ll find a variety of artworks demonstrating different types of balance, 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.

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

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

Download the Free Elements and Principles Printable Pack

What does balance mean in art?

Balance in art is just what is sounds like; it is the sense of stability in a work of art. To create balance in art, artists combine the visual components to ensure that one part of the artwork doesn’t completely overshadow the rest. Each choice made by the artist is a deliberate one in order to ensure equilibrium and balance in the art. Artists create this pleasing effect using the different types of balance in art listed below.

Symmetrical Balance in Art Examples

What is symmetrical balance in art? Symmetrical balance in art is when each half of the artwork is identical or very similar. Draw a line through the artwork and compare each side.

Cimabue, Santa Trinita Madonna, 1280-90
Pietro Perugino, Christ Giving the Keys to St. Peter, 1481–1482
American 19th Century, Cutout of Animals, second quarter 19th century
Frida Kahlo, Self-Portrait, 1940
Chokwe people, African, Chibinda Ilunga, mid-19th century
Naum Gabo, Untitled sculpture in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 1957
Georgia O’Keefe, Oriental Poppies, 1928
Diego Rivera, Flower Day, 1925
Ancient Greece, The Parthenon, 447-438 B.C.E.
Tapirapé, Cara Grande feather mask, c. 1960
Japan, Portrait sculpture of a Zen priest, 14th–15th century
M.C. Escher, many
Francis Bacon, Figure with Meat, 1909-92
Salvador Dalì, Mae West Lips Sofa, 1938

The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks the Show Balance - Asymmetrical Balance Examples

Asymmetrical Balance in Art Examples

What is asymmetrical balance in art? Asymmetrical balance in art is when each half is different but has equal visual weight. The artwork is still balanced. For example, in the Caravaggio (the picture in the right in the collage), the three men are balanced with Jesus on the left. Jesus is facing forward and in brighter light which balances out the three men in shadow.

James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Arrangement in Grey and Black: Portrait of the Painter’s Mother known as “Whistler’s Mother,” 1871
Caravaggio, The Incredulity of Saint Thomas, 1601-02
Georges Seurat, A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, 1884
Edgar Degas, The Rehearsal, 1877
Edgar Degas, Dancers Practicing at the Barre, 1876-77
Gian Lorenzo Bernini, David, 1623
Alexander Calder, Mobile, 1942
Yinka Shonibare, Dysfunctional Family, 1999
Katsushika Hokusai, The Great Wave off Kanagawa, c. 1829-32
Paul Strand, Abstraction, Twin Lakes, Connecticut, 1916
Ikebana, various
Vincent van Gogh, The Starry Night, 1889
Jacques-Louis David, Oath of the Horatii, 1785
Edward Hopper, Nighthawks, 1942

The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks the Show Balance - Radial Balance Examples

Radial Balance in Art Examples

What is radial balance in art? Radial balance in art is when there are equal parts that radiate out from the center. Think of it like pieces of pie. You will find in the examples of balance in art here that there can be many equal pieces–from 3 in the Charles II Charger to 16 in the Gothic Rose window!

Gothic Rose Windows
England, 17th century, Charger of Charles II in the Boscobel Oak, c. 1685
M.C. Escher, many
Mandalas, many
Melozzo da Forlì, St. Mark’s Sacristy, 1480s

The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks the Show Balance - Off-Balance Examples

Off-Balance or Unbalanced Artworks (kind of)

It’s hard to find artworks that are unbalanced by well-known artists. These teeter on the edge between asymmetrically-balanced and unbalanced. It’s up for debate and would be a great discussion with your students!

Edgar Degas, Race Horses, 1885-1888
Paul Cezanne, Still Life with Apples and a Pot of Primroses, c. 1890
Precolumbian, Presentation of Captives to a Maya Ruler, A.D. 785
John Singer Sargent, El Jaleo, 1882
Juan Sánchez Cotán, Quince, Cabbage, Melon, and Cucumber, 1602
Judith Leyster, A Boy and Girl with a Cat and an Eel, c. 1635
Paulus Potter, The Bull, 1647
Harmen Steenwyck, Still Life: An Allegory of the Vanities of Human Life, c. 1640

Do you have great examples of balance in art? Share them with me in the comments, and I will add it to the list!

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

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.

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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.

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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

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

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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.

Photo Credits:

Pont du Gard, Benh LIEU SONG

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.

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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

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

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

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.

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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.

Photo Credits:

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

December 30, 2018 20 Comments

Complete the Picture: An Easy Art Appreciation Game and Printable

Inside: Students use creativity in this art appreciation game for kids with a free art appreciation printable. Students are shown a small piece and draw the rest.

Recently, I was looking at the Prado Museum website researching links for my year of art appreciation post. I found a little thumbnail sketch of the painting, and I thought it was so cool. I was smitten by it and needed to know what it was right away. I clicked on the image and nothing happened. WHAT?! So I then started clicking around on the Prado Museum website, but I couldn’t find it. This picture is like nothing I have ever seen before, so I didn’t even know where to start looking on the site.

Here is the thumbnail. Isn’t it so intriguing? Doesn’t it just make you want to know more?

I ended up having to use the snipping tool to pull the picture from the site. Then, I did a reverse Google image search for the picture. That’s when I discovered that this was The Straw Manikin by Francisco Goya. The final painting didn’t look like what I expected but that was what was so fun about the process.

The Art Curator for Kids - Francisco Goya - The Straw Manikin — Francisco Goya, *The Straw Manikin*, 1791-92

Delightful.

That little puzzle piece made my brain go so many places, and it made me think of lots of different art appreciation game s I could do with students with small clips of paintings like that. I could show a small bit of the painting and then have to student guess what the rest of the painting looks like or give the student a small portion of the painting and have them draw what the rest might look like. This activity is not new to the world, but it was fun to experience it out in the wild for myself.

I used to work at a history museum in downtown Dallas, and we would do something similar with historic photographs. We photocopied them and cut them into pieces and distributed the different quadrants to different groups of students. The students had to figure out clues from the photos. It taught them to look closely and notice things they might not have seen had they been given the full photograph originally.

I decided to make you a printable of this painting and others that work with the activity.

Art Appreciation Game Instructions and Printable

You print it and give it to the student, and ask them to draw the scene around it, or just discuss what they notice and what they predict for the rest of the painting. After they complete the art appreciation game, show the full painting and discuss.

I used these paintings for this activity in the printable.

Francisco Goya, The Straw Manikin, 1791-92
Johannes Vermeer, The Milkmaid, c. 1658
Vincent van Gogh, Bedroom in Arles, 1888
Leonardo da Vinci, Lady with an Ermine, 1489-90
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, Gojō Bridge, an Episode from the Life of Yoshitsune, 1881
Unknown, Rahula,16th century

Free PDF!

Complete the Picture

Ready-to-go Art Appreciation Activity

This is a great activity to have on hand in your classroom. Just print it and give it to your student or the whole class. They draw the scene around a small portion of the artwork. Or, just discuss what they notice in the portion and have them predict what will be in the rest of the painting. When they’re done, show them the full (included) artwork and discuss!

Download

March 28, 2016 6 Comments

How to Compare and Contrast Art to Teach Art History

Inside: Use these techniques artwork examples to compare and contrast art in your classroom. Art comparison help students see the art in a new way and make the conventions of an art movement more clear and understandable.

If I had to pick my favorite teaching method for art history, it probably would be compare and contrast art. When you place two artworks next to each other, new ways of understanding the art can open up!

There are multiple ways to compare and contrast art:

comparing works of art from the same art movement or period to look for commonalities and shared themes,
comparing two depictions of the same subject,
comparing works of art from one period with works from the period that came before,
and probably many more!

Using Compare and Contrast to Teach Art History

In this post, I focus on comparing works from one period with art from the period that comes before. I love this method because, in addition to reviewing prior knowledge, you teach students to discover the conventions of the art movement or period on their own.

It’s easy to tell students that the conventions of Baroque art are contrasted between light and dark, intimate compositions, use of contemporary everyday models, foreshortening, etc, but they won’t remember it unless they find those things for themselves. When you put a Baroque artwork next to a Renaissance artwork, those conventions become immediately clear.

Use the following artwork pairs to have students better understand and connect with the conventions and themes of the art periods.

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Compare and Contrast Art Examples: Renaissance/Baroque

In my Italian Baroque lesson (which you can download as a member of The Curated Connections Library), I have 4 sets of images that I print and have students compare and contrast art in small groups. My favorite set is Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper and Caravaggio’s Supper at Emmaus.

Side by side-The Last Supper and Supper at Emmaus, art comparisons — At left: Caravaggio, *Supper at Emmaus*, 1601; At right: Leonardo Da Vinci, *The Last Supper*, 1495

Lead a discussion on these artworks being sure to note the differences in the lighting, the people, the setting/background, the positions of the people, the lines, and the colors.

Compare and Contrast Art Examples: Ancient Rome/Byzantine

After Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, art took a drastic turn from the focus on man to the focus on God. I love to compare this Roman mosaic with the mosaic of Justinian and his attendant.

Justinian and two athletes mosaics, how to compare and contrast art paintings — At left: Mosaic, Church of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy, *Justinian and his Retinue (noblemen, patrons, attendants)*, 6th Century C.E. At right: Floor mosaic from Baths of Caracalla, Vatican Museums, Rome, *Two athletes*, c.200-500 C.E.

The differences in subject matter are clear. The Roman artwork glorifies the strength and the body of a man while the Byzantine artwork no longer shows the men with realistic proportions in art. Students will note the differences in body proportions, the use of color and pattern, and the Byzantine complexity vs. the Roman simplicity.

Compare and Contrast Art Examples: Romanesque/Gothic

Romanesque is kind of a weird art period to teach. It is so varied and transitional. Putting a Romanesque building next to a Gothic really trains students to look closely at details and notice the glory and impressive engineering of a Gothic Cathedral!

Gothic architecture comparing artworks — At left: Abbey of la Madaleine, Vézelay, Photo Credit: Delta 51; At right: Cathedral at Reims, Photo Credit: bodoklecksel

Check out this past post on teaching Gothic architecture for more information about this side-by-side.

Resource Library Subscribers: Download the Gothic PowerPoint.

Compare and Contrast Art Examples: Neoclassical/Romantic

The honor and stoicism of Neoclassical art is a great contrast to the emotional turmoil of Romanticism. Compare David’s Oath of the Horatii with Delacroix’s Lady Liberty Leading the People.

compare and contrast art history — At left: Eugene Delacroix, *Liberty Leading the People*, 1830; At right: Jacques-Louis David, *The Oath of the Horatii*, 1784

Patriotism and nationalism are key themes in both of these art movements, but this manifested in their art in incredibly different ways. This art comparison works really well too with a poetry writing exercise. Have students write haikus about the paintings, and then compare the language used in each.

Compare and Contrast Art Examples: Impressionism/Post-Impressionism

I find Post-Impressionism a little harder to teach than other art movements. It’s mainly just a collection of artists in this strange transition period between Impressionism and Modern Art. It’s Impressionism but it’s not. It’s Fauvism but it’s not.

Putting a Van Gogh next to a Monet works as an art comparison because you can really notice the addition of emotion. I describe Post-Impressionism to my students as Impressionism+Emotion+Bolder, Unrealistic Colors.

Classroom Connection

The compare and contrast art activity from the bundle of free art appreciation worksheets is a great way to get students thinking.

What other artworks do you like to compare and contrast with your students? Please share in the comments!

April 10, 2015 13 Comments

Best Artist Books and Movies for Kids and Adults

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

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.

Movies and Books about Artists for Adults

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

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.

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.

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)

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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