Let’s March forward into spring!

Dear Briggs Families,

The months of February and March are focused on a study of color and value. All students are studying various color families and relationships as well as value in its different forms.

Students in grade one are learning about primary and secondary colors, warm and cool colors, and light and dark. They have studied New Orleans’s artist, George Rodrigue, and his Blue Dog series as well as artist Wayne Thiebaud, who is famous for painting popular American foods. Additionally, students read the books Mouse Paint and Owl Moon. Students are creating artwork inspired by this knowledge.

Second grade is learning about Vincent van Gogh and his work with complementary colors. They are creating observational drawings of sunflowers on purple paper to demonstrate their understanding. They also are reviewing warm and cool colors and are being introduced to tints and shades. Students are creating a variety of value scales by mixing one color with either white to create a tint or black to create a shade.

The color wheel and tertiary colors are the basis of study for third graders. Students are creating color wheels by mixing primary colors to get secondary colors, and then tertiary colors. They are also learning about value and using pencil to create value scales and make two-dimensional objects appear three-dimensional on a flat surface.

Fourth graders are studying two female artists: Sonja Delauney and Lois Mailou Jones. Although very different painters, both artists’ work demonstrates a strong use of color and value. Students are creating “Delauney Cubes” with oil pastels, and a mask drawing inspired by Jones using colored pencils.

Fifth graders are studying two different artists as well: René Magritte and Pablo Picasso. Both artists used color and value in unique and interesting ways in their work. Students are learning the term “monochromatic” and creating painting using tints and shades of one color.

Kindergarteners are coming to the end of their study of color. They have used a variety of media to make color wheels, mosaics, and paintings based on primary, secondary, warm and cool colors. Their study will culminate in the creation of a “color book” that demonstrates their learning.

Here’s looking forward to some sunny spring weather!

Sending creative thoughts,

Mrs. DiSalle