Crazy Color Wheels

Elements of Art

Color:  the visible range of reflected light.
-      Color Wheel: a ring of colors arranged to show the relationship between them (primary, secondary, etc.).
-      Primary Color: the three colors, red, yellow and blue, from which all other colors can be created by mixing.
-      Secondary Color: colors created by mixing only primary colors.
Shape: a two-dimensional (flat) area enclosed by a line; in this lesson, circles.

Principles of Design

Movement: repeating the circle in a non-uniform but organized way to move the viewer's eye around the composition.

Vocabulary Words

Overlap: extend over so as to partly cover.

Materials & Supplies

Context (History and/or Artists)

The principles of color theory were first figured out over 600 years ago by Italian artists of that time. Color theory was developed around three primary colors – red, yellow and blue - because they were believed to be the basis of all other colors through mixing. It was first used by painters, dyers and printers who used pure pigments in their work. 

Goethe’s color wheel from his 1810 Theory of Colours. We are going to create this early color theory using watercolors and watercolor paper. 

Advanced Preparation

Several weeks before, begin to collect lids from containers in multiple sizes for students to trace to create their circles.
Be sure you have access to a color wheel to show students, either online or printed.
Write the learning objective (identifying primary & secondary colors) on the board so students can see it for the entire lesson.
Give out lids to groups of students to share for tracing 
Get several volunteers to help you that day, as you will be working with students throughout the lesson and it helps to have helpers to hand out supplies and refill water cups as needed.

Tips & Tricks

• Tape the paper to the student’s desk using painter’ tape, overlapping tape about ¼ inch into the paper. This will keep the paper from moving around as well as create a clean white border when students are done.
• Set yourself up with the document camera so that you can guide the students through this lesson step by step, working with them.

Discussion Points

Show a color wheel and ask them to name the primary colors then the secondary colors.
Ask if anyone remembers how secondary colors are made.
Review how secondary colors are made from two adjacent primary colors.

Reflection Point (Assessment of Learning Objectives)

Students will verbally identify by pointing and naming the primary and secondary colors in their work.
Students will mix combinations of primary colors to make all 3 secondary colors.

Instructions for Lesson 

1. Hand out lids (for groups of students), paper, and black permanent markers.
2. Ask students to write their names (in pencil) on the back of the paper.
3. Demonstrate how to trace the lids to make 12 circles that touch, overlap, and go off the edges of the paper. Show how the placement of the circles can lead your eye around the paper (movement).
4. Give students time to trace lids on their own paper. Remind them that there should be twelve circles, and that they should trace lightly with their pencils. Then label which circles will be which primary colors. 
5. Once students have completed that have them go over their pencil lines with a permanent marker (not the labels).
6. While they are tracing with markers, hand out brushes, paint pallets, water cups, primary colored paint & dabbing paper towels. 
7. Go over and demonstratethe painting instructions with the students. They will be working from lightest primary color to darkest primary color dabbing and rinsing their brush between colors to cut down on the mud factor.
8. First, paint four circles with yellow. No yellow circles should overlap.
9. Swap out rinse water for clean at this point. 
10. Paint four circles with red.
11. Rinse water again.
12. Paint four circles with blue.
13. As students are finishing up their work, go around and ask them to identify the primary and secondary colors. 
14. Dry the artwork on drying racks.

References and Attributions

Artwork examples courtesy of students from Creekside Elementary, March 2017. Lesson written by Juliette Ripley-Dunkelberger.
"Color Theory" Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Mar. 2017. Web. 14 Mar. 2017. 

Notes for Educators 

21st Century Thinking Skills
Thinking flexibly, taking responsible risks, reflecting, observing, making connections, sequencing, predicting classifying, comparing/contrasting, finding evidence, cause and effect, analyzing, evaluating.

WA State 2017 Learning Standards
(VA:Cr.1.1.1) a. Engage collaboratively in exploration and imaginative play with materials.this happens when students work together to mix new colors.
(VA:Cr.2.1.1) a. Explore uses of materials and tools to create works of art or design.this happens when they learn how to mix colors using brushes and water.
(VA:Cr.2.2.1) a. Demonstrate safe and proper procedures for using materials, tools and equipment while making art.this happens when you talk about taking care of the brushes and the palettes.
(VA:Cr.2.3.1) a. Identify and classify uses of everyday objects through drawings, diagrams, sculptures or other visual means.this happens when explaining the color wheel.
(VA:Cr.3.1.1) a. Use art vocabulary to describe choices while creating art.this happens as you demonstrate, using color names and defining movement.
(VA:Re.7.2.1) a. Compare images that represent the same subject.this happens when finishedwork is displayed.

Please note:  These lesson plans are intended for non-profit use only. Use of these plans for commercial purposes should give attribution to the Issaquah Schools Foundation and be accompanied by a nominal donation at www.isfdn.org/donate. Thank you.

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