Complementary Hands

Elements of Art

Color: Light reflected off objects. Complementary colors are directly opposite each other in the color spectrum: red/green, blue/orange, yellow/purple. These pairs contain all 3 primary colors. Complementary are the most highly contrasting color pairs. Cool Colors are colors on the color wheel associated with coolness: blue, green, and violet (they appear to recede in space).Warm Colors are colors on the color wheel associated with warmth: red, yellow, and orange.  (they appear to advance in space).
Line: a long narrow mark or stroke made on or in a surface.
Shape: a closed line. Shapes can be geometric or organic. They are flat, express height and width. 

Principles of Design

Contrast: Complementary colors are the most highly contrasting colors on the color wheel. Contrast between elements attracts the eye and creates interest.
Emphasis (Focal Point): The area of a composition which is visually dominant. 

Additional Vocabulary

Color Wheel: a tool in which colors are arranged in a specific order in a circle; used to explain color theory and show how colors relate to one another.
Composition: using principles of design to arrange elements of art to create art; the way elements are combined to express a particular idea.
Concentric: circles, arcs, or other shapes which share the same center, the larger often completely surrounding the smaller.
Craftsmanship: A way of working that includes following directions, neatness and proper use of tools.

Materials & Supplies

Advanced Preparation

Find examples of complementary colors in art – Images below are examples.

Images left to right: Lessons by Larsson (Swedish), 1898 red/green; Poplars by Monet (French), 1891 purple/yellow;  Blue II by Miro (Spanish), 1961 orange/blue. 

Discussion Points (when looking at above images)

• Post and briefly review the elements of art and principles of design
• When we use certain principles on certain art elements, we can make interesting compositions. Like using a recipe, we combine certain things in certain ways.
• In this lesson we’ll take line, color and shape and try highly contrasting them to create visual interest. We’ll also use emphasis to make the design more interesting.
• Contrast is a principle that artists use to get our attention.  How did these artists get our attention? (geometric vs organic shapes; complementary colors, straight vs curved lines, short vs long lines)
• Is there anything emphasized in these pictures? Where does your eye go first? 
• A way to create contrast is with color.  Complementary colors are opposite each other on the color wheel. (Show the color wheel to look for the pairs.)

Reflection Point (Assessment of Learning Objectives)

Students will:

• Use elements of art & principles of design to make an interesting composition.
• Use art vocabulary
• Use good craftsmanship

Instructions for Lesson

Hand out a color wheel worksheet and white construction paper.

1. Demonstrate filling in your color wheel worksheet. Have the students follow along. This should take just a few minutes.
2. Discuss which color pairs are complementary:
   a.) Red & Green
   b.) Blue & Orange
   c.) Yellow & Purple
3. Which colors on your wheel are cool colors? Blue, Green & Purple
4. Which colors on your wheel are warm colors? Red, Orange & Yellow
5. Demonstrate lightly and slowly drawing concentric shapes on your paper with a pencil.  
   a.) Start with a single shape: circle, square, triangle, hexagon.
   b.) Draw the next same shape about ½” larger than that last one.
   c.) Continue until the page is full. As you draw, talk about the process of making sure the distance between the new line is the same around the previous circle. If you aren’t perfect, talk about that and keep going.  Bands must be at least 1” apart (a finger width might help) or wider.  Use rulers for the straight-line designs.
     
6. Have the students complete step 5 after watching demonstration.
7. Demonstrate laying your hand down on the paper and experimenting with placement.
   a.) Lightly trace your hand and arm, with the pencil held straight up and down, onto the construction paper over the shapes.  Your arm will go off the page. 
      
   b.)Go over the lines with a black marker.
   c.) The hands will be colored either warm or cool, free choice.  
   d.) Color your hand drawing.  Fill in each concentric band, with a warm color.
8. Have the students do the same.
9. Once they finish the hand move to the background and use the complementary colors to those of the hand. 

References and Attributions

Lesson written by Juliette Ripley-Dunkelberger.

Notes for Educators

21st Century Thinking Skills
Thinking flexibly, persisting, questioning, creating, innovating, listening with empathy, taking responsible risks, observing, making connections, visualizing, sequencing, predicting, comparing/contrasting, determining main idea, finding evidence, problem solving, cause and effect, determining point of view, decision making.

WA State Learning Standards
(VA:Cr1.2.2) a. Make art or design with various materials and tools to explore personal interests, questions, and curiosity.
(VA:Cr2.1.2) a. Experiment with various materials and tools to explore personal interests in a work of art or design.
(VA:Cr2.2.2) a. Demonstrate safe procedures for using and cleaning art tools, equipment, and studio spaces.
(VA:Cr3.1.2) a. Discuss and reflect with peers about choices made in creating artwork. This happens if you share student choices as they work.
(VA:Re7.1.2) a. Perceive and describe aesthetic characteristics of one’s natural world and constructed environments. 
(VA:Re8.1.2) a. Interpret art by identifying the mood suggested by a work of art and describing relevant subject matter and characteristics of form. This happens when you break down the elements and principles’ functions in a good design.
(VA:Re9.1.2) a. Use learned art vocabulary to express preferences about artwork.

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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