Kindergarten
Joan Miro. doodle fish.
Joan Miro (1893-1983) - pronounced JUAN MEE-ROH - was a Spanish artist best known for his paintings in the Surrealist style. That means he wanted to paint things without really thinking about them first. He would work quickly, scribbling lines and squiggles on the canvas while he was in a trancelike state (like when you're daydreaming or zoning out playing video games). Surrealism is often associated with dreams. Because Miro wasn't really paying attention to what he was doing, we call these "automatic drawings."
After he filled up his page with these doodles, he would then find shapes that he could pick out that reminded him of things in the world, like the sun, moon and animals. Other shapes remained more like blobs. The pictures ended up being a mixture of fact and fantasy. Miro felt like these images were very honest and reflected a truth deep inside of him (because it was deeper than his thoughts).
After he filled up his page with these doodles, he would then find shapes that he could pick out that reminded him of things in the world, like the sun, moon and animals. Other shapes remained more like blobs. The pictures ended up being a mixture of fact and fantasy. Miro felt like these images were very honest and reflected a truth deep inside of him (because it was deeper than his thoughts).
Miro's paintings are brightly colored and very whimsical (silly or funny). Have the students see if they can pick out any shapes or objects that look familiar to them. Does the picture have an overall theme (do many of the shapes or objects relate to each other)? Miro often uses COLOR to create BALANCE. Notice how he scatters certain colors all throughout the pictures to keep your eyes moving all around, jumping from red dot to red dot, or purple shape to purple shape. In this way we are led to notice more of the many details. It also adds to the feeling of MOVEMENT, along with the free flowing lines and repetitive shapes.
The Project
Prep Time – 30 min.
Print – Miro, People and Dog in Sun, and Head of a Woman
Materials
Crayola box of markers (1-2 boxes per class)
Light blue construction paper, 9 x 12 piece per student
Lesson
Show students Miro print. Ask them what they see? Doodle lines. Explain doodle lines, created pictures out of lines that are drawn with no plan.
Brainstorm different sea animals they can draw in their doodles. What do you find in the ocean? Model drawing a doodle with loops out of black marker. Ask students what you can draw out of each doodle shape and draw it using colored markers (don’t worry about your artwork, this is just to give students ideas for a jumping off point).
Steps to Create Art Work
Print – Miro, People and Dog in Sun, and Head of a Woman
Materials
Crayola box of markers (1-2 boxes per class)
Light blue construction paper, 9 x 12 piece per student
Lesson
Show students Miro print. Ask them what they see? Doodle lines. Explain doodle lines, created pictures out of lines that are drawn with no plan.
Brainstorm different sea animals they can draw in their doodles. What do you find in the ocean? Model drawing a doodle with loops out of black marker. Ask students what you can draw out of each doodle shape and draw it using colored markers (don’t worry about your artwork, this is just to give students ideas for a jumping off point).
Steps to Create Art Work
- Give students their paper (horizontal and have them put their name on back).
- Start with black marker and have them make a doodle with loops across page.
- Use markers to draw sea creatures out of doodles.
- Add bubbles, seaweed, etc. to complete art.