First Grade
Picasso, Guitar Collage
Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) was one of the most important artists of the 20th century. The students may have already created one project based on his art in Kindergarten (ask them if they remember Picasso's "Bouquet of Peace" with the hands and flowers).
In this lesson we will be discussing more about one of Picasso's major inventions, namely COLLAGE (a collage is a piece of art made by sticking various different materials such as photographs and pieces of paper or fabric onto a backing). Collages are so familiar to us today that it almost seems strange that someone invented it, but Picasso and his artist friend Georges Braque came up with the idea during their early work in a style called Cubism (see also: 2nd grade project "Cubist Self-Portrait").
Since cubism involved breaking images apart into simplified or even fractured parts, collage allowed the artists to rebuild the design with bits of paper (wallpaper, newspaper, sheet music, etc.), ticket stubs, labels, and even bits of string or wire or whatever, along with their drawings and paintings. This was a fresh, new take on creating images that hadn't been done before. Picasso liked it because it made the image more interesting, and he liked how he could play with the subject on a new level (for example, using actual music notes in a picture of a musical instrument).
In this lesson we will be discussing more about one of Picasso's major inventions, namely COLLAGE (a collage is a piece of art made by sticking various different materials such as photographs and pieces of paper or fabric onto a backing). Collages are so familiar to us today that it almost seems strange that someone invented it, but Picasso and his artist friend Georges Braque came up with the idea during their early work in a style called Cubism (see also: 2nd grade project "Cubist Self-Portrait").
Since cubism involved breaking images apart into simplified or even fractured parts, collage allowed the artists to rebuild the design with bits of paper (wallpaper, newspaper, sheet music, etc.), ticket stubs, labels, and even bits of string or wire or whatever, along with their drawings and paintings. This was a fresh, new take on creating images that hadn't been done before. Picasso liked it because it made the image more interesting, and he liked how he could play with the subject on a new level (for example, using actual music notes in a picture of a musical instrument).
After experimenting with paper collage, Picasso also tried something similar in sculpture. When collage happens in three dimensions (such as sculpture), we call it "assemblage" (see also: 4th grade project Nevelson "assemblage"). His first examples of this new style of art were also images of guitars. He called them "Constructions" because it wasn't like how sculpture had been made in the past where the artist carved it (in wood or stone) or modeled it (in wax or clay), but rather where he put things together, assembling the parts or constructing it. Just like his fragmented cubist and collage pictures, his Constructions were made with broken up sections and simplified details (not all the parts a real guitar would have--he just wanted to suggest the object without copying it exactly). The broken up parts could be placed at different angles so we would see the guitar in a new way.
Because Picasso tried so many new ways of making art and taught people how to look at the world in different ways, he influenced so many other artists to try new things too. That is why he is such an important artist for us to know.
Because Picasso tried so many new ways of making art and taught people how to look at the world in different ways, he influenced so many other artists to try new things too. That is why he is such an important artist for us to know.
Print out and make a template from cardstock or thin cardboard (like and old cereal box):
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The Project
Prep – 45 min.
Print – Pablo Picasso, Construction Guitar
Materials
Guitar stencil, in First Grade file cabinet drawer (or download above)
1 piece of brown construction paper, trace guitar stencil for each student before you teach project
1 piece of white construction paper, 11 x 11 inches for each student
1 piece colored construction paper, 12 x 12 inches, for each student (glue the 11x11 white sheet centered onto the 12x12 color, as in picture at right, ahead of time)
Pieces of brightly colored construction paper (use scraps from scrap bin)
Pieces of scrapbook paper (3-4 for each student, small pieces)
½ sheet of sheet music copies for each student (in First Grade file cabinet drawer)
Yarn pieces to use for guitar (not brown)
crayons
Glue bottles for each student
Lesson
-pass out white paper and have students put name on back.
-pass out pieces of construction paper and scrap paper and let students begin putting pieces where they like them as they cut and tear paper.
-once students have their background done, give them a guitar to cut out and place on their collage. Glue down.
-use paper pieces. crayon and yarn to finish the inside of the guitar
-collect paper scraps that don’t have glue on them and bag them up to use for another class. You can put them in the back of the file cabinet drawer.
-have parent helpers collect all art supplies and put back in their proper places in the art room.
Print – Pablo Picasso, Construction Guitar
Materials
Guitar stencil, in First Grade file cabinet drawer (or download above)
1 piece of brown construction paper, trace guitar stencil for each student before you teach project
1 piece of white construction paper, 11 x 11 inches for each student
1 piece colored construction paper, 12 x 12 inches, for each student (glue the 11x11 white sheet centered onto the 12x12 color, as in picture at right, ahead of time)
Pieces of brightly colored construction paper (use scraps from scrap bin)
Pieces of scrapbook paper (3-4 for each student, small pieces)
½ sheet of sheet music copies for each student (in First Grade file cabinet drawer)
Yarn pieces to use for guitar (not brown)
crayons
Glue bottles for each student
Lesson
- Show students Picasso print and ask them what they see. Talk about collage and explain that collage is using different pieces of paper, yarn, etc. combined together to create a piece of art. Ask students what pieces of collage they see in the print?
- Model for students putting name on back. Then show them how you will take your collage pieces to create a background for your guitar.
- Model for students placing pieces of paper until you get them where you like them, don’t glue until you like where you placed them (this can be done under overhead projector, so students can watch you work).
- Show students how you can use your scissors and also tear pieces of paper. Torn pieces of paper are an important part of collage.
- Show students how to cut out the traced guitar, cutting slowly to follow the lines.
- Figure out where you want to place your guitar on your collage. Explain to students that the guitar is the focal point – important part of art work that you want your eye to be drawn to first.
- Glue down your guitar and work on adding any extra pieces of paper to collage. Use a dark colored crayon to draw the circle in the center of the guitar. Then add yarn to look like guitar strings.
-pass out white paper and have students put name on back.
-pass out pieces of construction paper and scrap paper and let students begin putting pieces where they like them as they cut and tear paper.
-once students have their background done, give them a guitar to cut out and place on their collage. Glue down.
-use paper pieces. crayon and yarn to finish the inside of the guitar
-collect paper scraps that don’t have glue on them and bag them up to use for another class. You can put them in the back of the file cabinet drawer.
-have parent helpers collect all art supplies and put back in their proper places in the art room.