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Primary Colors and Color Values

© Colleen Madonna Williams

I'd like to share this lesson with my readers. It was originally written by me for my art unit, The Anxious Art Teacher. It is a discipline based lesson that is easy, fun, and can result in some very creative student artworks! Enjoy!

Primary Colors and Color Values

1. Choose an artwork to display that uses a variety of values of the primary colors. Kandinsky's Sketch 1 for "Composition VII" works well for primary color lessons.

2. Discuss the image with your students. Ask what colors they see. Ask them to point out the primary colors used in the image.

3. Define the term primary colors for your students, if necessary. Write red, blue, and yellow on the board.

4. Define shades and/or values. Write light, medium, and dark on the board, Discuss with students.

5. Have students that are wearing red, blue, or yellow stand up. Place them in color groups. Ask students to point out lighter and darker shades of red, blue, and yellow found in each other's clothing. Look for medium shades of the primary colors in students' clothing. Ask students to point out examples.

6. After students are reseated, ask how the artist's use of primary colors makes the image feel. Is it a happy image? Is it a sad image? Do you see different shades or values of red? Where? Do you see different shades or values of blue? Where? Do you see different shades or values of yellow? Where?

7. Ask students if they have ever heard a saying that associates a color with a feeling. What does, I am feeling blue, mean? I saw red! He's just plain yellow!

8. Supply students with paint brushes. Give them only black, white, and primary color paints. Tell them to use their paints to create an abstract artwork. Ask them to try not to mix their paints, but to use only black, white, and primary colors in their works. This will be difficult, or impossible for some students, so remember there really is no right or wrong when it comes to the creative process.

9. Allow them fifteen to twenty minutes to paint.

10. After the paintings are dry, hang them and discuss them as a class.

The copyright of the article Primary Colors and Color Values in Art Education is owned by Colleen Madonna Williams. Permission to republish Primary Colors and Color Values in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.