meadgallerycolourtrail
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Teacher Resource Pack for Primary Schools
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Welcome!
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1. Learning Aims
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2. National Curriculum Links
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3. Organisation
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4. Looking at Works of Art
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5. Teachers’ Notes
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a) Introductory Session
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b) Notes on Individual Works
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c) Artworks
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d) Round-up Session
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Appendices
A. Background Notes on Colour
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B. Artists Known for Their Use of Colour
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C. Glossary of Terms
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D. School-Based Extension Activities
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E. Information for Visitors
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F. Site Plan
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welcome!
The Mead Gallery Colour Trail is designed to augment work in the art and design curriculum and to
introduce groups of students to some of the abstract works in the collection of the University of Warwick.
The Information Pack provides teachers and other group guides with ideas and materials to facilitate this. It
offers background information, a structure for the tours and detailed information about the selected works
of art. Please feel free to use these ideas in whatever way is most helpful to you. We hope you can take the
principles and apply them to other paintings that you and your students encounter. You can even apply
them to the paintings that you make yourselves in the classroom. No matter how you use this pack we
hope you will feel encouraged to bring students to see these and other works at first hand.
Engagement with art is important. It allows students to express their ideas and feelings and to encounter
the ideas of other people. It helps them to develop an understanding of themselves and the world around
them. It offers new ways of learning and builds confidence. And we hope this pack will facilitate some of
this engagement.
The development of the Colour Trail materials has been led by two primary curriculum specialists: Nicola
Brooks and Kari Gordon. In this they have been supported by Mel Lloyd-Smith, Curatorial Associate of the
Mead Gallery who has also assisted me in the editing of the Information Pack.
An important contribution was made during the trialling of the materials by a
group of fourth year BA(QTS) students in the University’s Institute of Education:
Catherine Brown, Claire Ensor, Helen Johnson, Caroline Mahoney, Ruth Oatley,
Gillian Reid and Nikki Sherwood. The inspirational concept of the Colour Trail
was developed by Caroline Smallwood in her work here as Curatorial Assistant
in 2000-2002 and it is thanks to her that it has finally been realised.
The project could not have taken place without crucial financial support from
ConocoPhilips and from the West Midlands Regional Museums Council and we
thank them.
We welcome your feedback. We hope to achieve support to be able to reprint
and amend this pack so please let us know of ways in which it might be improved. And we’d love to hear
about the follow-up work that your students produce.
I look forward to your visit.
Sarah Shalgosky
Curator, Mead Gallery
Direct Telephone: +44 (0)24 7652 4731
Email: [email protected]
September 2003
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Children will be encouraged
• to be creative and imaginative;
• to enquire and question, to make connections and synthesise ideas;
• to develop knowledge, understanding of and respect for the achievements
of named artists;
• to evaluate the use of traditional and new materials and technologies;
• to explore meanings and interpretations of works of art ;
• to be make informed, aesthetic choices;
• to learn how art can shape environments, enriching their personal and
public lives;
• to develop an understanding of some of the specialist terms and language
used to describe art works.
Children will have the opportunity to use in context a vocabulary which includes
the following terms: abstract art, artist, blue, brush, canvas, colour, green, hue, oil,
orange, painting, primary colours, print, purple, red, secondary colours, shade,
shape, sculpture, tone, violet, yellow.
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learning aims
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national curriculum
links
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The Mead Gallery Colour Trail, with its supporting documentation, has been designed
with specific reference to the National Curriculum Programme of Study for Art and
Design and the respective Attainment Targets for Levels 1 to 4.
‘During Key Stage 1 pupils develop their creativity and imagination by exploring the
visual, tactile and sensory qualities of materials and processes. They learn about the
role of art, craft and design in their environment. They begin to understand colour,
shape and space and pattern and texture and use them to represent their ideas and
feelings.’
‘During Key Stage 2 pupils develop their creativity and imagination through more
complex activities. These help to build on their skills and improve their control of
materials, tools and techniques. They increase their critical awareness of the roles and
purposes of art, craft and design in different times and cultures. They become more
confident in using visual and tactile elements and materials and processes to
communicate what they see, feel and think.’
The children’s experience of the Colour Trail will contribute to their attainment of many
of the specified ‘knowledge, skills and understanding’ (pages 116-119 The N.C.
Handbook for Primary Teachers, 1999). These include:
The Colour Trail will also help to stimulate or augment practical art and design work
carried out in the classroom. Some suggestions for follow-up work on colour are
given in Appendix D.
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sites (5d).
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observation (1a);
• first-hand
of ideas and feelings (2a);
• representation
and commentary on what others have done (3a);
• review
elements, including colour and shape (4a);
• visual
and processes used in making art (4b);
• materials
and similarities in the work of artists (4c);
• differences
• investigating art in the locality during visits to galleries and other
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organisation
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The school party will be met by Mead Gallery staff in the Arts Centre on the first floor
landing outside the Gallery. The optimum size of a party is in the region of 45 to 50
pupils. The children should already be divided into smaller groups of about ten, each
to be accompanied by a teacher or other approved helper.
The publication of this Information Pack makes it possible for a member of the
school’s teaching staff or a Classroom Assistant to conduct a group round the Trail
and lead the discussions about colour in art. The Mead Gallery will provide a guide to
take each group to the appropriate locations on campus.
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If a school cannot release sufficient teaching staff to furnish a leader for each group,
the Gallery will arrange for extra ones. These are drawn from a group of students,
local artists and gallery staff, all of whom have been trained in the Colour Trail. They
are all well known to us but not police checked and we would never put them in the
position of being left alone with a group of pupils. There is no charge to state schools
for leaders or guides.
The introductory session for the whole party will be held in the Gallery, as will the
concluding round-up session.
Each of the small groups will follow the trail in a different order. There will usually be
time to look at five or six works (but you can discuss others back at school using
printed images, where available). Leaders need to be aware that another group is
following behind and, as far as possible, avoid clashes (not always easy when a
particular group of children gets very enthusiastic about a specific
work!) On average you will need approximately 15 minutes to
discuss each one and then five minutes to move between
different buildings.
It would be useful for pupils, especially at Key Stage 2, to have a
notebook and pencil to record their impressions and make notes
for follow-up work.
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looking at
works of art
We have broken down the way that we look at the works of art into four broad areas
which are used to structure the discussion notes (see Section 5b):
Observation
Encourages the children to examine the works closely and to find the vocabulary to
describe what they see. Reinforces the names and properties of colours.
Techniques
Understanding the working methods used by artists. What materials and equipment
did they use? Would they have worked on a table, a floor, an easel, a wall? Did they
need any help? How did they plan the work? What would have been their first mark?
And what was the last?
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Interpretation
Considering possible meanings, ideas or references contained in the work. What
sensations does the work arouse? Are they provoked by the forms or the colours, by
associations or through the title? What other titles might be appropriate?
Environment
These works of art were bought for a public rather than a domestic situation. Discuss
what impact they might have on the people who use these buildings. Where else
might they look good? And what other works of art might be appropriate for these
places? Why?
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The Colour Trail has been designed to build on previous work in school on the theme
of colour. It is assumed that the pupils will be familiar with basic terminology and
possibly have knowledge of the colour wheel. It is always useful to have a preliminary
discussion with the teacher organising the visit so that the gallery staff are aware of,
and can refer to, the children’s prior experience.
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teacher’s notes
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The following notes are intended to provide you with some
ideas for questions to use on the colour trail - select and adapt
as appropriate to the needs and the prior knowledge and
experience of the group.
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Introductory Session
(10-15 minutes)
Welcome to the Mead Gallery at the University of Warwick. Just
as schools have works of art to show other people all the ideas
and activities that are going on there, so the University
paintings and sculptures art in and around its buildings. Today,
we are going to look at some works of art here that are about
colour. Before we set off, let’s find out what you know about
colour.
Key Stage 1 Classes
Can anyone name the three primary colours?
What is important about red, yellow and blue?
(They can’t be made by mixing other colours.)
Can anyone name the three secondary colours?
How do you make orange?
How do you make green?
How do you make purple?
So the secondary colours are made by mixing two primary
colours together. (You might want to reinforce this by using
coloured acetates.)
(If the class has already done work on complementary colours,
these could also be discussed - see KS2 notes, below.)
Sometimes we talk about ‘warm’ colours and ‘cool’ colours.
What colours do you think are warm? What are cool colours?
(Explore associations, e.g. fire - reds, yellows, oranges; water
and sea - blues and greens, etc)
People often say they have a favourite colour. Do you? Put your
hand up if you would like to tell us what your favourite colour is
and what it reminds you of. (Compare preferences and
associations.)
Now we are going to look at some pictures and we want to
talk about the colours in them and what the pictures make you
feel about.
Key Stage 2 Classes
I am going to say the names of six colours in a particular order
and you have to tell me where you would see these colours in
this order so listen carefully. Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue,
Violet. Where might you see them? (In a rainbow.)
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Who knows how a rainbow is made? It is made by the sun
shining through rain. In other words, it is made by white light
being split up as it goes through drops of water. This
arrangement of colours is called the spectrum. Who can spell
spectrum?
The spectrum was identified around four hundred years ago by
the scientist Isaac Newton and much of our understanding of
colour comes from his ideas.
Can anyone name the three primary colours?
What is important about red, yellow and blue?
(They can’t be made by mixing other colours).
Can anyone name the three secondary colours?
How do you make orange?
How do you make green?
How do you make purple?
So the secondary colours are made by mixing two primary
colours together. (You might want to reinforce this by using
coloured acetates.)
Has anyone heard of complementary colours?
If you put these two colours side by side, they make each
other look even stronger and brighter.
Take red. What two primary colours have you got left?
And if you mix blue and yellow together, what colour do you
get?
So red and green are complementary colours.
Take yellow. What two primary colours have you got left?
And if you mix red and blue together, what colour do you get?
So yellow and purple are complementary colours.
Take blue. What two primary colours have you got left?
If you mix red and yellow together, what colour do you get?
So blue and orange are complementary colours.
(Again, you might want to use acetates to illustrate this
concept.)
Sometimes colours are described as ‘warm’ or ‘cool’. What are
examples of warm colours? Of cool colours?
What do you think of when you see these colours? (Refer to
associations such as fire, water, sun, trees etc.)
Do some colours give you particular feelings? (Blue: sadness,
red: anger, yellow: cheerfulness etc.)
teacher’s notes on
individual works
Tell the children that they are now going to visit different
buildings to look at art works. Remind them that the University
of Warwick is a big place with roads and traffic to match.
People live and work here so they should try not to disturb
them. They must stay with the group and be very careful when
crossing roads. Ask the children to hold hands and designate
one adult to stand and block the traffic at the crossing points.
A site map showing the locations of the works is included in
the pack.
The following Discussion Sheets for group leaders relate to
individual works included in the Colour Trail. They are not
intended to be used as scripts but simply to provide
suggestions about the sort of information, enquiry and
discourse which will help to promote the learning aims
specified at the start of this resource pack. They provide a
framework which should be used flexibly. It will be noticed that
certain concepts and questions are repeated in each of the
Discussion Sheets and the group leader will need to judge how
necessary it is to reiterate these (for example, knowledge of
primary and secondary colours, understanding of the concept
of abstraction, etc.). As different groups will see the art works
in a different order, the discussion of one piece will to some
extent be influenced by what has gone before. Opportunities
should be taken to explore comparisons or contrasts with
works previously discussed.
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artwork 1
opmobile no10
Background
Nechemia Azaz comes from Israel and this piece is a mobile sculpture which is driven
by an electric motor in the ceiling. Many sculptures are of people or things but this
sculpture is abstract. (Where necessary, explain to the children that in abstract work,
artists use colours, shapes and patterns to show their ideas).
Observation
What colours can you see on one side of the sculpture?
And what colours can you see on the other side of the sculpture?
How do these groups of colours relate to the spectrum?
(Azaz has used the colours from the middle of the spectrum on one side of his
sculpture and colours from the ends of the spectrum on the other.)
Where is the black placed?
Is the black visible all the time?
(When it disappears you just see solid blocks of colour.)
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Technique
Location: Arts Centre
Artist: Nechemia Azaz
Born: 1923
Artwork created: 1974
Medium: Painted aluminium tubing
Acquired: Created specially for the
Arts Centre in 1974
Measures: 207cms x 203cms
Interpretation
Of what does the shape of the sculpture remind you?
(The inspiration came from the wing of an eagle.)
What sort of bird? (A bird of prey?)
What colour is an eagle?
Why do you think Nechemia Azaz decided to use non-naturalistic colours?
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Environment
put a sculpture like this in an Arts Centre?
• Why
else might you put here?
• What
Azaz called this sculpture Op Mobile No 10
• Nechemia
If
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to give this artwork a name what would you call it?
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is this sculpture made from?
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is the metal tubing joined together?
• How
can see the nut that anchors the metal cable at the bottom?
• Who
you think Nechemia Azaz painted the tubing first or put the sculpture together
• Do
and then painted the tubing?
fast is the sculpture turning? Can you make a body sculpture and turn
• How
at the same speed? Does this feel fast or slow?
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artwork 2
joseph’s coat
Background
Jack Bush was born in Toronto, Canada almost 100 years ago. He was one of a group
of artists who made large paintings that were about colour and size. These paintings
are so big that when you stand close to them, it is difficult to see the whole painting.
All you see are huge areas of beautiful colours that seem to wrap around you. This
type of painting became known as colourfield painting. It is an abstract painting.
(Where necessary, explain to the children that in abstract work, artists use colours,
shapes and patterns to show their ideas.)
Observation: colour
Can you see any primary colours in this painting?
Can you see any secondary colours in this painting?
How many shades of green can you see?
How would you make these different shades of green?
What other colours can you see?
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Technique
did the artist paint his picture on? Is it paper? Can anyone guess what he
• What
used? (It’s canvas, a woven material like a heavy dress fabric. It is stretched across
a wooden frame, like a drum, to give a smooth, flat surface on which to paint).
the artist use thin paint or thick paint? How do you know? It’s very thin paint. If
• Did
it was thick paint you would be able to see the brush marks. This thin paint is a bit
Location: Arts Centre
Artist: Jack Bush
Born: 1909 died 1977
Artwork created: 1966
Medium: Acrylic paint on canvas
Acquired: Bought for the University
by Alistair McAlpine in 1966
Measures: 223cms x 178cms
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Interpretation
If you wanted to give this painting a name or title, what would you call it? Is it a title
for what you can see in the painting (eg stripy or bright colours, discuss
suggestions).
The artist called this painting Joseph’s Coat. Why do you think he called it that?
Of all the names you have discussed, which do you like best? Why? Does it
describe the work or does it describe the way you feel about it?
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like a dye and it’s very runny.
Has anyone here ever painted with really runny paint? What happens when you
paint a wall with runny paint? (It dribbles). Can you see a place where it looks as if
the paint has run a little?
So if you want to make a picture that is about lines and drawing, you would have to
use a paint that doesn’t dribble. But here, Jack Bush is making a painting about
areas of colour so he can use quite thin paint.
One area of green is really big. Pretend you are Jack Bush. Start painting the green
at the top of this picture. Stretch. Now paint the sides and the middle and now the
bottom. It’s quite hard work isn’t it?
Would you use a big brush or a little brush to do this? A big brush because it’s a
big area. How big would your brush be? It could be as big as a sweeping brush.
What else could you use? (A cloth). Can you see where he has rubbed the paint
with a cloth?
Environment
Why do you think these paintings have been put here? (To introduce colour into a
plain wall. To cheer you up).
What other things could you put here that would have the same effect?
What would the space look like without these works here?
If you were in charge of the Arts Centre, what would you put on this wall?
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artwork 3
carib guyana
Background
Aubrey Williams comes from the Caribbean island of Guyana.
This style of painting is called an abstract painting. (Where
necessary, explain to the children that in abstract paintings,
artists use colours, shapes and patterns to show their ideas).
Observation
Can you see any primary colours in this painting?
Can you see any secondary colours in this painting?
What other colours can you see?
Can you recognise any shapes in this painting?
Do these shapes remind you of anything?
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Techniques
did the artist paint his picture on? Is it paper? Can
• What
anyone guess what he used? (It’s canvas which is a woven
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Location: Ramphal Building
Artist: Aubrey Williams
Born: 1926
Artwork created: 1974
Medium: Acrylic paint on canvas
Acquired: Bought in 1992
Measures: 122cms x 252cms
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material like a heavy dress fabric. It is stretched across a
wooden frame, just like a drum, to give the artist a smooth,
flat surface on which to paint).
What tools do you think Aubrey Williams needed to make
this painting? What size were these brushes? Discuss the
different sizes of marks in this painting.
Are there any places where Aubrey Williams has used
complementary colours: a primary colour and a secondary
colour made from the remaining two primaries? (Yellow and
purple).
What is the effect? The effect is of brightness.
(Complementary colours create dazzling effects).
What symbols has Aubrey Williams used that might make
us think of something dazzling? (The sun and the stars).
Interpretation
What do you feel when you look at this painting? Why?
The artist called this painting Carib Guyana. It means person
from a particular family on the island of Guyana. What do
you think this place is like? Why? And what do you think the
person is like? Why?
If you were going to make a painting about yourself and the
place you are from, what colours and shapes would you
use? Why?
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Environment
Why do you think this work has been placed here?
What would the space look like without it?
Where else would you put this painting and why?
artwork 4
oranges and lemons VIII
Background
This picture is called Oranges and Lemons and was made by an artist called Peter
Sedgley when he was 50 years old. His main interest is in light and colours and how
you can create different effects with them. This style of work is called abstract. (Where
necessary, explain to the children that in abstract works, artists use colours, shapes
and patterns to show their ideas).
Observation
Can you see any primary colours in this print?
Can you see any secondary colours?
What other colours can you see?
What shapes can you see?
Is each line just one colour?
What effect does this have?
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Location: Ramphal Building
Artist: Peter Sedgley
Born: 1930
Artwork created: 1980
Medium: Screenprint
Acquired: Bought in 1984
Measures: 89cms x 89cms
Technique
This was made using the screenprint technique, so there are lots of copies of this
picture. The artist first designed the picture on paper.
Do you think he used a ruler?
Is it important that the lines are straight?
What would have been the effect if the lines were wobbly?
He then made some screens - very thin fabric stretched over wooden frames - and
copied the design onto the screen, one screen for each colour he chose. The space
outside the colour shape is then blocked out so that when special inks are squeezed
through the fabric onto a sheet of paper beneath, only that colour is printed. He does
this again for each colour until the picture is finished.
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Interpretation
What do you feel when you look at this work?
What do you think the artist wanted you to feel?
If you wanted to make a painting that had this effect on someone, how would you
do it? What other colours could you use?
Why do you think the artist called this work Oranges and Lemons?
(Compare with the painting by Patrick Heron, called Orange and Lemon with
Whites).
What would you call it?
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Environment
do you think this work has been placed here?
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you think it looks good here?
• Do
else would you put this print and why?
• Where
• Where wouldn’t you put this print and why?
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artwork 5
planetary folklore
Background
Victor Vasarely (pronounced Vass-ar-elly) was born in Hungary almost a hundred
years ago but moved to live in Paris, France, when he was a young man. He was
probably aged about 60 when he made this work. He loved bright colours and often
made his works on a grid or squared paper. This style of work is called abstract.
(Where necessary, explain to the children that in abstract work, artists use colours,
shapes and patterns to show their ideas).
Observation
Can you see any primary colours in this painting?
Can you see any secondary colours in this painting?
What other colours can you see?
What colour do you notice most in this painting?
Why do you think this is?
(The way we place colours together affects the way that we notice them. The
greater the contrast between colours, the more we notice them. Contrast occurs
between light and dark colours and between complementary colours).
How do the colours make you feel?
Can you recognise any shapes in this painting?
Did he just draw the shapes or did he measure them?
How can you tell?
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Location: Ramphal Building
Artist: Victor Vasarely
Born: 1906 died 1997
Artwork created: 1966
Medium: Screenprint
Acquired: Lent to the University by
Mrs Penelope Rosenburg, widow of
its first architect
Measures: 65cms x 65cms
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Technique
This work is a screenprint. As it is a print, it means there are lots of copies of this
picture. Victor Vasarely worked everything out first: which colours and which shapes
should go where. He probably used paint on paper but he might have used coloured
pieces of paper and arranged them carefully.
If he had used coloured pieces of paper, do you think he just cut the shapes out with
the scissors or do you think he measured them before cutting? (Yes, he must have
measured and used a ruler because some of these shapes are exactly the same).
When he had decided that he was happy with his picture, he got a number of
screens. These are pieces of very thin fabric, stretched over a frame. On one screen
he put all the red shapes and blocked out the rest of the screen. On the next he put
all the orange shapes, on the next he put all the yellow shapes and so on and so on
until every colour has its own screen. Then he put the first screen flat on a piece of
paper. As the space around the red shape was covered up, when he put paint on the
screen and squidged it through onto the paper below, it only went in the gaps for the
red shapes. Then he did this for all the other colours.
How organised would you have to be to make works of art like this?
Would you find it difficult or easy? Why?
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Interpretation
wanted to give this print a name or title, what would you call it? (Is it a title
• Ifthatyourelates
to what you can see in the painting, e.g. circles and triangles, or is it a
name that comes from an object of which it reminds you, like patchwork quilt?)
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names you have discussed, which do you like best? Why?
• OfDoesall the
it
describe
the work or does it describe the way you feel about it?
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Environment
We have put this print in the corridor space outside a Lecture Theatre.
Where might you put it? Why?
Where wouldn’t you put it? Why?
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artwork 6
orange and lemon with whites
Background
This painting is called Orange and Lemon with Whites and was made by Patrick
Heron when he was 46 years old. Patrick Heron spent a lot of his time at his house
overlooking the sea in Cornwall and all his paintings use bright colours. This style of
painting is called an abstract painting. (Where necessary, explain to the children that
in abstract work, artists use colours, shapes and patterns to show their ideas).
Observation
Can you see any primary colours in this painting?
Can you see any secondary colours in this painting?
What other colours can you see?
Can you recognise any shapes in this painting?
How many circles are there?
Are these perfect shapes? Did Patrick Heron use a ruler to make them?
Why do you think he liked shapes with slightly wobbly lines? (These are his very
own shapes and they show the movement of his hand holding the brush. They
could be inspired by pebbles or fruit or clouds or rock pools or fields, none of
which is perfectly circular or square).
How would the painting be different if the shapes were all perfect? (If the shapes
were perfect, they could be by anyone or even a machine).
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Location: Library, first floor
Artist: Patrick Heron
Born: 1920 died 1999
Artwork created: 1966
Medium: Acrylic paint on canvas
Acquired: Bought for the University
by Alistair McAlpine in 1966
Measures: 154cms x 170cms
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Technique
did the artist paint his picture on? Is it paper? Can anyone guess what he
• What
used? (It’s canvas, a woven material like a heavy dress fabric. It is stretched
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across a wooden frame, like a drum, to give the artist a smooth, flat surface on
which to paint).
If you look closely at the painting, can you see what he used on the canvas
before he started to paint? (He used pencil to outline the shapes).
There is one shape on the left where it is smaller than the pencil line. There is a
white shape on the right which doesn’t have a pencil line around it. As the painting
developed, the artist changed his mind about the shapes that he might need to
make the painting look good. Do you think he was right to put in the white shape?
Interpretation
If you wanted to give this painting a name or title, what would you call it? Is it a title
that relates to what you can see in the painting eg warm colours, or is it a name
that comes from an object of which it reminds you, like eggs and bacon?
How does the picture make you feel? Is that due to the colours or the shapes?
(Compare with the painting by Peter Sedgley called Oranges and Lemons).
If Patrick Heron had used a different primary colour (ask a child to name one) and
a different secondary colour (ask another child to name one) would it make you
feel differently?
Discuss the different sensations that different colours evoke. (Some children may
feel that blue is a happy colour because it reminds them of the seaside whereas
other children might find yellow oppressive because it’s too dazzling. As long as
they have a reason for their answer, it will be valid).
What would you call the painting?
The artist called this painting Orange and Lemon with Whites. Why do you think he
called it that? (and yes, artists do like jokes!) Of all the names you have discussed,
which do you like best? Why? Does it describe the work or does it describe the
way you feel about it?
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Environment
Why do you think the Librarian wanted this picture here, by the entrance to the
Library and the stairs and lifts to the other floors?
What would the space look like without it?
Where else would you put this painting and why?
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artwork 7
6.3.66
Background
John Hoyland painted this picture almost forty years ago. His
paintings are often about the way bands of colour react
together. This is an abstract painting. (Where necessary, explain
to the children that in abstract work, artists use colours,
shapes and patterns to show their ideas).
Observation
What primary colours can you see?
What secondary colours can you see?
What is the relationship between red and green?
What would be other complementary colour combinations?
How has the artist divided the space of the picture?
Does one colour appear to be in the background? Why?
(One of the interesting things about this painting is this
tension - is the green a background or does it occupy the
same space as the colours?)
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Location: Library, first floor
Artist: John Hoyland
Born: 1934
Artwork created: 1966
Medium: Acrylic paint on canvas
Acquired: Bought for the University
by Alistair McAlpine in 1966
Measures: 124cms x 248cms
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Interpretation
John Hoyland said that paintings should be “felt with the
eye”. Stroke this painting with your eyes. How does it make
you feel? Why?
John Hoyland gave paintings like this, titles that are just
numbers. We think they are the dates on which he finished
them. What would you call this painting? Why?
Does the title refer to your feelings or to the colours and
shapes in the painting?
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Environment
This painting is in the Library. Why do you think we chose to
put it here?
Where else would be a good place for it? Why?
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Technique
To make this painting, John Hoyland has used acrylic paint. It
can be watered down so it is more like a dye.
What tools do you think he has used to apply the paint onto
the canvas?
How can you tell?
Do you think he planned it first in a sketchbook? Or did he
draw the shapes onto the canvas? Or did he just go ahead
with the paint? Why? What would you have done?
artwork 8
skudia
Background
This painting is called Skudia. It was made by a British artist called Gillian Ayres
around ten years ago. She is still making paintings and they can often be seen in
galleries in London. She got some of her ideas from an American artist, Jackson
Pollock, who poured and threw paint onto his canvases rather than using
brushes. This style of painting is called an abstract painting. (Where necessary,
explain to the children that in abstract paintings the artist uses colours, shapes
and patterns to show their ideas).
Observation
What primary colours can you see?
What secondary colours can you see?
What colours have not been used by Gillian Ayres?
Why do you think this is so?
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Technique
artist has used oil paint. Does anyone know what this is? (Oil paint is
• The
made from materials such as earth or brightly coloured stones that are ground
Location: Mathematics Department
Artist: Gillian Ayres
Born: 1930
Artwork created: 1994
Medium: Oil on canvas
Acquired: Bought in 1996 with help
from the Friends of the Mead
Measures: 610cms x 610cms
up to give different colours and then mixed with linseed oil to make paint. Oil
paint is quite thick and it takes a long time to become hard. Because it is thick,
you can often see the marks of the brushes in it).
Can you see any brush marks in this painting?
How big do you think the brushes were?
Do you think the artist used her fingers at all? Why?
What do you think were the first colours that the artist put on this canvas?
Why?
And what do you think were the last marks that she made? Why?
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Interpretation
to give this painting a name or title, what would you call it? Is it a
• Iftitleyouthatwanted
relates to what you can see in the painting (e.g. warm colours), or is it
a name that comes from something of which it reminds you? (Like the sunset).
does the picture make you feel? Why? Is this what the artist intended?
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Gillian Ayres had used blues and greens rather than reds and oranges, would
• Ifit make
you feel differently?
the different sensations that different colours evoke. (Some children
• Discuss
may feel that blue is a happy colour because it reminds them of the seaside
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whereas other children might find yellow oppressive because it’s too dazzling.
As long as they have a reason for their answer, it will be valid).
What would you call the painting?
Of all the names you have discussed, which do you like best? Why?
Does it describe the work or does it describe the way you feel about it?
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Environment
a new building, designed specially for the Mathematics department. Why
• This
do you think a painting like this is in a building where people study maths?
• Where would you put it? Why?
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round-up session
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The class comes together back in the Gallery to reinforce what they have learned
about colour and to discuss the works they have seen. (Approximately 10 minutes).
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• Today, you have looked at lots of works of art that are about colour.
• Can anyone tell me the names of the three primary colours?
• And can anyone tell me about a painting that had lots of yellow in it?
• Can anyone tell me the names of the three secondary colours?
• And can anyone tell me about a painting that had lots of green in it?
• And did anyone see a painting that had complementary colours in it?
• Please tell me about it.
else did we find out today? We found out about different ways you can put
• What
paint on canvas? What are these?
found out about different sizes of paintings. How small was the smallest one
• We
that you saw? And how big was the biggest?
started to behave like detectives, working out how the artist planned the work,
• We
which was the first thing that they did and which was the last.
thought about what the works might mean to us: how they make us feel and
• We
what titles we might give to them.
finally, we thought about what the works did to the spaces in which they were
• And
hung and tried to think why they might be put there.
• What were your favourite works?
have a safe journey back to school
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(Take a poll of which work the children liked best).
appendix a
background information
on colour
Our understanding of colour today is based on the discovery of the spectral nature of
light by Isaac Newton (1642-1727). He proposed that light is a stream of particles and
used prisms to show that white light can be split into individual colours. He showed
that light consists of energy of different wavelengths and that they give rise to certain
visual sensations. Shorter wavelengths are perceived to be violet and blue, longer
wavelengths are red. The eye cannot perceive the full electromagnetic spectrum. We
reproduce the colours of the Spectrum using pigments and dyes.
Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Colours
The Primary colours cannot be created by the mixture of other pigments. They are:
Red / Yellow / Blue
The Secondary colours are made by mixing two primary colours:
Red + Yellow = Orange
Yellow + Blue = Green
Blue + Red = Purple or Violet
Complementary colours
These are a primary colour and the secondary colour that is made from mixing the
two remaining primary colours. They appear on the opposite side of the colour wheel
to each other and when placed next to each other, both colours appear brighter. This
theory was published by the French chemist Eugene Chevreul in his book On the Law
of Simultaneous Contrast in Colours, published in 1839.
Red and (blue + yellow) Green
Yellow and (blue + red) Violet
Blue and (yellow + red) Orange
Artists working in France who followed and developed Chevreul’s theories include
Delacroix (a Romantic artist), Monet and Renoir (Impressionist artists), Seurat and
Signac (Neo-Impressionist artists) and Van Gogh (Post-Impressionist artist).
The Tertiary colours are Neutral colours, such as browns and greys, containing all
three primary colours. They are created by mixing either all three primary colours or a
primary and secondary colour. By varying the proportions of each primary colour, you
create the different tertiary colours.
White and Black
White is the colour of light. When light is bent, the colours that fuse together to make
white all bend at different angles. Red bends the least, violet the most. This
dispersion of colours is called the spectrum. You can see these colours in a rainbow.
The primaries are separated by the secondary colours: Red; Orange; Yellow; Green;
Blue; Violet. White is added to other colours to change the shade or tint. It makes
them lighter. Black is the absence of colour. When it is added to other colours to
change the shade or tint, it makes them darker.
Some artists have ascribed more
particular feelings to colours:
“colour quote here from
patrick heron? quote from
patrick heron? quote from
patrick heron? quote from
patrick heron?”
Patrick Heron
Feelings associated with colour
Often feelings derive from associations with the elements: Red is the colour of fire
and is associated with heat. The hot emotions associated with fire include passion
and anger. Yellow recalls the sun. The emotions associated with it are warm rather
than hot: brightness, cheerfulness, happiness. Blue is associated with water. It is a
cool colour. The cool emotions are calmness, tranquillity, contentment. Sometimes
they blend into melancholy and sadness.
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appendix b
artists known for their
use of colour
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Teachers will find useful examples of the
work of artists who have exploited colour
in their work in exhibition catalogues,
various textbooks and websites of major
collections such as the Tate Gallery
www.tate.org.uk
Bridget Riley (born 1931)
Riley’s work explores the optical effects
of colour and, indeed of black and white.
She is best known for works that
arrange stripes of different colours to
create shimmering effects.
Names to look out for include:
Mark Rothko (1903-1970)
Rothko painted huge fields of unbroken
and juxtaposed fields of colour. He did
not want his paintings to be admired for
their colours but for their emotional
content.
Josef Albers (1888-1976)
Albers’ series of paintings Homage to
the Square explores the way that colours
change when they are juxtaposed to
each other.
Terry Frost (1918-2003)
Frost uses bright colours and simple
shapes to express the sensations of
things seen and experienced.
Anish Kapoor (born 1954)
Kapoor has made series of sculptures,
both large and small, that are dusted
with a skin of brightly coloured pigment.
Jim Lambie (born 1963)
Lambie uses vibrantly coloured vinyl tape
in dozens of different colours to define
the contours of a room.
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Henri Matisse (1869-1954)
Matisse was one of the first artists to use
the new, bright paint colours that were
developed from cadmium, cobalt and
chromium rather than from earth
pigments. He felt it was the colours not
the forms that give painting its structure
and used colour in a non-naturalistic
way.
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Look Out of the Blue
2001
Yuko Shiraishi
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Yuko Shiraishi (born 1956)
Yuko Shiraishi trained, lives and works in
London. Her paintings feature layer upon
layer of colour, often arranged in bands.
Abstract art
Art that does not try to show how things
appear in the real world. In abstract art,
artists use colours, shapes and patterns
to show their ideas.
Acrylic
Acrylic emulsions were developed in
1953. Tiny pigment-laden droplets of the
acrylic polymer are dispersed in water.
As the paint dries, the water evaporates
and the acrylic becomes an
impermeable skin. Its water base allows
it to be thinned easily with more water
and it dries quickly leaving scarcely any
trace of brushmarks. It was the perfect
medium for the artists of the 1960s who
worked on a large scale.
Canvas
Commonly used as a surface or
‘support’ for oil or acrylic painting,
canvas is a heavy woven fabric made of
flax or cotton. Its surface is typically
prepared for painting by priming with a
glue or ‘ground’ that stops the paint
seeping where it is not wanted. Linen,
made of flax, is the standard canvas.
Kinetic
Expressing movement. In art, kinetic
refers to sculpture that moves, such as a
mobile.
Painting
Works of art made with paint on a
surface.
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Pigment
Finely powdered material which
produces the colour of any medium. It
used to be made from different coloured
clays, but in the nineteenth century, it
became possible to manufacture colours
from metals. Pigment becomes paint, ink
or dye when mixed with oil, water or
another fluid.
Examples of pigment include:
cadmiums - reds, oranges, and yellows
are prepared using this metal
carmine - a red pigment made from
cochineal (insects)
cobalt - a greenish blue pigment made
by combining cobalt and aluminium
oxides with phosphoric acid
malachite - a green pigment derived
from copper carbonate
ultramarine - a blue pigment derived
from the mineral lapis lazuli
umber - brown ‘earth colour’, mined in
Cyprus and Turkey
vermilion - a red pigment derived from
the mineral cinnabar.
Screen print
A colour stencil printing process in which
different colours are forced through a
fine screen on which non printing areas
have been blocked out, onto the printing
surface below.
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Hue
The name of any colour as found in its
pure state in the spectrum; the quality
which distinguishes one colour from
another. The six spectral colours range
from red through orange, yellow, green,
blue, to violet.
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appendix c
glossary of terms
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appendix d
extension activities
The following suggestions are for use in
the classroom. Their aim is to
consolidate the learning undertaken at
the Mead Gallery.
1. Put out pots of the three primary
colours. Ask the children to make
handprints using two different colours.
Then ask them to rub their paint covered
hands together and make another set of
handprints below with the mixed colour.
Wash hands and repeat on fresh sheet
of paper until all three secondary colours
have been mixed. Then try mixing all
three together to make a tertiary colour.
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3. Using the picture Oranges and
Lemons by Patrick Heron as a starting
point, ask the children to choose two
different colours, one primary and one
secondary, (yellow and orange cannot be
used together) in order to create their
own version of this painting.
5. The print by Victor Vasarely can be
used in tessellation work. Ask the
children to paint interlocking triangles or
squares in a combination of primary and
secondary colours. Alternatively, pre-cut
shapes of coloured gummed paper can
be used.
6. Vary the scale on which the children
work. Can they make a painting about
colours that is the same size as the
works by Patrick Heron or Jack Bush?
You could bring a range of fruit such as
red plums, green apples and yellow
pears or different textiles to provide a
starting point for their ideas. They may
want to work together and use sponges,
cloths or hands to cover this surface
with paint.
7. Read the text by Patrick Heron about
colours (on page 15). Ask the children to
write their own text about the colours
they enjoy.
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2. Show the children the picture of
Joseph’s Coat by Jack Bush and read
them the story of Joseph and the coat of
many colours from a children’s Bible.
Now ask the children to paint a picture
of the coat using as many colours as
they can. This could be representational
or abstract. You might want to give the
children just the three primary colours
plus white and black to encourage
colour mixing.
4. Scan one of the images by Victor
Vasarely and use this as a starting point
for IT work. The children can change the
colours and/or shapes within the image
using a simple photo-editing programme
or the paint tool. They can also use the
Microsoft paint programme to make their
own shapes.
appendix e
information for visitors
Access for people with disabilities
All works of art on the trail are accessible
by people who use wheelchairs.
Coats
Coats can be left at the Mead Gallery.
Health and safety
The campus is a busy one. Please
ensure that you have enough helpers for
your groups and remind the children of
the dangers of traffic.
Length of Walk
The length of the walk around campus is
approximately 800 metres. Children
should wear appropriate clothing for
walking outside between sites.
Lunch
If necessary, rooms are available where
children can eat their packed lunches.
Let us know in advance if you want us to
book one.
Prior to the visit
Please divide the children into the size of
groups arranged with gallery staff. The
groups will usually number between 10
and 12 children.
Recommended adult-pupil ratio
One parent/teacher with every 5
children.
Shops
We have shops on campus, but we
would strongly discourage children from
going to the outlets as they do not really
cater for younger age groups.
Toilets
There are toilets in every building we visit
on the Colour Trail.
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Parking
The Security Staff of the University will
advise us where you may park on any
one day. In general, minibuses may park
in Car Park 4A and outside the Arts
Centre. Coaches may park briefly
outside the Arts Centre to drop off and
collect children before parking
elsewhere. We will confirm the
arrangements that are made for you.
Please do not assume that
arrangements will always be the same.
Sometimes we have to accommodate a
lot of visitors in one day and parking will
be arranged in different parts of the
campus to ensure everyone’s safety.
Photographs
If you wish to take photographs of the
works on campus, please complete a
Photograph Permission Form on arrival
and give it to a member of Mead staff.
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