PAUL GAUGUIN – AGES 5 – 7 | ONLINE EDITION
Step 1 - Introducing the Paul Gauguin
Slideshow Guide
MOTIVATION
BEGIN READING HERE
Today we are going to learn about two friends, Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin.
What do you think these two friends liked to do together? (LIKED TO PAINT TOGETHER
– THEY ARE ARTISTS) Would it be more fun to paint when they are together? (YES)
Do you think they ever got mad at each other? Do you think these two artists, Vincent van
Gogh and Paul Gauguin, would still be friends even if they had a big, terrible argument?
Let’s find out if you are right.
Click Start Lesson To Begin
1. VAN GOGH SELF-PORTRAIT
This is Vincent van Gogh. Look carefully at his face and imagine how he must have been
feeling when he painted this. Does he look unhappy? (YES) Do you suppose he had a
fight with a friend? (YES) How would your face look if you were sad and unhappy with a
friend? Show me!
Now let’s meet his friend, Paul Gauguin.
Click Next To Change Slide
2. PAUL GAUGUIN SELF-PORTRAIT
Look carefully at Gauguin’s self-portrait. How do you think he was feeling? (MEAN, LIKE
AN ANGEL WITH A HALO, SNEAKY) Do you think Paul used his imagination when he
painted this? (YES)
After seeing both of these artists’ self-portraits, I want you to decide whether these men
were very much alike or very different from each other. I will tell you more about the men,
and you can decide later.
When Vincent and Paul first met each other, they liked each other’s art and enjoyed
talking about painting. They were both very poor, because no one was buying their
paintings.
So Vincent thought up an idea that really excited him. He wrote a letter to Paul and asked
him to come live with him. Together they would set up an artists’ studio. They would
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PAUL GAUGUIN – AGES 5 – 7 | ONLINE EDITION
spend their time together painting and enjoying their life as artists. Just like you enjoy
things more when you do them with a friend, that is what excited Vincent about his plan.
After many letters back and forth, Gauguin finally agreed to accept Vincent’s invitation.
Vincent went to work at once making his little house pretty to welcome his friend. Can you
guess what he painted to welcome Gauguin? Vincent’s favorite color was yellow!
Click Next To Change Slide
3. SUNFLOWERS (BY VAN GOGH)
He filled his small house with sunflower paintings like the one you see here. Finally the
long awaited day of Gauguin’s arrival came. Vincent felt as bright and cheery as the
yellow sunflowers on the walls!
Both Vincent and Paul tried hard to get along with each other. They worked hard all day at
their painting. They painted many of the same things. They were together all the time.
But pretty soon they started to get mad at each other over little things. Then those little
things became big things. After about two months, Gauguin told Vincent that he was
going to leave. Vincent begged him to stay. But Paul knew this idea was not working, and
he packed up his things and left. They never saw each other again.
Do you think Vincent was very sad about losing his friend? (YES) You are right. In fact he
painted a picture about Gauguin after he left. He had always wanted to do Gauguin’s
portrait, but this is what he painted.
Click Next To Change Slide
4. GAUGUIN’S ARMCHAIR (BY VAN GOGH)
What do you think this had to do with his friend Gauguin? (HIS CHAIR) Do you think
Gauguin had been gone long when van Gogh sadly painted this? (NO) Why did you
answer no? (CANDLE BURNING, BOOK OPEN) Do you know what name Vincent gave
to this painting? He titled it The Empty Place. Do you think he felt lonely and empty every
time he looked at Gauguin’s chair in his house? (YES)
So now that you know the end to the story of the two artist friends, let’s decide whether
they were the same kind of men or very different from each other. Which do you think, the
same or different? (DIFFERENT) They were so different that they could not get along
with each other, even though they tried.
Vincent stayed in his same yellow house after Gauguin left, but where did Paul go? Let
me show you.
Click Next To Change Slide
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PAUL GAUGUIN – AGES 5 – 7 | ONLINE EDITION
5. STREET IN TAHITI
Did he go back to a big city in France? (NO) Did he go to where there were a lot of
people? (NO) He traveled halfway around the world to an island in the South Pacific
Ocean. (If available, use a globe to illustrate.) He packed up his brushes, his canvasses,
and his paints and went to find a place where he thought he would be happy with no one
to bother him. Have you heard of the island of Tahiti? That is where Gauguin went to paint
and live a quiet, peaceful life. Do you think life with Vincent had been quiet and peaceful?
(NO) Does this painting make you feel peaceful like it did for Gauguin? (YES)
Imagine Gauguin painting this scene in Tahiti. He loved the bright sunlit landscape with its
hot yellows and its cool greens. What other colors do you see in this LANDSCAPE that
are WARM COLORS that make you think of the sun? (ORANGES, REDS) What other
COOL COLORS did Gauguin use in this painting? (BLUES, PURPLES)
The colors of Gauguin’s palette became bold and strong when he painted the island life.
Looking closely at these colors, what color jumps out at you the most? (YELLOW) Like
van Gogh, Gauguin loved the brightness and warmth of a strong yellow color. Let’s look at
another painting, and see if he used his favorite color again.
Click Next To Change Slide
6. WOMAN WITH MANGO
Look at how bright the yellow BACKGROUND is. Is this a landscape? (NO) We call a
picture of a person a PORTRAIT. Gauguin loved to paint portraits of the native people of
Tahiti. He loved the simple way the people lived. What colors are in the FOREGROUND?
(BLUE, WHITE, RED, BROWN) I want you to look now at just the red, yellow, and blue
colors. Those three colors are called PRIMARY COLORS.
Did you know that you are like the colors of red, yellow, and blue? You are in ______
grade. The first few grades in school can also be called the primary grades. They are the
first grades you go to in school. Well, red, yellow, and blue are the first colors. From
these three colors you can mix any color in the world! So remember, you are all in the
primary grades just like the primary colors of -- name them with me -- (RED, YELLOW,
BLUE). Great, as a primary grade student you now know the primary colors!
CONCLUSION
Gauguin lived in the South Seas islands for twenty years painting the beautiful colors and
the peaceful life. He shipped his paintings back to France, but he continued to live on the
islands until he died. Never again did he see his friend Vincent van Gogh.
Click Next To Start Review Game
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PAUL GAUGUIN – AGES 5 – 7 | ONLINE EDITION
REVIEW GAME
You are going to help fill Paul Gauguin’s bright, colorful palette with the colors he used to
paint the islands. With each question you answer correctly, you will earn a color to add to
the blank palette below. And if you listened well, you will end up with a beautiful Gauguin
palette.
REVIEW GAME ANSWERS (For Instructors Only)
1. Who was Gauguin’s artist friend?
2. From what country was Paul Gauguin?
3. When Gauguin left France, where did he go?
4. What did he like about the islands?
5. Name the three secondary colors.
6. Name a warm color.
7. What was Gauguin’s and van Gogh’s favorite color?
8. Name a cool color.
VAN GOGH
FRANCE
TAHITI
PEACEFUL
GREEN, PURPLE, ORANGE
RED
YELLOW
BLUE
Click Next To Finish Lesson
to exit this unit click Back To Units
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PAUL GAUGUIN – AGES 5 – 7 | ONLINE EDITION
Step 2 - Learning From: Paul Gauguin
Gauguin’s Tahiti
Gauguin did not paint things the color they were. He painted yellow trees with red leaves.
Color the landscape below as Gauguin would have. Choose colors that are not like the
real things.
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PAUL GAUGUIN – AGES 5 – 7 | ONLINE EDITION
Drawing Palm Trees
The trunk of a palm tree is
tall and gently curved. Use
a crayon to draw a tall
curved trunk in the empty
box.
The branches of palm tree
all start at the same point.
Draw five lines that start at
the dot. Make them curve
down a little.
Palm leaves are thin,
curved and they point
down a little. Draw
palm leaves on this
line.
Using the steps above, draw your own
palm tree
in the
empty
box.
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PAUL GAUGUIN – AGES 5 – 7 | ONLINE EDITION
The last few pages of this section contain the Art Activity for Paul Gauguin. This step-bystep outline will be a guide for instructing your child(ren) through the activity. The
parent/instructor should review all steps necessary to complete this project before
beginning any work.
Cut out the Artist Profile Slip below and attach it to the back of the completed art project.
Paul Gauguin
(go-GAN) - French 1848-1903
Paul Gauguin had a tragic friendship with Vincent van Gogh. When that friendship
ended, Gauguin traveled to the South Seas in search of an unspoiled paradise.
There he captured the tropical beauty and peaceful life in his colorful paintings.
ART ACTIVITY EMPHASIS: Color Mood in Tropical Landscapes
MEDIA: Oil Pastel on Black Paper
Paul Gauguin
(go-GAN) - French 1848-1903
Paul Gauguin had a tragic friendship with Vincent van Gogh. When that friendship
ended, Gauguin traveled to the South Seas in search of an unspoiled paradise.
There he captured the tropical beauty and peaceful life in his colorful paintings.
ART ACTIVITY EMPHASIS: Color Mood in Tropical Landscapes
MEDIA: Oil Pastel on Black Paper
7 PAUL GAUGUIN – Ages 5 – 7 | MeetTheMasters Online Edition
PAUL GAUGUIN – AGES 5 – 7 | ONLINE EDITION
Step 3 - Working With: Art Activity Instructions
ARTIST
Paul Gauguin (go-GAN)
(1848-1903) French
ART ELEMENTS
Color
TECHNIQUE
Oil pastel strokes
EMPHASIS
Abstract Color
MEDIA
Oil pastels
VOCABULARY
Primary colors, landscape, texture,
highlights
VISUALS
Print: Street In Tahiti
SUGGESTED MUSIC (On CD-Rom)
Hawaiian-Polynesian Music - Fiji Chant of
The Islands Tahitian Royal Dance Co –
Otea Tamarii Tahiti
MATERIALS FOR INSTRUCTOR AND CHILDREN
One 12” x 18" sheet of black construction paper
Paper towel
Artist profile slip
Boxes of oil pastels
Glue
PREPARATION
Construct an example to become familiar with the procedure. Place the print in front of the
students. Tape your demonstration paper in front of the students. Arrange materials nearby.
SET-UP [ 5 minutes ]
Distribute the following materials to your students:
SUPPLIES: Oil pastels
PAPER: Black construction paper, paper towel, artist profile slip
ORIENTATION [ 5 minutes ]
What did Paul Gauguin like to paint? (SOUTH SEA PICTURES, BRIGHT COLORS) He liked
to paint LANDSCAPES. A landscape is an outdoor picture. It usually has trees and hills, and
things you see outside. Today you will create a landscape that shows just one tree… one of
Gauguin’s favorite trees. Can you guess what kind of tree you would find on an island?
(PALM) Let’s get organized so we can begin.
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PAUL GAUGUIN – AGES 5 – 7 | ONLINE EDITION
DEMONSTRATION AND ACTIVITY
(Have children watch each step then follow immediately with their materials.)
ORGANIZE YOUR WORK AREA [ 3 - 5 minutes ]
1. Place your black paper vertically (up and down) in the center
of your work area (demonstrate).
2. Open your oil pastel box and put it on the paper towel to one
side..
THE TREE TRUNK [3 to 5 minutes]
What color would you usually choose for a tree trunk? (BROWN,
BLACK) What color would Gauguin choose? (ANY COLOR,
MORE THAN ONE COLOR, ESPECIALLY PRIMARY) Gauguin
liked to use bright imaginative colors. He especially liked to paint
with the primary colors. What are the three primary colors?
(RED, BLUE, YELLOW) So choose any color for your tree
trunk. If your oil pastel has not been peeled, do that now (put the
scraps in an
upper corner of your work area for the scrap collector). If it is not
broken, break it to make a piece that is short (less than the width
of two fingers).
1. Find the middle of your paper and make a dot about four or
fivefinger widths above it. (Demonstrate and have the children
follow.)
2. Put another dot in a lower corner about two or three-finger
widths from the bottom of the page.
3. Watch first and then follow: Use the side of a short broken
piece of oil pastel to make a line that curves between the two
dots. Hold the pastel sideways (horizontally) and place it on the
top dot. Press and curve it down to the bottom dot. What a nice
trunk you’ve made… with only one stroke! Do you notice the
texture? (YES)
BRANCHES [3 minutes]
Watch how to make the leaf lines:
1. Choose an exciting color to draw the branches.
2. Start at the top of the trunk.
3. Draw a line that curves out from the trunk. Make it reach out to
the top and side edges of the paper. Make it curve toward the
ground, like it grows.
4. Draw about five branches. Make each line like a spoke on a
bicycle wheel - only curved.
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PAUL GAUGUIN – AGES 5 – 7 | ONLINE EDITION
LEAVES [15 to 20 minutes]
(Demonstrate first while children watch.)
1. Use the same color to make the leaves. Make many short
lines, side-by-side, along each curved branch, first on one
side, then on the other.
2. Make quick, short strokes that point toward the ground.
3. Add a few around the end also. The strokes will be quick
and of different lengths (shaggy).
4. Add more strokes of different colors in spaces or on top of
other strokes. Remind the children of Gauguin’s imaginative
use of color.
THE BACKGROUND [5 to 10 minutes]
To make the sand:
1. Choose an imaginative and bright color for the sand.
2. Using the side of a small piece of oil pastel, draw a line for the ground behind the palm
tree.
3. Start the line on one side of your paper about one hand up from the bottom.
4. Press down on the paper and draw the stroke gently toward the other side. Go very slowly
and make bumps as you go.
5. Stop when you get to the tree trunk, and then continue on the other side.
6. Make another stroke right under it.
7. Continue making strokes until you reach the bottom.
8. Make each stroke touch the last one so no paper shows through. Do they have to be all
the same color? Gauguin would have used many colors!
MOUNTING THE ARTIST PROFILE SLIP [2 minutes]
(Profile slips for each artist are provided. They give a brief description of the artist, the
technique, and the media used in the art activity. They should be mounted on the back of
each art project after it is completed.)
1. Write your name on the front of the artist profile slip.
2. Using glue, mount the profile slip on the back of your artwork.
3. Encourage children to discuss their artwork at home using this artist slip of information.
CONCLUSION
Let’s all travel to Gauguin’s South Sea Island and take a look at beautiful, colorful
landscapes. (Share artwork as a group or individually as your situation allows.) Artists, raise
your hand if you used primary colors? Did you use colors other than green and brown in their
palm trees? Good for you!
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PAUL GAUGUIN – AGES 5 – 7 | ONLINE EDITION
EXTENSION
To add highlights, lightly go over the first sand stroke with white or yellow. Add white and
yellow strokes to one side of the leaves for highlights.
NOTE: Coconuts grow in a bunch right at the frond base, at the top of the trunk.
THIS CONCLUDES THE PAUL GAUGUIN UNIT.
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