Exploring

Color
Our unit plan dives into the world of color theory, through this
unit we hope to foster an understanding of how color influences
artistic expression and how color impacts our life around us.
Through our lessons we will explore and experiment so students
will understand the principles of color mixing, the psychological
effects of color, and their significance in our day to day. We want
our students to be comfortable exploring their own culture as well
as understanding and accepting other cultures and we will push
our lessons to explore and prompt these discussions. Gaining
awareness on this topic will help students develop the ability to
effectively utilize color as a tool in their personal artwork and
artistic journey.
Project 1: Color Matching My Culture
❖ The central focus for this first lesson will be on the basics of
color-mixing and applying it to culturally relevant media. Students
will do so by learning how to mix different types of colors and
selecting a certain piece of media (album covers, movie posters, ads,
books, etc.) that is of cultural relevance or importance to the
students. They will then apply their color-mixing skills by recreating
their chosen media. Students will end this lesson by presenting their
recreations along with an artist statement in a class art gallery.

❖ Grade Level: High School

❖ Skill Level: Beginning
❖ Media: 2D Painting
Materials: Vocabulary :
❖ Color mixing handout Color theory, Primary,
❖ Acrylic paint (Red, yellow, blue, Secondary, Complementary,
black, white) Tertiary, Analogous,
❖ Paint brushes Monochromatic
❖ Palettes
❖ Canvas
❖ Water cups
❖ Paper towels Standards:
❖ HS Proficient VA:Cr1.2.Ia: Students will shape an artistic investigation of an aspect of
❖ Color wheel present-day life using a contemporary practice of art or design.
❖ Research Device ❖ HS Proficient VA:Pr4.1.Ia: Students will analyze, select, and curate artifacts and/or
artworks for presentation and preservation.
❖ HS Proficient VA:Re.7.1.Ia: Students will hypothesize ways in which art influences
perception and understanding of human experience.
❖ HS Proficient VA:Cn10.1.Ia: Students will document the process of developing ideas
from early stages to fully elaborated ideas.

Assessment: Summative Assessment: Students will be assessed summatively

throughout the progress of their project. They will be assessed on the completion
of their color theory handouts, the documentation of their research for chosen
media and project proposal, and their presentation of their recreation and artist
statement.
Day 1:
Learning Plan
❖ Students will start class by watching a presentation that will give an introduction to color mixing and its importance.
❖ After giving the expectations for the color mixing activity, we will have students gather their needed materials, paints,
palettes, brushes, etc.
❖ Then we will give the rest of the class to use their new knowledge to fill out the color mixing handouts and get practice.
❖ Leave enough time for students to clean up materials before class ends.

Day 2:
❖ Introduce students to the idea that we are influenced by the cultural elements we interact with (music, movies, books, ads,
brands, etc.).
❖ Students will research their choice of an album cover, brand name advertisement, or movie cover and document their ideas
before turning in a project proposal by the end of class.

Day 3-5: Day 6+:

❖ Use the 5 types of color groups and new
❖ Facilitate class gallery. Each student will
knowledge of color theory to recreate their
chosen media. present their recreation and their artist
❖ Allow at least 2 days for students to work statement.
on paintings in class. Add more if needed.
Teacher Sample
 Project 2: The Patterns of
Our Cultures
❖ The central focus of this lesson is for students to create a
pattern of symbols that are representative of their identity
and/or cultural communities.Students are going to focus
on researching symbols that relate their own cultures
and/or self-identities. After choosing symbols, a pattern
will be developed and repeated on a grid using graphite
pencils. With the prior knowledge of the color theory
lesson, paint is used to fill in the background and symbols
of the patterns. Once the projects are completed, patterns
are presented by students to the class (or one-on-one
accommodation) explaining the connections they have to
their artwork.
❖ Grade Level: High School
❖ Skill Level: Beginning
❖ Media: 2D Painting
 Standards:
❖ HS Proficient VA:Cr1.1.Ia: Use multiple approaches to begin creative
endeavors.
❖ HS Proficient VA:Pr6.1.Ia: Analyze and evaluate the reasons and ways
an exhibition is presented.
❖ HS Proficient VA:Re8.1.Ia: Interpret an artwork or collection of works,
supported by relevant and sufficient evidence found in the work and its
various contexts.
❖ HS Proficient VA:Cn11.1.Ia: Describe how knowledge of culture,
traditions, and history may influence personal responses to art.

Materials:
Assessment : Summative
❖ Symbols handout
Assessment: Students will present
❖ Self-evaluation forms
painted patterns of symbols relating to
❖ Graphite pencils their personal identity and culture with
❖ Rulers written artist statements. Self-evaluations
❖ Paper will be assessed for completion and
❖ Paint (red, blue, and yellow) comprehension of prompts.
❖ Paint brushes
❖ Paint palettes Students will be completing symbol
❖ Water cups handout, a self-evaluation form, and an
❖ Paper towels artist statement

Vocabulary : Symbol, Pattern, Culture, Grid

Day 1:
Learning Plan
❖ Students will be shown examples of patterns. There will be a review of color theory and mixing from
the previous lesson. Students are going to research symbols that relate to their self identities and/or
cultures, and choose what they want to incorporate into their patterns. Artist statement is assigned
on this day, with the due date being on presentation day.

Day 2:
❖ Students will be shown how to scale up an image and create a pattern.
❖ Teacher models how to plan out their chosen symbols on the grid handout.
❖ Students plan out their pattern on grid handout for 10-15 min
❖ Teacher models how to measure out and draw 1”x1” grid on provided paper.
❖ Students will draw 1”x1” grid on provided paper with graphite pencils and rulers
❖ Students will recreate their pattern on the handout onto the grid they have drawn on their paper.
❖ Teacher will monitor students during the patterning process.
Day 3-5: Day 6-7:
❖ Students will begin painting their ❖ Students will take turns presenting
symbols of their patterns. They their completed pattern paintings.
will be provided with red, blue, Artist statements are to be turned in
and yellow. There is an before the school day. After
expectation that they will be able presenting, self-evaluation forms will
to mix colors to create secondary be given to students for completion.
and tertiary colors.
 Teacher Sample

Grid Example Pattern Example

 Project 3: How Color
Influences

By learning about persuasive advertisement as visual culture, students will make their own.
The project will result as an illustrative PSA/ or persuasive infographic as a painting via small
groups of students. By researching how color is used to evoke emotion and using prior knowledge
of color theory (complimentary colors, vs analogous, etc) and cultural design, the students will
plan out and create a painting that persuades.
 Vocabulary Materials
● Persuasive advertisement, ● Devices for research,
● Digital media literacy, ● Sketchbook,
● Visual Culture ● Graphite pencils,
● Rulers,
● Canvas Paper/ boards,
● Acrylic Paint (primary colors, white, black),
Paint brushes,
● Water cups,
● Paper towels
 Learning Objectives
(and accompanied power standards)
VA:Cr1.2.Ia VA:Pr6.1.Ia
Students will create Students will present
their own persuasive their final works to the
advertisement with the class by explaining
use of intent color to their content and how
effectively their artistic choices
communicate their serve it
idea

VA:Re.7.2Ia VA:Cn10.1.IIa
Students will find a Students will research how
color and media displays
piece of media or
emotion and affects culture
advertisement that by investigating through
they will explain to be interdisciplinary lenses
relevant to the idea of such as marketing or design
to make connections of
visual persuasion
artistic choices and
communication
Day 1:
Learning Plan
❖ Intro presentation/lecture about visual culture, introduce vocabulary, any notes taken in sketchbook
❖ activity: (find an ad that's relevant with a written response), document in sketchbook
❖ introduce project

Day 2:
ASSESSMENT
❖ research in groups and brainstorm ideas,
❖ note plans of intent in a sketchbook (color pallet, ideas, topic) Formative Summative
❖ begin preparing grid method for translating illustration
❖ Sketchbook- ❖ The final visual
documentation of outcome of project
Day 3-5: findings and ❖ Ability to apply the
brainstorming research into the work
❖ Finish making grid to translate their
topics/means ❖ Ability to present their
central/main illustration
❖ Written response (day project/ideas
❖ refer to sketchbook for research and plan. one activity)
❖ spend amount of days needed to create the
paintings in small groups (2-3).
Day 6+:
❖ Once students finish, groups will give a 2
minute quick presentation to class about their
topic and artistic choices that convey the
desired idea
Project Resources
❖ teacher example
❖ Links to give to students or
use in presentation:
❖ https://londonimageinstitu
te.com/how-to-empower-y
ourself-with-color-psychol
ogy/
❖ https://www.invervemarke
ting.com/blog/the-effects-
of-color-on-consumer-beh
avior
❖ https://carleton.ca/theprin
tshop/story/the-importanc
e-of-brand-colours-and-h
ow-to-pick-them/#:~:text=
Colour%20sets%20the%20
mood%20of,needed%20to
%20cultivate%20these%20
emotions.