Textured Painting with Renoir: Famous Artist Kids' Activity

Famous artist activities for kids are some of my favorite lessons! I suppose it’s from years of teaching children’s programs at a museum, but I truly enjoy bringing the world of art to little learners. Recently I’ve done activities on Monet and Jackson Pollock. This time I’m going with Pierre Auguste Renoir.

 

The French impressionist’s “The Garden in the Rue Cortot, Montmarte” is so springy that I can’t help but to use it for this activity. If the weather where you are is anything like the weather where I am, you’re beyond sick of seeing snow. I’m craving the green grass and bold budding bulbs of the spring. So, to get ready for the new season, we’re going to do a little bit of spring art with Renoir.

I have nothing against using a paintbrush, but I think this artwork lends itself to a bit more of a sensory exploration than a brush will do justice to. With that in mind, this activity uses a few different household items (cotton balls, cupcake liners, tissue and plastic straws) to create a layered texture. I also added in a bit of color mixing to this one! Instead of giving your child a rainbow of colors, try just the primaries (red, yellow and blue) and white. Let her explore and discover her own colors to use in this flower art activity.

Before you begin…

 

Take a look at the Renoir painting. Ask your child to tell you what she sees. Ask a few open-ended questions about the painting. Talk about the colors that Renoir used, what season it shows and what time of day it looks like. Ask your child what her favorite part of the painting is and why. Let her brainstorm ways that the artist made the artwork, without telling her that he used paints and a brush.

Now it’s time for the art-making…

 

Here’s What You’ll Need:

·        Tempera paints in the primary colors, plus white

·        Textured items for painting – Try cotton balls, crumpled tissue paper, straws, cupcake liners, pieces of scrap fabric or anything else that you find around the house that’s suitable.

·        White card stock paper

·        A paint palette or wax paper – It works just like a palette, but is cheaper.

Here’s What to Do:

1.     Pour the paint on the palette. Make four pools- one in each color.

 

2.     Pick an item to start painting the stem with. Let your child choose how she wants to begin.

3.     Mix the yellow and blue together to make green. Add in a vocabulary lesson and give your child the words primary and secondary for the colors. Explain that green is a secondary color that she can make by mixing two primaries – yellow and blue. She can also add in some white to make the green lighter.

 

4.     Dab the paint onto the paper in a line to make a stem. Have your child also add leaves that are oval or triangle shaped.

 

5.     Keep mixing new colors.

6.     Brush, dot, dab or sponge the paint onto the card stock, adding a flower top to the stem.

 

7.     Get a fresh piece of paper, and dab on some green paint to start a garden scene. Have your child look back at the Renoir. She doesn’t need to copy the garden in the painting, just get inspiration from it!

8.     Create leaves in the green paint. Your child can use her fingers or the edge of a straw to make lines, pulling the paint away.

 

9.     Add flowers with different colors of paint.

 

Are you looking for more famous artist activities? Follow my Pinterest board for ideas!

Follow Mini Monets and Mommies's board Famous Artist Kids' Activities on Pinterest.