Aaron Douglas Inspired Prints and Paintings

Students in third through fifth grade learned about and interpreted the art of one of the famous Harlem Renaissance artists, Aaron Douglas. To create their own work inspired by Douglas’ use of overlapping shapes, students made overlapping shapes generated by tracing shadows they cast on the paper using objects found in the classroom.  Students then chose to either create a painting or printmaking project using their overlapping shapes drawing.  The students that chose to paint mixed various amounts of one color of their choice with black and white to create many values of one color like Aaron Douglas.  The students that chose to do printmaking transferred their drawing to a foam tray with indentations and used a brayer to apply ink to make many prints using different colors much like a stamp can.  Students were then able to use their painting or choose their favorite print to add an expressive silhouette, much like Aaron Douglas’ use of silhouettes in his work.  A star was also added because many of Douglas’ paintings include a star which symbolizes the north star, which represented freedom on he Underground Railroad.

Standard: VA:Re8.1.4 Interpret art by referring to contextual information and analyzing relevant subject matter, characteristics of form, and use of media.

Objective: SWBAT interpret and create an Aaron Douglas inspired painting or printmaking project.