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Lesson by: Jennifer Hamilton

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Description of Lesson

Students view and discuss the artwork by contemporary artist John Dyer. The students will use the inspiration John Dyer to paint a realistic garden or nature painting showing many different brushstrokes, mixing of paint colors, and showing areas of light and shadow. At the end of the garden painting the students will add figures in the garden interacting with nature.

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Lesson Goals

  • I can discuss, compare, and analyze the art by contemporary artist John Dyer.
  • I can paint many different types of flowers on my paper.
  • I can mix white and black in my paint colors to make tints and shades.
  • I can create areas of light and dark in my painting.
  • I can paint different brush strokes while painting my garden.
  • I can add a cut out figure to my garden interacting with the nature.

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Suggested Supplies

  • High-quality, 8X10 white paper (Free from Art to Remember)
  • Examples of John Dyer’s garden and nature paintings
  • Pencils and erasers
  • Tempera paint in all colors (red, orange, yellow, green, turquoise, blue, purple, white, brown, and black)
  • Paint trays or mixing pallets
  • Water cups
  • Paintbrushes
  • Paper towel
  • Aprons
  • Construction paper in many colors, scraps of leftover paper will also work
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Markers

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Step 1 Look at and discuss the artwork by John Dyer

“Prize Blooms” by John Dyer

“Kim Wilde’s Sunflower Garden” by John Dyer

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Step 2 Gather your supplies

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Step 3 Paint your background

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Step 4 Mix white into your colors to make tints and mix black into your colors to make shades. You can also mix the colors to paint to make new colors!

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Step 5 When you are painting make sure that

the painting has areas of light and dark colors.

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Step 7 Add cut out figures to your garden. Have them interacting with nature.

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Finished Example Close Ups

Examples of Student work (optional)

Examples of Student work (optional)

Examples of Student work (optional)

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Additional Resources

  • Art to Remember
    • Find more free lessons
    • Learn about how Art to Remember can help your school
  • For more on Jennifer Hamilton