One Heart Art Lesson that Gets Kids Excited

It is that time of year. You know what time it is. When chocolate, flowers, cards, and yes those hearts come out to play. Love and kindness are abounding. Now there are plenty of activities and art lessons in books and posted online with the heart theme. And yes, there are several well known artists that use the heart symbol in their artwork. Yet, here is one heart art lesson that get kids excited. This one heart art lesson that get kids excited are an extension of many more that I have used over my years of teaching.

Let us put our heart into the one heart art lessons that get kids excited:

(Yes-I used red. I could not resist. Color is wonderful for expression.)

First, these lessons connect with Jim Dine and Burton Morris’s artwork. Jim Dine has some amazing expression in his artwork. His use of colors, application of color, and texture are super enjoyable. In addition, his images and subjects that are thought provoking. When showing his art, it is best to let the student have an opportunity to respond. Let them take on the discussion and share what they see, how it makes them feel, and what connections they make. Over the years, I have used his images with mostly 2nd grade and there have been some deep conversations from these 7 year olds.

How to draw a heart…

Expressive Hearts with color theory/schemes:

To begin, share works of art with the younger grades produced by Jim Dine. Depending how the teacher wants to approach the anticipatory set, students will be hooked. Teacher could start with having student draw four hearts, without explaining the next steps. Then have a discussion about the art. Or teacher may just start with asking questions like:

• What do you see?
• What colors stand out?
• How are the colors applied? Does it look clean/neat or sloppy/muddled?
• How do the hearts make them feel?
• Why do they feel that way.

Get into color which is the exciting part.

Use a set of colors for each heart to imply feelings. Each set of colors imply particular feelings or emotions. To start demonstrate how to color with the primary colors in a patchy manner. To represent how Jim Dine applies color, apply the crayon in different ways. Primary colors are bright, happy, and energized. Label the first heart the happy heart.

Second heart is the secondary colors. It provokes fresh ideas. An option to color the heart is the use of ovals like finger prints. Because Jim Dine has paintings that have the impression of fingerprints or marks.

Next is the contrast heart. Select a light color to fill the heart. Then color over it up and down with an itchy-scratchy line to make it look textured. Since there is light in darkness, this is the heart of hope.

Lastly, students color the last heart anyway they want. Because it gives them freedom to define the colors and marks. What do their choice of color represent? How are the marks explaining a feeling?

Finishing the artwork:

Once all the color schemes are completed, student fill the background any way they want. However, it is good to give some ideas. References to lines, colors, and how to apply the liens and colors is helpful. If these guides are not given, then the art usually is completed sloppy. For idea generators use patterns, direcational lines toward the middle, borders, and or written messages. In addition, there is an optional outcome for this art lesson. The rectangles may be cut a part to be used as greeting cards.

So if you are looking for just one heart lesson that gets kids excited, then this one will do it. First, limited materials produce a big outcome. Most students can control crayons. While viewing Jim Dine’s art conversations and stories flow. And most kids can draw a heart and color. Therefore kids are successful with the lesson. Furthermore, they get the added bonus of applying their personal ideas into the direct draw assignment.