Color Theory

Color Theory

I wanted to do a unit on color theory both at the high school and middle school levels. A similar but slightly modified lesson.

Creative Color Wheel (High School)

Create an image that incorporates all the primary, secondary and intermediate colors. There should be 12 separate colors.

You may use some black, grey or white since they are neutral colors. The colors should stand out and be most prominent.

Make all your colors using only the 3 primary colors-red, yellow and blue.

When you mix colors, start with the lighter color. For instance, when making orange, start with yellow and add red in small increments.

Colors may be made by mixing the colors on either side as it appears on the color wheel. Secondary colors are made by mixing the primary colors on either side. i.e. orange is made from red and yellow. red orange is made by mixing red and orange.

Primary colors are connected on the color wheel by a solid line.

Secondary colors are connected by a dashed line.

Grade level:  MS
UNIT:  Tempera painting - Color
Name of Project:  12 part color wheel motif

Materials: Heavy paper (I use card stock or Tag Board) 12 x 18 (30.5 x 46 cm) Watercolor Pape Tempera Paint - primary colors and black Scissor Paint Brushes

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Objective:
Students will be able to produce a 12 x 18 (30.5 x 46 cm) color wheel that contains primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. Students must also mix all colors needed from just the primary colors.   
Approximate time line:      4-5 days
Procedure To Follow For Studio Project:

Day 1:

Create a simple motif that is easy to duplicate and works well with different sizes

1.   Draw motif in small, medium and large sizes, cut out of tag board.

2.   Trace down the large sizes first- only 3 times- one for each primary color

3.   Overlap the medium motif at least once over the large traced motifs. You should trace the medium motif three times and try to overlap as much as possible (if possible). The medium motif is your secondary colors.

4.   Last but not least, the small motif will be your tertiary colors and should be traced in 6 different locations around the picture. They may not overlap any of the other motifs. They may go off the paper.

Day 2-3:

1.   Begin to paint the primary colors (but not where the medium motif overlaps).

2.   Do the same for the secondary colors that you mix paint in the medium motifs, but not where you overlap the large motif.

3.   Mix the tertiary colors and paint in where the primary and secondary colors over lap. You should have 6 small motifs, for each motif paint one of the tertiary colors.

Day 5-6:
Repaint areas that are light. The heavier or more solid your motif areas are, the better it looks. One everything is dry and painted solidly, paint the background in black. Repaint areas that dry light, the heavier the black, the better it looks.