Visual Arts Practices

"Explore visual conventions, use of mediums and processes to make and respond to art works." (VCAVAV026)

The world of Wassily Kandinsky is full of colour and music and expression. This resources from the NSW Department of Education is a deep exploration into that world. Shape, form and colour are key visual conventions used in the creation of Visual Arts and this resource is a beautiful investigation into them. 

Kandinsky's work was often inspired by music and he painted what he heard, it is thought now that Kandinsky has Synesthesia, a neurological diversion of the senses, as such this lesson also allows students to develop their ethical capabilities. 

The resource consists of 3 lesson plans that could also be extended out to form a longer unit of work. The plans include very detailed diagrams of what to do and almost forms a script of what to say! There is a helpful section that talks about how we can link colour to emotions using emoji’s which are how so many of us think of emotions these days!

The circle lesson is a wonderful introduction to colour theory and the second lesson introduces students to abstract paintings and serves also as an introduction to expression through line and shape and goes onto link the colour and form together to create more emotions.

Included within the lessons there as examples of Kandinsky’s works and also a small selection of student work which I think is important as to show these to students would help them understand that they are no expected to make copies of Kandinsky’s work and make it perfect that can lead to frustration in students.

In lesson two the videos of Kandinsky’s work turned into a musical animation are a really unique way of looking at the visual arts and also brings in the music curriculum. This continues in lesson three as the students use Chrome music lab to make their own musical artworks. It is important for students to understand that the different disciplines of art can overlap and work together, that all arts can elicit sensory/kinaesthetic responses (acara) in us.