Show Me the Monet!

This lesson was assigned April 19, 2020

Claude Monet (MO-NAY) (1840-1926) is one of the world’s most famous artists and he is the most famous for his paintings of waterlilies! ​

Monet liked to paint outside so he could capture how the light and weather changed his surroundings.  Because he was painting outside, he had to paint fast before the light changed. His pictures were quick impressions- so his style of art became known as Impressionism.

Monet lived and painted in a beautiful country house in France with gorgeous gardens. In those gardens he would paint the same scene again and again to see how it changed with the seasons and the light!​

Activities:

Below you will find many activities to help you make art like Monet!
Pick at least one activity to complete this week.

• Frogs love hanging out in ponds like Monet had! Try your hand at folding an origami frog! You will need a square piece of thin paper (like printer paper). If you want a frog that is a different color, try coloring or adding designs to your paper ahead of time! Origami is tricky so this may take some practice! Origami Frog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rht7y5kooJQ Origami Snapper Puppet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybKPN9vNlHc
• Monet did most of his paintings outside! This is called “en plein air” in French. Bring some paper and art supplies (or even a tablet if you want to do a digital drawing) and draw or paint what you see!  Try to fill the whole paper! See if you can do the whole drawing while outside! What is tricky about working en plein air?  What is something you like about working outside? 
  

• Monet is most famous for his painting of waterlilies!  Drawing and coloring water can be tricky- so marker tye-dye is a great trick to get a watery effect! Watch Miss Budd do this activity Monet's Tie-Dye Waterlilies
• Watch this Getting to Know video about Claude Monet (it is about 20 minutes long) https://youtu.be/3b668aY1Dgc
• Grab some blue, green, purple, and white paint and FINGERPAINT your own impressionist masterpiece!
• Monet loved exploring the same object in different light. Find something outside that captures your attention.  Draw or take a picture of that object three times during the day. I would suggest once in the morning, once in the afternoon, and one just as the sun is about to set (or even at night) (it might be helpful to set an alarm so you don’t forget).
• Read Phillipe in Monet’s Garden by Lisa Jobe Carmack (or listen to me read it Read Alouds) and then follow along on Art for Kids Hub to draw your own frog!  How to Draw a Frog: How To Draw A Cartoon Frog
• Explore Monet’s gardens in this video tour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjWx2WNXFF4&t=18s
• Explore inside Monet’s house in this virtual tour: (His kitchen is my favorite!) Visite virtuelle
• Rebecca Louise Law is an amazing artist who is alive and working today and also making artwork inspired by nature! https://www.rebeccalouiselaw.com/ Check out the artwork she makes with flowers! I think Monet would be pretty impressed! Toledo Museum of Art Rebecca Louise Law: Community Exhibit
• Browse through Monet’s paintings and see how his style changed as he learned more as an artist! What are some of your favorite paintings that you see?  What surprised you? Do you see some still-life paintings? Claude Monet - 1369 artworks - painting
• Use things you find outside to make art! Make a nature mandala: https://childhoodbynature.com/mandalas-a-practically-perfect-form-of-nature-art/