Grades: K & 1st

Monet Water Lilies

Medium: Watercolor Resist

Durations: 1Hour

Kansas State Standard VA:Basic:1.3.3

Materials

Standard 1: Understanding & Applying Media, Techniques, & Processes.

Benchmark 3: The student experiments with various media, techniques, &
process to develop manipulative skills.
Indicator 3: Correctly follows the steps of a process.

9x12 60# Paper

Crayons (Yellow, Pink, Green, White)
Watercolor Paint (Blue
Painting Mats
Paintbrushes
Water

Objectives
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Students will learn about the history behind Monet and Impressionism.

Elements of Art

Students will apply paint with a dragging, not pushing motion.

Shape, Space

Students will use a watercolor resist technique to create an artwork

inspired by Monets Water Lilies painting.

Principles of Design
Proportion

Art Production
Anticipatory Set: (10 Minutes) Claude Monet: Inventing Impressionism Video

Vocabulary

State Objective: Today were going to look at one of Monets most famous series,
his Water Lily series. Then well make our own water lily painting inspired by
Monet.

Watercolor Resist wax is used to prevent

paint from getting onto an area.

Input: (10minutes) ClaudeMonet.PPT

Impressionism is a style of painting that began in Paris, France in the mid-1800s.
Unlike artists before them, the impressionists painted most of their paintings
outdoors and liked to portray natural subjects like trees, fields, and oceans.
Impressionists would often take their materials outdoors and paint what they saw.
This is called painting en plein air. The style was called impressionism because
the artists were not as exacting about painting a realistic picture. They used many
short brush strokes, applying paint thickly, to create the idea, or impression, of a
subject.
--Talk to students about the Element of Art: Space in relation to the Principle of
Design: Proportion. When were looking at a big space, like a landscape, the
proportion or size of objects to each other change. If its further back in space its
smaller, if its closer to us in space its bigger. Shape a squished circle/dot is an
oval. An oval is the shape of our lily pads. A circle, or dot, is the shape of our
Demonstrate: (5minutes) Tell students to be sure their name kisses the table so
it will be on the back. Turn the paper in landscape orientation (horizontal). Show
students how to use the crayons to create yellow ovals to create the bright lily pads.
(Refer to the dot shape we just talked out in The Dot project) Tell students that the
lily pads in the front (at the bottom of the paper) should be bigger than the ones

Monet Water Lilies

Impressionism a style or movement in

painting originating in France in the 1860s,
characterized by a concern with depicting
the visual impression of the moment,
especially in terms of the shifting effect of
light and color.
En Plein Air French for open (in full)
air. Artist painted outside.

Art History/Resources
http://safeshare.tv/w/ss563e4002f0c38
ClaudeMonet.ppt (Google Drive)
Claude Monet, Water Lilies, 1897-99
Claude Monet, Water Lilies, 1919
Claude Monet, Water Lilies, 1920-26

Modifications/Notes
1

further back in space (at the top of the paper). The yellow lily pad ovals should
become smaller as they go back in space. After theyve added their yellow lily pads
they will add a couple spots of pink or peach for the lily blossoms. Remember the
ones further away (higher on the paper) will be smaller than the ones up front. All
of them should be smaller than the lily pads. Then students should add green halfovals around the bottom of the yellow lily pads. Next well add some blue
watercolor paint over the whole thing. Remember to only pull with your
paintbrush; dont push! The paint wont stick to the crayon, thats why its called a
watercolor resist painting!

Lesson Inspiration Credit goes to:

artprojectsforkids.org
Lily Pad Game:
http://creativity.denverartmuseum.org/w
pcontent/uploads/2009/12/Monet_Waterl
ily_ECE.pdf

Check for Understanding: (2minutes) What should you do first when you get
your paper? Make sure your name kisses the table. Then what should you do?
Draw yellow dots to make lily pads. Are the dots on the bottom and the top of the
paper going to be the same size and shape? NO Which lily pads should be bigger?
The ones at the bottom. After our lily pads are done what should you draw next?
Lily blossoms with peach or pink. Whats the last think that you draw? Green halfovals. Anywhere on the paper? No, just around the bottom of the lily pads. Then
whats next? Paint blue. Do we push with our paintbrush? No. Do we scrub with
out paintbrush? No. We only pull.
Guided Practice: (30minutes) Students should be sure their name kisses the
table so it will be on the back. Turn the paper in landscape orientation
(horizontal). It might be helpful to have students work step by step (everyone draw
yellow dot lily pads, now everyone draw pink lily blossoms, etc.) Make sure you
draw all of your colors really dark; no white spots!
1. Use the crayons to create rough dots of color in yellow to create the bright lily
pads. The lily pads in the front (at the bottom of the paper) should be bigger than
the ones further back in space (at the top of the paper). The yellow lily pad dots
should become more like squished ovals as they go back in space. 10 lily pads!
2. Add a couple spots of pink or peach for the lily blossoms. The ones further away
(higher on the paper) will be smaller than the ones up front. All of them should be
smaller than the lily pads.
3. Add some green half-ovals around the bottom of the lily pads.
4. Add white wavy lines all over your paper for waves/ripples.
4. Paint blue watercolor over the whole paper using a pulling motion.
Closure: (3minutes) When students are finished they should raise their hand.
Collect their painting mats and place on the drying rack. Then they can go sit at the
front of the room in a circle. Have some of the students scoot in to become a
squished circle. What shape are we now? OVAL. Before students leave review
what Impressionism is. Ask students what the name of the artist we talked about
was. Monet. What Element of Art did we talk about? Space & Shape. What
Principle of design did we talk about? Proportion. Review these.

Aesthetic Questions
Could an Impressionism painting show you something you wouldnt notice if
you saw a photo of a place?

Art Criticism/Analysis Questions

Did Monet paint his water lily paintings like we did our?
Could it still be inspired by Monet even though we didnt do it the same way?

Monet Water Lilies