- A sheet ofÌýPaperÌý
- Magazines, newspaper and scrap paperÌý
- Scissors (optional)Ìý
- Glue stickÌý
Pointilist Confetti Inspired by Georges Seurat
Family Activities
Bridge at Courbevoie is a painting by artistÌýGeorges Seurat (1859 – 1891).Ìý³§±ð³Ü°ù²¹³ÙÌýwas a painter working in Paris at the end of the 19thÌý³¦±ð²Ô³Ù³Ü°ù²â. He enjoyed paintingÌýplaces likeÌýbeachesÌýwhere people would go to relax and enjoy themselves. HeÌýhelped start a new trend in painting called Pointillism.ÌýÌý
PointillismÌýmeans a painting made out of lots of tiny dots or points ofÌýcolour. If you look closely at thisÌýpaintingÌýyouÌýwillÌýsee that everything in the picture is made up ofÌýtiny dots. Seurat wantedÌýcoloursÌýpainted side by sideÌýtoÌýmix in our eye when we look at the pictures, this is called Optical Mixing.ÌýSeurat believed that this wouldÌýmake his pictures brighter and more vibrant.
Materials
A Closer Look
WithÌýsomeone in your householdÌýuse the questions below to take a deeper lookÌýatÌýthe painting and have a discussion about it. These questions are to help you look more closely at the painting,Ìýthere are no right or wrong answers.Ìý
- Do you like this painting?ÌýIf so, what do you like about it? Is there anything that you don’t like?Ìý
- What do you see?ÌýTakeÌýa momentÌýto notice everything you can seeÌýand describe it.Ìý
- WhatÌýcolourÌýis the grass?ÌýLook closer, until you can see the dots.Ìý
- How many differentÌýcoloursÌýcan you find in the grass?Ìý
- Look at the sky.ÌýIf you were going to this place what would you wear?Ìý
- Look in the distance. What noises do you think you could hear in this place?Ìý
- Look at the water. If you were there what would it smell like?Ìý
- Ok, now count all the dots in the picture. Only joking! That would take so long!
Activity One: Colour Wheels
We’re going to makeÌýcolouredÌýconfetti to make our pictures, we’re going to try and seeÌýhow manyÌýcoloursÌýwe can create.Ìý
Step 1:ÌýCut or tear all your paper into little pieces of confetti.ÌýDivide your confetti into different piles ofÌýcolour.ÌýÌý
Step 2:ÌýMake 3 piles of your red, yellow and blue confetti, these are your primaryÌýcolours. Arrange these piles to make the start of your wheel, leaving spaces between eachÌýcolour.ÌýÌý
Step 3:ÌýFill in the gaps between your primaryÌýcolourÌýpiles with secondaryÌýcoloursÌýof orange, purple and green. You can make theseÌýcoloursÌýby mixing together primaryÌýcolours.ÌýÌýÌý
How manyÌýcoloursÌýcan you make in your wheel by mixing different shades together?Ìý
Activity Two: Make a Confetti Landscape
Seurat wanted to make a world ofÌýcoloursÌýwith his dots. We are going to try to make the world around us out ofÌýcolouredÌýconfetti.Ìý
Look out of the windows in your home.Ìý
- What can you see?ÌýTake the timeÌýto notice every detail.Ìý
- Look at the skyÌýHow manyÌýcoloursÌýcan you see?Ìý
- How many different shades of blue are thereÌýin the sky?ÌýHow many greys?Ìý
- Are there anyÌýcoloursÌýin the sky you weren’t expecting?ÌýÌý
- Look at the landscape, the trees, the streets or the buildings. Are thereÌýcoloursÌýhere that you didn’t expect?Ìý
- How many millions ofÌýcoloursÌýdo you think you see just from one window?Ìý
Step One:ÌýArrange your confetti to create the landscape you see out the window.ÌýÌýLay the confetti on your paper but don’t stick it down until you feel like it’s finished.Ìý
You can start with big bits of brightÌýcolourÌýand add newÌýcoloursÌýas you notice them.ÌýDon’t worry about it being neat or perfect, when Seurat was making his firstÌýPointillistÌýimages he took risks and tried something new, you can do the same thing!Ìý
Step Two:ÌýOnce you are happy you haveÌýfound all theÌýcoloursÌýyou canÌýstick your confetti landscape to the paper using glue.Ìý
Step back and look at your picture. Do your eyes mix the colours together?Ìý
Artwork: Millie Nice
We’d love to see your Pointillist style creations. Please share your photographs with us (and let us know your name and age)