ART SMART – 4TH GRADE

WI N

T E R H A R B OR B Y H E N

R Y G A S S E R

WINTER HARBOR BY HENRY GASSERo What is the artist communicating with

this work?

o What appears to be important? (harbor village, trees, boats, water, hillside?)

o What time of year is it? How do you know?

o What time of day is it? What clues do you base your answer on?

o Why are there a lot of human made things, but no people? Is it real or imaginary?

o How does the artist lead your eye through the composition? If you could walk into this scene where would you go?

o If the same scene were painted during another season, how would the mood change?

o If you could use one word to describe this painting, what would it be?

HENRY GASSER (1909-1981) American artist born in Newark, New Jersey

Studied art in New York at 2 different schools

Became the Director of one of the schools (Newark school of Fine & Industrial Art) at age 37

Began his career as a lecturer/demonstrator of painting at age 45

Author of several books on technical aspects of painting

Successful career both in U.S. and abroad

Many awards, including election to the Royal Society of Arts in 1957

Known for oils and watercolor, painted American coastal life in a solid, realistic style

Died at age 72

WORKS BY HENRY GASSER

VALUE: the lightness or darkness of a color

A pure color plus white is known as TINT. A pure color plus black is known as TONE. Shadows actually have both value and color. Look for examples in print.

Dark colors in a composition suggest a night or interior scene. Also, the convey a sense of mystery or foreboding. Light colors often describe a light source or reflected light.

Artists use value & intensity to create moods & feelings in their compositions.

INTENSITY: the purity or strength of a color

Bright colors are undiluted and often associated with positive energy and heightened emotions.

Dull colors have been diluted by mixing with other colors and create a sedate or serious mood.

VALUE

HUE = COLOR

INTENSITY

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEENVALUE & INTENSITY?

The INTENSITY of the pure color blue is very bright.

Add some other color to it and it becomes less bright or less intense.

As you use a color, say, blue... you can add its complement to dull it down and it looks natural. That’s orange-just a little to your blue. See what happens…

The VALUE is how much dark or light, white and black is in the color.

Looking at a value scale it shows the darkest dark value on one end, gradually getting more light-adding white until you record your perception of the highest value- the lightest area of your drawing composition.

Intensity is the pureness of the color without adding black or white. You use complement of color to adjust intensity.

LESSON: VALUE DESIGNSupplies (25 students):

• 25 sheets watercolor paper (9x12 or 12x18)

• 25 pencils

• 25 rulers

• 25 brushes (medium width, approx. ½ inch)

• Tempera paints (red, yellow, blue, black, white)

• Bowls for paint

• Water cups for rinsing

1. Students divide up the space over the entire paper by using a pencil and a ruler to create straight edged shapes (some self-contained some bleeding off the edges) OR a single pencil line in a bold swirling “scribble” (some shapes contained, some off the edge).

2. Provide each student with two containers of the same primary color and one contain each of white & black paint.

3. Students fill in their shape design with tints and tones of their primary color. (color + white= tint, color + black=tone). Begin by using pure color in areas of choice. Show students how to add a small amount of white to change the tint of their color. Continue to add white paint, paint a few areas and add more white. Using second container of primary color, add a small amount of black to create a tone… and so on, until paper is filled.

Varying thevalue range in a work

of art adds depth and interest.