Curated OER
Positive/Negative Bugs
Bugs can be creepy - and fun! Kids create a positive and negative design by repeatedly drawing a simple insect overlaid with a geometric shape. The outcome is really neat and will help build spacial reasoning, visual acuteness, and...
Curated OER
Elements of Art: Student Assessment
What a neat test! The class is asked to draw and color to create examples of eight elements of art. They focus on each element (line, value, shape, form, space, texture, primary and secondary color) by creating an original piece in each...
Curated OER
Art Basics Scavenger Hunt
Hand out this worksheet and lead your class on a scavenger hunt. Pupils look for examples of shape, form, balance, pattern, perspective, space, and depth. They draw and write about the examples they've found. A great resource to add to...
Curated OER
"Light Graffiti"
The results of this project are sure to brighten any school hallway or dreary set of walls. It begins as learners choose or take photographs and convert them into negative/positive space images. They print, then stencil the image onto...
Curated OER
Negative Space People
Learning about negative space can help kids see things in a whole new way. They use negative space and bright, primary colors to create an image of people in action. Each of the four squares will contain a single negative-space person...
Curated OER
Graphite Embossing
Teach your art class a lesson plan on viewing positive and negative space in multiple dimensions. They will use metal sheets and various pencil grades to apply the graphite embossing technique. This project will result in two contrasting...
National Gallery of Art
Impressive Prints
Explore printmaking with a discussion and project. Pupils first view and talk about various examples of prints and cover positive and negative space. They then come up with fictional animals and make prints of their creature using...
Curated OER
"Baby Powder Street Art"
Take your art to the streets with a simple activity that is sure to excite your class. They'll explore positive and negative space, repetition, and the contemporary street art movement as they create large template designs. The templates...
Curated OER
Advanced Scribble Pictures
Scribble art allows learners of any age to problem solve in order to express their creative thinking skills. They create a simple scribble, then elaborate on it by adding color and shape. Full instructions and extensions are included.
Curated OER
Does Negative Space Have A Shape?
Students observe negative space in drawing. In this negative space lesson, students discover that sketches include negative space or background. Students produce a drawing while paying attention to the negative space.
Curated OER
"Positive Negative Designs"
Once in a while you need a quick, fun activity to add interest to your classroom. Your kids will flip over the effects they'll be able to make as they explore positive and negative designs. They'll use a cutting technique that results in...
Curated OER
Exploring Optical Movement in Art
Students describe, represent and analyze patterns and relationships using shapes. They create simple geometric patterns. They demonstrate increasing technical ability and skill to complete visual arts assignments.
Incredible Art Department
Notan Collages - "Expanding the Square"
Notan is a Japanese word that expresses the interaction between light and dark. Learners explore Notan while creating dimensional art pieces that examine positive and negative spaces. They'll discuss the art of Notan, create their...
Curated OER
Blick Liquid Watercolor
Introduce this abstract art to your class; they must chose ordinary classroom objects and shapes to paint with watercolors. The overlapping effect will create a fun, abstract piece of art!
Curated OER
Figurative Slot Sculptures
Middle schoolers create 3-dimensional works of art in the form of slot sculptures. I love this lesson, because it exposes students to a completely different form of art. Everything you need to do to successfully-implement this lesson is...
Curated OER
Fraggle Monster Vase
Students create an optical illusion. In this optical illusions lesson, students sketch a monster's face to create the optical illusion of a vase in the positive space. Students create an original piece of art.
Curated OER
Graph Paper Patterns
Young artists divide a piece of graph paper into sections using rectangles, squares, and triangles. They then fill each section with patterns of shape and color. Elementary graders describe how their patterns are organized. Secondary...
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Mixed Media Collage
Rhythm, repetition, positive, and negative space is used to create mixed media collages. Let your learners go wild with glue, magazine clippings, and the elements of design. They'll experiment with various types of media, color, and...
Curated OER
Terrific Tessellations
Students create to pieces of artwork using two primary colors and tessellation techniques. This is an excellent lesson plan that can be accomplished using standard art techniques or educational software such as Adobe Photoshop or...
Asian Art Museum
Japanese Architecture for Elementary School Students
Art and architecture go hand-in-hand. Kids watch clips from the Hayo Miyazaki film Spirited Away to better understand Japanese customs and architecture. The discussion questions included are very good, and will help you lead the class in...
Curated OER
Weave a Wreath
Students follow directions to complete a multi-step process that results in an attractive holiday decoration. In this Christmas art activity lesson, students employ simple measuring and weaving techniques and experiment with the negative...
Virginia Department of Education
Developing an Essay: Word Choice
Grading essays after reading a novel written by a lyrical master (think Nabokov, Morrison, Chabon) is a deflating experience. Why can’t your student’s display the same skill in diction as your favorite writers? Because you did not use...
Curated OER
Positive/Negative Shapes, Shamrocks And Matisse
Students create Shamrock mobiles or art pieces using positive and negative shapes, card stock, glue, and the techniques used by Henri Matisse. The lesson includes many resource links and is a great project for St. Patrick's Day.
Curated OER
Positive/Negative Bugs
Seventh graders create a design using a detailed drawing reversing positive and negative space. They explain organic shape and geometric shape.