Third Grade Color – Lesson Plan

Project: Warhol Camouflage T-shirts

Materials:

12×18 watercolor paper
Small paint brushes
Large paint brushes
Paper plates
T-shirt patterns (pre-cut from cardstock)
Other patterns of various shapes (pre-cut from cardstock)
Acrylic paints of various colors – plus white and black
Water cups
Pencils
Sharpie markers (black)
Paper towels
Newspaper

Project Set Up:

Prior to class time, please place newspaper on the tables. Each student should receive the following materials:
1. Water color paper
2. Pencil
3. 1 large paint brush
4. 1 small paint brush
5. Paper plate with small amount of black, white and colored paint on it (quarter sized). Space these on the plate so that there will be room to mix colors later. You can use plastic spoons to scoop out the paint on to the plates.
6. Water bowl to rinse brushes
7. Paper towel to wipe brushes
8. Black Sharpie Marker

HINT – there are 5 paint colors from which to choose from. You may want to designate one color per table (e.g. make one table the purple table, another the blue table, etc. Have students sit at table that has the color of their choice.

Class Time:

Take a moment to review the concepts of Hue and Value.
Discuss history of Camouflage (see below).
Discuss who Andy Warhol is (see below).
There are two types of t-shirt templates to trace. There is a “girl” t-shirt (more fitted shape) and a “boy” t-shirt (more boxy in shape), along with a variety of shapes, numbers and letters the kids can trace on to their t-shirts. If students would rather, they may design their own shirt with shapes of their choice.
Pass out t-shirt types to girls/boys in class
You can handle shapes in one of two ways – lay them all out on the front table for kids to select from OR pass them out randomly to student tables… Given that there will be paint and water on student tables, laying shapes out in front of class may work best – it’s up to you.
Direct kids to trace their t-shirt on to the water color paper.
1. Have them select a shape to trace on to their shirt or design their own shape.
Trace the shape(s).
Using a pencil, instruct students to lightly pencil in random, curvy shapes within their traced shapes. Be sure to tell the kids to make them big enough to paint within (It is much more important that the kids understand the concept of Hue and Value than to design a detailed camouflage pattern).
Beginning with their real color (color that has not been mixed with white or black yet), start painting some of the curvy camouflage shapes. NOTE – We have a limited amount of paint. Students should use their small brushes to paint the small areas of their camo patterns. Paint does not have to be thick to obtain the desired effect.
When the students have painted as much of their pattern they desire with the real color, instruct them to create a new, lighter shade of this color by mixing it with white paint. HINT – It’s much easier to create this new, lighter shade by scooping a small amount of the real color to a new spot on the paper plate and mixing it with white.
Instruct students to begin painting more of their camo pattern with the new, lighter shade.
Repeat this process using the real color combined with black paint – creating a new, darker shade.
Instruct students to begin painting the remaining portion of their camo pattern with the darker shade.
If time permits*, have students paint the rest of their shirts using their large brushes. They may need more paint to do this (another plastic spoonful).
Finally, if time permits and their paintings are dry (acrylic paint dries fairly fast), instruct students to outline their t-shirts and the outline of their patterns with a black Sharpie Marker (see examples).

*NOTE – If time does not permit painting the remaining portion of the t-shirt, try to at least outline the shirt and pattern with the Sharpie Marker – if the paint does not dry in time to outline, you may want to complete this for the students.

A History of Camouflage

Camouflage in the Military

Abbott Handerson Thayer (1849 – 1921) was an American Artist who spent his spare time studying what he called “protective coloration” in nature.
It was Thayer’s belief that animal markings, like zebra stripes and leopard spots, were more than just decorative markings created by Mother Nature. Instead, by making animals harder to see (or see clearly), they actively helped them hide from predators or stalk their prey.
In 1898, Thayer proposed using camouflage patterns (they called it “counter shading”) to protect ships during the Spanish American War.
During WWI, many countries were experimenting with camouflage for use on land, sea and air.
The French were the first to establish an official camouflage unit in 1915. The first form of camouflage was a military uniform comprised of one color – khaki, green or brown.
The first patterned camouflage uniforms were created by artists commissioned by the military. These artists were called “camoufleurs”.
At first, using camouflage was seen as shameful. It was thought to be cowardly to hide from the enemy.
But soon other countries started using it. Camouflage was seen as a strategic tool used to blend soldiers with their surroundings and confuse the enemy.

U.S. Army’s “Woodland Leaf Pattern” 1948

“Pixel Pattern”

Camouflage in Art

The earliest camouflage artists were painters, sculptors and theatre set artists.
The first camouflage patterns seen in WWI were often described as Cubist (geometric shape lesson in Feb). Picasso was even quoted to have said that the cubists, “invented it”.
Since the 1960s, artists have used camouflage in their work – concealing and distorting shapes is also a popular artistic tool.

German “Buntfarbenmuster”, 1918

Just for fun!

Camouflage in fashion

Andy Warhol / Camouflage Paintings

Andy Warhol:

One of the most important American, 20th Century Pop Artists

“Pop Art”

A form of art that depicts objects or scenes from everyday life (comic book characters, soup cans, movie stars, Coke bottles, etc.).

Inspired by advertising and the media (TV, radio, movies, newspapers, magazines, etc.)

Pop art is colorful and bold in style

Andy Warhol painted a camouflage series in 1986, his last major work, including a camouflage self-portrait.