Matisse-Inspired Exploration of Positive and Negative Space

Led by Art Parent Danielle DiSalvo, Ms. Vaughn's first-graders explored the use of positive and negative space in a Matisse-inspired lesson.

The materials used are simple . . . sheets of different colored construction paper, scissors and glue sticks. Preparation is quite easy . . . just pre-cut different colored sheets of construction paper in 9 evenly sized rectangles (so that you have 3 rows of 3 pieces each). You'll also need to grab enough full-size sheets of paper for the entire class.

The lesson begins with a simple explanation of the idea that when a paper is cut, not only does the paper take on a different shape (positive space) but the empty space that is left behind becomes a shape of its own (negative space).

A simple way to demonstrate this is to use a piece of dark construction paper, cut it down the middle in a curving line and tape the pieces onto the whiteboard with a few inches between the pieces. The construction paper pieces will be their own shapes, but the white space in between becomes a shape of it's own.

After the demo, the children choose a full sheet of construction paper to serve as the background, plus 9 pieces of the smaller, cut-down construction paper in contrasting colors from the background color.

Instruct the children to cut their smaller sheets into abstract shapes, saving all the pieces that are cut away. Students can then experiment with arranging the cut pieces onto their full-size background paper. All pieces that have been cut out need to be arranged in the composition in some place or another.

A tip is to wait to give them the glue sticks until they've had an opportunity to experiment with moving pieces around to make a conscientious decision about their composition. Once the student has a composition that pleases them, give them a glue stick to affix the pieces permanently.

One final note . . . because the pieces are arranged in a 3 x 3 grid, the project could also be used as a basic mapping/math lesson if the grid were labeled with coordinates. A fun exercise would be to point to one cut shape and ask the children to find its match and name the coordinates where it's located.

Baker's Clay Recipe and Helpful Tips

Baker's Clay is a wonderful material to use for creating 3-D art with kids. Easy to mix and inexpensive, it's a great medium to spark creative exploration, and it's incredibly fun to feel the clay squish between fingers!!

Plus, allowing the young kids to mix the ingredients is a great math lesson in measurement and proportion and mixing in powdered tempera paints to color the clay also provides opportunity to teach basic color theory.

Baker's Clay has a long tradition at Rooftop, harkening back to the early days when Rooftop children worked with artist Ruth Asawa and to sculpt small scenes of San Francisco that were cast in bronze and used on the Fountain at the Renaissance Park 55 Hotel in Union Square.

A tried-and-true baker's clay recipe and handy tips on using the medium can be found on Ruth Asawa's website:

http://www.ruthasawa.com/clay.html

ADDITIONAL NOTES and TIPS:

The recipe and instructions on Ruth's website are to create uncolored clay which can be painted after it is baked or dried. Baker's clay can also be tinted with powdered tempera paints during the dry-ingredients mixing process. Add between 2 tablespoons and 1/2 cup of powdered tempera (the more you add, the more intense the color) to the dry ingredients before adding in the water.

Alternately, several drops of liquid watercolor can be added during the kneading step to color the clay.

Dry ingredients can be measured out and mixed ahead of time, but it's best to wait to add the water until right before using the clay. (Don't try to make it the night before an art lesson). The salt should still feel slightly grainy to the touch and not be completely dissolved in the moisture of the dough. This will give the clay a little extra "body" when being molded.

The directions on Ruth's website also mention that the clay can be licked to moisten it when adhering two pieces together. Please note that's it's probably wiser to use a finger moistened in a bowl of water instead - especially when working with bakers' clay that has been tinted.

Baker's clay sculpture can also be left to air-dry instead of baking it in the oven. Be sure to place the sculptures on a metal cookie rack so that air can circulate underneath the sculpture.