Introduction to French Artist Georges Seurat and His Special Artistic Method—Pointillism

Preschool (Ages 3-5) Masterpiece Appreciation Class

Introduction to French Artist Georges Seurat and His Special Artistic Method—Pointillism

Age Group:

• 3-5 years old

Learning Objectives:

• Students will learn about French artist Georges Seurat and the unique art method he invented—Pointillism.

• Students will recognize three of Seurat's famous works: La Seine à la Grande-Jatte, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, and The Eiffel Tower.

• Students will understand the concept of creating art using small dots to form larger images.

Materials Needed:

• Cotton swabs

• Watercolor paint (in various colors)

• Paper (for creating the artwork)

• Printed images of Georges Seurat’s paintings for reference

• Bowls or cups of paint for dipping

Lesson Plan:

1. Introduction (5 minutes):

   • Briefly introduce Georges Seurat, showing pictures of his famous paintings.

   • Discuss his unique art method, Pointillism, and explain that he created pictures using small dots of color instead of brush strokes.

2. Activity Setup (5 minutes):

   • Explain the three keywords related to Pointillism:

     • Point: Using many small dots.

     • Color: The colors that emerge from the dots.

     • Method: A unique way of creating art.

   • Show an example of a Seurat painting (e.g., Bathers at Asnières) and point out how dots are used to create the picture.

3. Hands-on Activity (20 minutes):

   • Guide the children to create their version of Seurat’s Bathers at Asnières using the dotting technique.

   • Encourage them to color the sky, grass, river, trees, animals, and people’s skin and clothing using only dots made with cotton swabs.

   • Emphasize the use of dots instead of smearing or brushing the paint.

4. Wrap-Up (5 minutes):

   • Display and discuss the children’s artworks.

   • Ask the children what they noticed about the pictures and how the dots formed an image.

   • Encourage the children to describe the colors and shapes they used in their artwork.

Assessment:

• Observe children's participation and ability to follow the dotting technique.

• Document their ability to apply the concept of using dots to create a picture.

Extensions:

• Allow children to explore other shapes or objects they can create using the Pointillism method in future classes.

• Encourage parents to try the activity at home with different themes or seasonal colors (e.g., fall leaves using Pointillism).