Kindergarten and First Graders have been learning about the artist Jasper Johns through an art project called “Jasper Johns Letter Fun”. We have learned how the artist Jasper Johns used ordinary objects and ideas from the culture like letters, targets, maps, and numbers as the subject matter of his paintings.  Using these common images, he had a very successful art career, and his work is hanging in many museums across our country.

We started the project off by choosing letters and numbers to write on our large paper grid. The numbers and letters could spell short words, stand for special people or dates, or just be randomly selected. Using oil pastels, we had to make our marks dark and thick so they would show up after painting the negative spaces around them. Before painting, students could make a few letters and numbers really special by adding extra colors to them or some kind of pattern to emphasize them.

This week students are finishing the art project by painting around the letters using tempera cakes.  Before painting we discuss painting procedures and techniques.  Of course, we want our letters to remain visible, so we are studying complimentary colors (color opposites) so students can choose a paint color that will contrast with the letter color. The students are getting great results! Hopefully you will see them displayed on the ‘Lil Guard Art Gallery at The Lower School very soon.