Monochrome

MONO= one

CHROME= color

It's hard to disregard a rainbow whether it's in the sky or hanging in the studio. You ever wonder what adds depth and interest to a work of art? Darkness, lightness, thin lines and thicker lines. There are so many shades and hues of each color to explore. This project is great for many ages, two year olds will love touching and looking at each materials and a 10 year old will figure out how to make an intricate pattern using the same color but in different shades and tones. 

We began by having the children choose one color they would like to work in. I add a little white glue to the paint so it's nice and sticky when we are ready to attach all the other varieties of materials. I gave the children cardboard squares which you could upscale from a box or just use a sturdy paper. Then the kids paint away. I then add a little white to each paint cup for the to mix in. So now we have two tones of color on the cardboard.

If doing this project at home you could walk around the house with your child and see what materials you can find in the color they have chosen. We offered paper, fabric, yarn, straws, lace. buttons, bottle  caps. I absolutely love materials, love the potential in the materials and so enjoy observing the children using them to their interest. 

 

After they explored the paint for a bit. I brought out the other materials one at a time. I like to give the little students one material at a time so they can explore each material thoroughly before moving on to the next. 

The children really get to use the materials how they are comfortable, painting over some fabrics and papers, "hiding" them, stacking materials and sometimes even organizing them into categories. The result is a gloriously colorful mixed media piece with diverse shades of the same color.