How to Teach Value

If you’re looking for an easy approach to teaching kids art, there’s no better system than using the elements and principles of art.

This is the fifth tutorial in our series Connecting with the Elements – How to Teach the Elements & Principles of Art. This week I’m talking about VALUE.

What is Value and why is it important?

Value is the lightness or darkness in a color. When you add white to a color, like red, you’ll get a TINT.

The pink that children make when white is added to red is purely magical.

When you add black to a color, it is called SHADE.

When children mix a bit of black to red, a deep burgundy will appear. This paint mixing is purely magical and intense with learning opportunities.

There is no easier way to show children the fun of mixing black and white than by creating this simple cat project.

Here’s what you’ll need:

– 12″ x 18″ white sulphite or all-purpose drawing paper

– Black, white and/or gold oil pastel or crayon

– Small amount of liquid tempera paint (craft acrylic paint works fine)

– Small amount of white liquid tempera paint

– Optional; orange and yellow painted paper or colored paper

– Optional; metallic tempera paints

Either use a directed drawing or allow children to create their own cat.

If you have small children (younger than 7), consider using a pint size food container lid to trace the cat’s head near the top corner of the paper.

Drawing the Cat

Trace the circle top for the head.

Add a cat’s face but don’t add any whiskers yet.

Add triangles for ears.

Starting at the right side of the head, draw a slightly curved line to the other edge of the paper and curve down to almost the bottom.

Draw a straight horizontal line all the way to the other side of the paper.

Go back to the head and draw one line towards the bottom of the paper, joining with the straight horizontal line.

Now add the leg definition by drawing two upside down letter “U’s”

Add a long tail in whatever space you have available.

We kept the drawing super simple and large. I wanted the kids to have plenty of space to add their paint later on.

Using the black oil pastel, divide the cat drawing into shapes using lines, shapes and patterns.

Value Painting + a little gold

To create grey scale, place some black and white liquid tempera paint in a muffing-style tray.

Kids can mixed bits of white with black to create varying shades of grey.

If you are anything like me, you might need a little glam. If this is the case, throw in some gold metallic paint and allow the kids to add it where they want.

Collage

When dry, cut out cat and glue onto black 12″ x 18″ paper. Using gold, white and black oil pastels, trace over all the lines you want to highlight. This is the time to add whiskers.

Painted Paper Flowers

Using painted paper scraps, add colorful flower details to glue on and around the cat. Don’t forget the leaves.

Here’s another post that duplicates the same instructions but has a different outcome.

Interested in starting your year refreshed, prepared and ready to go?

Download our back to School Guide | Resources to help kickstart your art program

It’s a 3-part strategy on how to use the Elements of Arts when planning your art curriculum including ordering supplies, a grade level checklist for the scope and sequence of K-7 Elements of Art and What I’ll Learn in Art Class posters.

To learn how to teach the Elements of Art to elementary school students, here are a few posts that will get you started:

How to Teach Line & Pattern

How to Teach Shape

How to Teach Color

How to Teach Contrast & Emphasis

Are you a Sparkler?

Head over to the private Sparklers’ Club website and click on the EPIC Curriculum.