UNIT PLAN

Course: Painting

Monochrome Painting

Medium: Acrylic
Duration: 6 days

Kansas State Standard VA:Cr2.1.II

Materials

Standard: Through experimentation, practice, and persistence demonstrate

acquisition of skills and knowledge in a chosen art form.
Anchor Standard 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.

Sketchbooks
HB Pencils
8x10 Canvas Board
16x20 Canvas
Chalk Pastel
Acrylic Brushes
Acrylic Paint
(White, Blue, Red, Yellow, Burnt Umber)

Objectives
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Students will learn how to create a chromatic black from primary colors
and a mixture of blue and brown.

Students will use their chromatic black and white to create a value scale.

Students will learn to blend the chromatic black and white to create
blended forms in a still life painting.

Elements of Art
Value, Form, Space

Art Production
Day 1 45minutes
Demonstrate: Mixed Black
Show students how to mix a black: Burnt Umber + Blue
Show students how to mix a black: Primary Colors
Add white to show undertones of each black and how to adjust.
Guided Practice: Value Scale
Using one of the mixing methods, create a black for your value scale.
On the left of your canvas board paint a swatch of this black.
On the right paint a swatch of pure white.
Combine the two (white and black) evenly to make a mid-tone.
Finish your value scale by creating three different levels of shade and
tint. For shading gradually add a little more black to the mid-tone. For
tinting gradually add more white to the mid-tone.

Principles of Design
Contrast, Harmony

Vocabulary
Value: the lightness or darkens of a tone
or color.
Tint: any color + white, highlights
Shade: any color + black, shadows

Day 2 45minutes
Demonstrate: Blending & Form
Show students how to blend values to create form in still life painting.
Guided Practice: Small Canvas Board
Create a monochromatic sphere using the blending techniques shown.

Chromatic Black: a black made of a

chroma or color rather than containing
any specific black pigment.

Day 2 45minutes
Independent Practice:
Create a well-blended monochromatic value for each of your forms in
the still life.
Be sure to pay attention to the difference in color for the objects and
how that affects your shading. Ex. A white object will never be as
dark, even in shadow, as a black object.

Pablo Picasso, The Kiss, 1969

Day 3-6 45+45+45+90minutes

Monochrome Painting

Art History/Resources
Yellow Base Apple Demo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik2g
wIAgS1U
Time Lapse Demo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_5
Z-eH6OKk
Blending:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2D

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Independent Practice:
Create a well-blended monochromatic value for each of your forms in
the still life.
DAY 4 Verbal Critique: Discuss and critique in progress still life as a
class. (Last 15 minutes)
DAY 6 Verbal Critique: Discuss and critique finished still life as a
class. (Last 15 minutes)

Modifications/Notes
Provide detailed videos via Google
Classroom/Website for reference.

Written Critique: Answer these questions in a Google Doc, use

complete sentences:
1. What part of your painting do you think was most successful?
Why?
2. What did you find most challenging in this painting? Why and
how did you overcome it
3. If you could change one thing about your painting what would it
be and why?

Aesthetic Questions

-Do you find that some either highlights or shadows are more difficult for you?
-Do you think that the undertone of the painting can affect how the colors
mood of the final colored painting?

Art Criticism/Analysis Questions

-Do your projects clearly demonstrate illusion of form on a 2D plane?

-What would you do differently in your pieces if you were to do it over?

Evaluation Criteria
CONTENT

CREATIVITY

Student
demonstrates
understanding of
correct brush
handling, basic value
scales, and blending..
Student included all
required objects and
concepts outlined in
each assignment.
1

CRAFTSMANSHIP

Student
experimented with
various values and
chromatic blacks in
their monochrome
painting.

Student created clear

and descriptive forms
with obvious
highlight, varied
mid-tones, and
shadows.

Student created
distinct and
interesting forms in
their painting.

Student used smooth

even brushstrokes to
create a smoothly
blended still life.

COMPLETION:
Student completed
each step of the
project within
designated class
periods.
Student completed
all assigned tasks for
this project including
verbal and written
critiques.
1

TOTAL: __ / 20 pts.
COMMENTS:

Monochrome Painting