Grade 7 Artists Create Harmony Through Color

In class with art teacher Kristen Thornton, the students have been studying color theory and understanding the categorization of the color types - primary, secondary, and tertiary. Understanding the color wheel gives students the ability to recognize the visual relationship between colors.

To begin the project, the students cut paper into a circle and folded the piece of paper to make 12 sections. Using their knowledge of shapes and lines from their previous unit of study, they drew in pencil simple designs with radial symmetry. Ms. Thornton encouraged the students to be creative with their designs and to not forget to draw down to the center point of the circle.

Once the design was approved by Ms. Thornton, the students drew over the design with a fine tip marker to make it easier for the tracing element. The next step was to complete the tracing using windows as light boxes to make repeat patterns and complete the wheel. Then the fun part began: coloring in the mandala wheel. The students used watercolors and a paintbrush to work their way around the circle and fill in their designs. The key was to follow the color wheel to make harmonious color schemes in the design.

“This is such a fun project as the students are able to explore the concepts of pattern, repetition, and color using their own original designs,” shared Ms. Thornton. “The uniqueness of this project is how different the patterns become, and the center is the most surprising part to see.”