Lesson 5: Two Color Mixing

Materials and Tools

• 18” x 24” white paper 80#
• Red paint in soufflé cup
• Blue paint in soufflé cup
• 1” brush 
• Water in deli cup
• Sponge
• Tray

Activities

Step 1: Invitation to Explore

• “What color did we create/make last week?” 
• “How did we create orange?”
• “What do you see on my tray this week?” 
• “We have blue and red!”
• Review removing the lid off of soufflé cups.
• “What do think will happen when we mix blue and red?”
• Create an area of color with the red paint. 
• “Now I want to use blue. Can I put my brush into the blue paint? Why not?” 
• Model cleaning the brush singing the brush washing song. 
• Review drying it on the sponge (Remind the students of the connection between bathing and drying off before you put on your clothes.) 
• Create a patch of blue paint. 
• Explain that red and blue are both strong colors. 
•  “What do you think will happen when we mix red and a little bit of blue together?” 
• Add a little bit of blue to a patch of red!   “What color did we make? Purple!”

Step 2: Work-time

• Invite 3-4 students to the art center.
• Encourage students to stand or sit, whichever is more comfortable for them so that they can use their whole arm as they move the brush on the paper. 
• Each student has his own tray with a cup of red paint and a cup of blue paint, a brush, deli cup with water and a sponge. 
• Review removing the lid off of the soufflé cup.
• Remind students to wash their brushes between dipping into red or blue. Sing the brush washing song.
• You will need to be fully present at the table until the students have internalized the brush washing routine into their approach to painting.
• Comment on the many shades of purple the students are creating and how they are moving their brush to create patches/areas of color.

Step 3: Reflection

“I see blue and red in this painting. What color did you make?” You can extend the reflection by asking: “Was it harder to mix green, orange or purple?”

Vocabulary

Paintbrush, handle, wood, bristle, sponge, mixing, add, blend, light, dark, lighter, darker, top, bottom, corner, middle