Monet's artwork can be the inspiration for a few art class painting projects.
Claude Monet was a French Impressionist painter from the late 19th century until the early 20th century. He is still well-known among artists and art historians, which makes his work a valuable tool for art students to use as a model to improve and expand their own styles of painting. Art student can focus on Monet-style paintings when they integrate his work in specific Monet painting projects within an art curriculum.
Impressionism
Art students can get an introduction to Impressionism through Monet's work. Students should look through books or museums with Monet's work before they even begin their own painting. In this project they can learn about Monet's impressionistic techniques, such as painting soft designs of flowers and landscapes that look like blurs at close-viewing, but from afar come together to create an image. Have students write their observations and sketch their own ideas for incorporating Monet's Impressionism into their own art.
Landscapes
Monet's painted landscapes of sweeping fields and coastlines, and they were usually accentuated with a simple structure such as a bridge or bench. Have students look at his use of earth tone colors, such as emerald green, cobalt blue and cadmium yellow to bring together the soft lines of a landscape. First have students mimic Monet's paintings, and then have them create their own interpretation of an Impressionist landscape.
Water Lilies
Have students look at Monet's paintings of water lilies, which famously combine the land and water in a soft and sweeping blur of color. Tell students to pay most attention to Monet's use of shading in this project, since he would make the water surface more dynamic by creating shadows and light reflections on it. Students can discuss these techniques and try to create their own water lily pieces.
Flowers
Monet was known for his soft interpretations of flowers and gardens. He would use pastel colors and brushstrokes to create contrast between the flowers, but still with the Impressionist style that made the flowers blend together. Have students work on a Monet flower project where they integrate his approach to painting into their own depictions of flowers. Tell students to focus on how Monet uses tiny pieces of light to create definition in the painting and to bring the flowers to life.
