DESCRIPTION: Students identify different qualities of lines in artwork.

OBJECTIVES: In addition to identifying different types of lines, this activity is also intended to help students focus on individual works of art and experience the museum.

PROCEDURE: There's a line in the galleries that wants to have some fun today. It's going to be hiding in many of the artworks we see on our tour today. But each time the line travels to a new artwork it will change itself into a new kind of line and we'll have to see if we can find it. So, let's start here. What kind of line do you see in this artwork? Is it a thick or thin line? Is it smooth or rough looking? Is it straight like a board or squiggly like a snake?

Let's follow the line in this painting (sculpture) with our fingers in the air and bring the line into this painting (sculpture) next to it. (Using your finger carry the line from one artwork to the next.) Using your fingers, point in the air where the line is in this new painting (sculpture)? The line from the last painting (sculpture) looked like this. With your finger imitate the line from the previous artwork. How did the line changed as we moved to this new painting (sculpture)? Did it become curvy, straight, jagged etc.? Is the line fatter or thinner than the line we saw in the last painting (sculpture)? Using your fingers again show me how the line has change. Has it become many lines? How many? What color is the line? So, has the line become bright or dull? (Continue the activity with other paintings or sculptures, or shift from a painting to sculpture and vice versa.)

MINNESOTA GRADUATION STANDARDS:
(1) Read, View, Listen
(2) Write and Speak
(3) Literature and the Arts

Age level: Appropriate for Pre K-4.
Artworks used: Use sculptures and paintings that contain a variety of lines.
Props needed: No props needed.
Related to Minneapolis Sculpture Garden: Yes


© 1998 WALKER ART CENTER