DESCRIPTION: Students play Red Light, Green Light to initiate discussion about ideas and emotions associated with certain colors.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this activity is to highlight ways that color can convey emotion and ideas.

PROCEDURE: We all have strong ideas and feelings about colors. For example, the color red. Let's think of some things that are red (apples, stop signs, fire engines, blood, etc.). Imagine what it would be like if everything that was red suddenly turned gray. Can you picture eating a shiny gray apple or a gray cherry pie? How would you feel if you cut your finger and your blood was gray? In the world of art, colors relay important information. As we have just discovered, when we see a color, we immediately think of an idea or feeling. But sometimes artists mix up the colors that they use when they paint a person, animal, or object, just like the gray apple we tried to imagine. For example, if an artist wanted to show us an angry cat in their painting, they might paint the cat red because red can make people think of the emotion anger. Or if they wanted to paint a picture of cows eating grass on a hot day they might use they color red or even orange to show us that it's a hot day. What colors would they use if it were a cold day?

Colors can also describe different ideas or situations. For example, what color would you use for war? What color is peace? What color is spring? Autumn? Let's see if we can learn why artists paint with colors that we are not used to seeing. There is a game I know that could help us learn about the meaning of color. Has anyone ever played the game Red Light, Green Light? As you all know a traffic light changes colors to tell drivers and pedestrians when to go and when to stop. What color says go? What color says stop?

In the game Red Light, Green Light I will act as the traffic light. Everyone will line up and when I call out green light, walk towards the "light." When I call out red light, stop immediately. Anyone who fails to stop is out. We'll play Red Light, Green Light until everyone is out or until someone is able to walk all the way from the starting line to the"traffic light" without being called out. Now that everyone is familiar with this, I'm going to change the rules. When I call out red light, I want everyone to walk towards the light. When a call out green light, stop. Pay attention because it is difficult to change the color meaning. (If this is easy for them to do, use new combination of colors, such as complimentary colors or color opposites, for the traffic light. Or, decide to alternately speed up or slow down the traffic light.)

So what did you learn about the meaning of color when you switched the color on the traffic light? After a while did you begin to believe that when the light turned red you could go? If we look at an artwork that uses a color differently from the way that we are used to, how can we figure out what the artist is telling us? Well sometimes we may be able to understand the artist's ideas or feelings through his or her use of color. But other times it may be more difficult. Let's walk around the galleries a little bit and see if we can find out what the meaning of color is for different artists.

Notes: As you discuss works of art and the message conveyed by color, point out how other elements work together to contribute to meaning.

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

Age level: Discussion appropriate for grades 3 and up while the activity is appropriate for grades 2-5.
Artworks used: Use areas in the galleries that have paintings or sculptures in which color is manipulated to express a new idea or emotion.
Props needed: No props needed.
Related to Minneapolis Sculpture Garden: Yes
Notes: This activity requires a large space.


© 1998 WALKER ART CENTER