We did something something interesting with the kids in our painting activity today.

I am trying to teach them some important basic concepts through painting so I gave them an opposite colors activity.

A while back we had done an activity on how to make a color wheel so I had the children take those out first.

We went over a bit what primary colors are and what secondary colors as those are really the only 2 things they have on their color wheel.

I explained to them that opposite or complementary colors are what is opposite each color on the color wheel and they were going to make picture using the OPPOSITE of what that color would normally be.

I explained the concept by writing down some typical objects the kids usually draw or paint along with their usual color

We then looked at the color wheel to find which was the opposite of those colors and I had them draw out the picture before had so they would know where to put which colors.

This wasnt a lesson in creativity as much as a way of teaching them about complementary or opposite colors.

I really also like to draw them away from the typical and we did talk about different types of art that did not tend to use strictly realistic color like expressionism and fauvism.

Even thought they did basically follow the activity as instructed one child expressed her dissatisfaction with this type of art in making a big x across her painting when she was done.

I think it will take me a while to get the children to be able to be able to be creative without worrying how realistic and exact they have to be when painting.

The problem may also be because we are learning realistic drawing at the same time so only time will tell as to which direction they will take their art.

I think this activity definitely did give them a good beginning understanding of using a color wheel and some color theory.