Minds On

Let’s get started!

Notice and wonder

What do you notice about the following artwork?

What kind of materials does the artist use?

Record your ideas as pictures and/or words.

Share your thoughts with a partner, if possible.

Action

Get ready, get set…

Contrast

In the Minds On, you explored quilt art by Loretta P. Bennett. She creates contrast in her artwork.

What is contrast?

Contrast is a principle of design. Contrast is the use of opposite kinds of art elements. Contrast can be created by using rough and smooth textures. Contrast can also be created by using dark and light values.

Press the following tabs to explore a variety of ways to use contrast.

Sometimes artists use big and small shapes to explore some things that are further away or closer.

Sometimes the size of something might mean it is more important for the artist.

For example, the following artwork shares how the tree starts as small plant and grows up to be big and strong. This creates contrast.

Artists create contrast by choosing different shapes in their art.

A shape is a form that is closed. An artist might choose to add two different kinds of shapes to their artwork.

The following artwork uses mostly circles. By adding the square, the artist creates contrast and helps the audience focus on the square.

Artists use contrast by choosing different colours of things in their art.

When are artist is choosing a colour, they might use cool colours in one part of a painting and warm colours in another part.

An image of a sunrise over water. The water is made with cool colours. The sunrise and sky are made with warm colours

The artist uses warm colours to create the sun and the sky, and cool colours to create the ocean water. This might tell the story of the sun setting after a day at sea.

Artists also use contrast by choosing light and dark colours and shades. One way of creating shades is to add different amounts of black to a colour. Another way to create shade is to add dark marks and lines.

The artist used black in the background and white and yellow for the candle. The dark and light contrast helps the audience focus on the candle in the artwork.

Go!

Loretta Bennett

Loretta Bennett is an artist who creates quilts. She was introduced to sewing when she was five years old. She creates quilts because they help her express her ideas.

First, she creates a drawing for her quilts and decides on the colours. The colours are important because they mean something to her. For example, in one design she used a bright pink because it was her mother’s favourite colour.

Finding contrast in art

Let’s return to Loretta Bennett’s artwork from the Minds On.

How does Loretta Bennett create contrast using one or more of the following kinds of contrast?

  • colour
  • shape
  • size

Press ‘Possible Answers’ to discover how Loretta Bennett creates contrast in her artwork.

B. J.: Loretta Bennet uses warm colours (red, orange and yellow) and cool colours (green and blue) to create contrast. She also adds black and white which are shades. She also uses small and large rectangles to create contrast.

No Way, No Way: In this work, Loretta Bennett uses light and dark in this artwork. She contrasts bright yellow with black and red to create contrast. The yellow shapes are 2 rectangles and a triangle, and they contrast with the other shapes in the artwork.

Crown Royal: Loretta uses the cool colour blue and the warm colour yellow to create contrast. She also adds a rectangle and squares which contrast the other shapes in her artwork.

Portfolio

Portfolio

Record your response using a method of your choice.

Consolidation

Putting it all together

Let’s explore contrast!

Now it’s your turn to reveal your understanding of contrast.

Safety

Before you begin:

Choose one of the following options to reveal your understanding of contrast.

Press the following tabs to check out your options.

Gather items from around the space you are in to reveal contrast in size, colour or shape.

Describe how the items you choose explore contrast.

A ruler, a shoe, a crayon, a notebook, a marble, a pencil, an eraser, and a comb

Can you create a drawing that explores contrast in size, colour or shape? You may also use a digital application to create a digital drawing.

Using the following Exploring Contrast template, on a blank sheet of paper, or using a method of your choice, create an image to share what art is to you. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.

Exploring Contrast

Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Exploring Contrast.

Activity(Open PDF in a new window)

Student Success

Exploring digital creation options

When you are considering digital creation options, explore the variety of digital applications available!

Note to teachers: See your teacher guide for collaboration tools, ideas and suggestions.

Portfolio

Portfolio

In your art journal, or using another method of your choice, answer the following question.

Explain how artists use contrast in their art.

Record your thoughts or share with a partner, if possible.

Reflection

How do you feel about what you have learned in this activity? Which of the next four sentences best matches how you are feeling about your learning? Press the button that is beside this sentence.

I feel…

Now, record your ideas about your feelings using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.