Geometric Painting for Kids

Miss R, my loyal tester for all projects that reach my preschool art class, experimented with a wonderful painting project yesterday. We made a large-scale geometric painting comprised of many squares in various colors. 

First, we composed a tape grid on poster board (making squares out of lots of horizontal and vertical lines of painter’s tape), and then painted within each square.

We were mindful of color placement, making sure that side-by-side squares didn’t feature the same color.

When all squares were filled, and all paint dry, we peeled off the tape. 

It’s oh-so-satisfying to peel away tape and reveal crisp white lines beneath. Kids don’t have to worry about painting within the tape lines, and are always thrilled to see how clean and neat their compositions can become with a little tape-resist help.

Miss R and I are proud of our piece, and agree that this project will work well in the preschool classroom. Perhaps each kid will be responsible for one color, as all paint together at once — making one large, communal painting.

It’s always interesting to talk to kids about the expressive capacity of lines and shapes. A work like this can evoke feelings of calmness, quietude, rigidity, control, cleanliness and order — though kids will use simpler words to describe it. Even the youngest artists will realize the expressive differences between a tight geometric work and one that uses looser line and open shapes. I often use the comparison below in my art history classes.

Have a creative day, and please share all your Fine Art for Kids activities below!