The Topic for Term 4 2024 is Post-Impressionism.
Skills Students Will Learn:
- Use of Color for Emotion and Expression: Students will explore how color can be manipulated to express mood and feeling, following the example of artists like van Gogh and Gauguin, who used color symbolically and emotionally.
- Exploration of Composition and Form: Students will learn techniques for organizing space and forms within a painting. Artists like Cézanne introduced geometric shapes and played with perspective, and students will practice simplifying objects into basic forms to explore composition.
- Experimentation with Brushwork and Texture: Post-Impressionist artists employed a wide range of techniques, from van Gogh’s thick, dynamic brushstrokes to Seurat’s precise pointillism. Students will learn different ways to apply paint to create texture, movement, and depth in their work.
- Personal Vision and Symbolism: Unlike the more observational nature of Impressionism, Post-Impressionism encouraged artists to develop a personal style and use symbolism to express deeper meanings. Students will be encouraged to incorporate their own emotional experiences and symbolic elements into their art, reflecting the movement’s focus on individual interpretation.
By studying Post-Impressionism, students gain a deep understanding of how artists transitioned from simply representing the world to conveying their own emotional and psychological responses to it. These skills expand technical proficiency and foster creativity and personal expression in art.