Exploring Colour Palettes

Year Level

Year 7 Visual Arts

Duration

50 minutes

Class Size

20 students

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Unit Context

This lesson is lesson 7 of 20 in the unit Exploring Art through Picasso, focusing specifically on Picasso's Rose Period and Blue Period colour palettes.

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Western Australian Curriculum Links

Content Descriptions

• AC9AVA8E01: Investigate ways that visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials are manipulated to represent ideas, perspectives and/or meaning in artworks created across cultures, times, places and/or other contexts.
• AC9AVA8D01: Experiment with visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials to develop skills.
• AC9AVA8C02: Select and manipulate visual conventions, visual arts processes and/or materials to create artworks that represent ideas, perspectives and/or meaning.

General Capabilities

• Literacy: Engaging with art vocabulary and descriptive language.
• Critical and Creative Thinking: Analysing colour use and reflecting on artistic choices.
• Personal and Social Capability: Respecting diverse artistic perspectives.
• Ethical Understanding: Considering cultural contexts in art.

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Learning Intentions (WALT)

• We Are Learning To: Analyse the use of colour palettes in Picasso’s Rose and Blue periods, understanding how warm and cool tones convey emotions and meaning.

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Success Criteria

Students will be able to:

• Identify warm and cool tones within Picasso’s Rose and Blue period artworks.
• Reflect on the emotional impact of these palettes.
• Describe how colour choices affect the mood and narrative of artworks.
• Compare and contrast colour palettes from Picasso with those of another artist.

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Resources Required

• High-quality printed images or digital projection of Picasso’s Rose Period works (predominantly warm pinks, reds) and Blue Period works (predominantly cool blues).
• Examples of colour wheels illustrating warm and cool colours.
• Paper, coloured pencils or markers.
• Student visual diaries or sketchbooks.
• Dyslexia-friendly printed notes with simple language and supportive visuals about warm and cool colours and Picasso’s periods.
• Whiteboard or smartboard for discussion and notes.

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction and Engagement (10 minutes)

• Begin with a brief, age-appropriate introduction to Picasso’s Rose and Blue periods highlighting the distinct emotional tones linked to these palettes.
• Show exemplar artworks from each period.
• Discuss the concept of warm tones (reds, pinks, oranges) and cool tones (blues, greens, purples) referencing a simple colour wheel.
• Use dyslexia-friendly notes to support understanding and include imagery and keywords.

2. Whole Class Discussion (15 minutes)

• Facilitate a guided discussion using open-ended questions:
• What colours do you notice in the Blue Period artworks?
• How do these cool tones make you feel?
• What about the warm colours of the Rose Period?
• How do you think Picasso used colour to express mood or ideas at these times?
• Demonstrate annotation of one artwork's colour choices on the projection, showing where warm or cool colours dominate.

3. Individual Reflection & Sketching Activity (15 minutes)

• Students choose one artwork from each period.
• Using their visual diaries, students sketch a simplified version focusing mainly on the colour palette.
• Students then write or draw reflections on how the colour palette affects the artwork's mood.
• For students who struggle with writing (such as dyslexic learners), offer the option to orally record their reflections or use bullet point templates.

4. Extension Activity for Advanced Learners (During Individual Task)

• Compare the Rose and Blue palette to another artist’s use of colour (teacher provides examples such as Monet’s Impressionist palette or Van Gogh’s expressive colours).
• Students initiate a quick comparison noting similarities or differences in palette choice and emotional impact.

5. Sharing and Closure (10 minutes)

• Voluntary sharing of reflections and sketches in small groups or pairs to build confidence and encourage peer learning.
• Teacher summarises key points about the use of colour palettes to communicate emotion and ideas.
• Highlight respect for diverse interpretations and encourage students to keep noticing colour in art and everyday life.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For students with learning difficulties or dyslexia: Use dyslexia-friendly handouts with clear, simple language and imagery; allow oral responses; use visual scaffolds like colour-coded charts and colour wheels.
• For advanced learners: Provide additional artworks for comparison; encourage deeper analysis through research or creative responses.
• For English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners: Use visual aids heavily; pre-teach key vocabulary (warm, cool, tone, mood); pair with supportive peers.

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Assessment & Feedback

• Formative assessment through observation of participation in discussion and sketch/reflection activity.
• Review student reflections to assess understanding of colour palettes and emotional impact.
• Provide specific verbal or written feedback highlighting use of correct colour terminology and depth of reflection.
• Encourage students to think about how they will use colour choices in their own art-making in future lessons.

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Notes for Teachers

• Encourage emotional literacy through discussion of colour and mood.
• Consider starting or ending the session with soft music that reflects the colour mood — blues for the Blue Period, gentle warm tones for the Rose Period — to deepen sensory engagement.
• Reinforce vocabulary by repeating and revisiting throughout the lesson.
• Use safe space strategies to allow students to share feelings inspired by art without judgment.

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This lesson aligns with the Western Australian Curriculum aim for Year 7 visual arts students to investigate and manipulate visual conventions, developing skills and reflecting on diverse artistic perspectives in meaningful ways.