Description
Yayoi Kusama Art Game
Are you looking for a fun way to supplement your art history lessons? Going to be absent and need last minute art sub plans? Fill up your sub tub with low-prep art lessons like this Yayoi Kusama abstract painting project that excites students. Teach your students about modern art, organic shapes, and acrylic painting.
Are you trying to foster more independence in your art room? This Yayoi Kusama art game makes for the best and most productive early finisher activity for your students. You can set up a choice-based art center where students select an activity amongst different ones. Print out the game board and directions back to back, put them in a labeled folders, and let them pick what they’d like to create. This is similar to a directed drawing activity in which students are guided through the art process.
If you’re a teacher looking for a differentiated art lesson that boosts independent thinking, problem-solving, and skill-acquisition, this will do the trick.
Student Directions
You will create a Yayoi Kusama abstract painting by rolling the die and collecting the different parts required to create it.
- Using a flat brush and acrylic paint on canvas, cardboard, foam board, or any other sturdy surface, paint the background whatever color(s) you’d like. Let it dry.
- Then roll the die to select a border from the first column. Paint it using a thin, round brush.
- Next, roll the die twice to select two shapes from the second column, painting them inside the border. Be sure to repeat colors in different areas throughout to show balance. And don’t worry about making perfect shapes. None of Kusama’s designs are precise!
- Roll two more times for column three, four, and five until you have a total of eight organic shapes. Paint them, then let them dry completely.
- To finish your painting, add dots of various sizes around, in between, and inside all your designs.
- Paint your dots or print them using q-tips, marker caps, corks, or whatever else you might have that’s shaped like a small dot.
- Lastly, add some simple patterns to some of the shapes and background.
Teacher Directions
I’ve included three ways students can generate their design. The first is the game board where students roll the die to select their parts. The second is a “you pick” board. Both of these are printables. And lastly, for teachers needing engaging lessons during distance learning, I’ve added digital spinner wheels!
First, print out the Yayoi Kusama game and picture directions back-to-back. Then give your students dice and watch them have fun creating their own art project independently. If you have access to a smartboard or projector, use the accompanying PowerPoint presentation. It will guide the students during each part of the art project.
Once completed, have students use the self-assessment rubrics to evaluate their artwork based on craftsmanship, creativity, following directions, work habits, project goals, and clean up. And then have them complete the “Big Ideas” sheet so they can connect the creation process to their learning.
If you are substituting or need a fast finisher activity, use the included coloring page.
Grade Levels
- 5th – 8th grade
Main Learning Objective
- Students will be able to create an abstract acrylic painting using organic shapes and bold colors in the style of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama
Materials
- Acrylic Paint
- Flat and Round Brushes
- Canvas, Cardboard, Foam Board (or any other sturdy surface)
You Will Receive
- 8-Page, Non-Editable PDF (Yayoi Kusama Art Game)
- 9-Page Non-Editable PowerPoint Presentation
- Dice Game
- Choice-Based Drawing Version of the Game
- Step-by-Step Picture Tutorial and Directions
- Yayoi Kusama Biography Handout
- Visual Arts Self-Assessment Rubrics
- Artist “Big Ideas” Reflection Sheets
- 8, “I CAN” Statements Aligned to the Studio Habits of Mind
- Practice Drawing Page
- Coloring Page
- Paperless Google Drive digital resource for students (also for use in Google Classroom, Schoology, Canvas, Seesaw, Microsoft OneDrive, Teams, and anywhere else you can share a link to a file…link on the bottom of page 2)
- Digital Spinner Wheels in the download as well as on Google Slides and YouTube (links on the bottom of page 3)
Testimonials
This was great for distance learning. The students created great artworks. – A.A.
Excellent! I love your “Roll-A-Masterpiece” lessons, they’re always so successful! – M.M.
My students loved this resource! It was very useful! Thank you! – Neus M.
Terms of Use
Please refer to my complete terms of use prior to purchasing.
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