Unity is a principle of design that can be used by an artist to organize elements of art like line, shape or color within a work of art. Unity occurs when all of the different parts of the piece of art come together to make the work look complete or whole. There are many ways of achieving unity, one of which is repetition. Younger students often employ this concept by repeating lines, shapes and colors in their artwork. As students progress through the grades, they can add different layers of repeating textures and patterns to enhance the unity of their creation.
Unit Essential Question: Why is unity important in a composition?
ABSTRACT COLLAGE
There is lots of fun to be had with experimentation in this abstract collage inspired by German artist Claudia Chaseling. Introduce or reinforce types of lines with your students as... Learn More
WATERCOLOR FLOWERS | INSPIRED BY HELEN FRANKENTHALER
This lesson is equal parts process and product, making it the perfect lesson for first graders who love exploration but also appreciate a finished project. While learning about the groundbreaking... Learn More
CARP STREAMER
Your second-grade students will love making their very own carp streamer based on the traditional koinobori flown for Children’s Day in Japan. In this lesson, students will create unity by... Learn More
SEASHELLS ON THE BEACH
This diverse, multi-layered lesson featuring seashells on the beach has something interesting to look at on every square inch of the paper. Students will be thrilled by the tactile experiences... Learn More
BIRD COLLAGE | INSPIRED BY PETE CROMER
Everything about Australian artist Pete Cromer’s artwork screams happy: the bright colors and playful shapes, the quirky birds. Your fourth-grade students will get into a joyful groove as they make... Learn More
CHANGE SINGS
After being inspired by the powerful book Change Sings by Amanda Gorman, students will create a composition that features a bold guitar surrounded by a collage of repeating organic shapes... Learn More
LAYERED PORTRAIT | INSPIRED BY KEHINDE WILEY
In this lesson, sixth-grade students will learn about Contemporary painter Kehinde Wiley and his unique style of painting portraits. They will create a patterned, stamped background and will focus on... Learn More
WATERCOLOR SEASHELL COLLECTION
Painting from observation is the skill that students will be honing in this lesson featuring watercolored seashells. Rather than looking at something large and vast, which can be overwhelming when... Learn More
