EXPRESSING IDENTITY THROUGH PATTERN AND COLOR
Learning Description
In this lesson, students will study Yayoi Kusama’s artwork to learn how patterns are created through repeated lines and shapes. Students will create a composition from a word that represents a personal strength, add a variety of patterns, and apply watercolor combining personal reflection with design.
Learning Targets
"I Can" Statements
“I Can…”
- I can identify how artists use lines, shapes, and repetition to make patterns.
- I can create my own patterns using lines and shapes.
- I can design an artwork that shows one of my personal strengths.
- I can use color to express emotion and meaning in my artwork.
Essential Questions
- How do artists use lines, shapes, and repetition to create patterns?
- How can patterns and colors be used to express emotions or ideas?
- In what ways can art reflect personal identity and strengths?
Georgia Standards
Curriculum Standards
HE4.1 Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.
HE4.1.c Describe basic health concepts of mental and emotional well-being.
HE4.5 Students will demonstrate the ability to use decision-making skills to enhance health.
Arts Standards
VA4.CR.1 Engage in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas by using subject matter and symbols to communicate meaning.
VA4.CR.3 Understand and apply media, techniques, processes, and concepts of two-dimensional art.
VA4.PR.1 Plan and participate in appropriate exhibition(s) of works of art to develop identity of self as artist.
VA4.CR.5 Demonstrate an understanding of the safe and appropriate use of materials, tools, and equipment for a variety of artistic processes.
South Carolina Standards
Curriculum Standards
Standard 2: “Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors” (NHES, 2007).
I-4.2.1 Analyze ways that protective factors promote health and safety (e.g., positive outlook, healthy self-concept, good relationships with parents).
Arts Standards
Anchor Standard 1: I can use the elements and principles of art to create artwork.
Benchmark VA.CR I can combine several elements of art to express ideas.
Indicator VA.CR NM.1.2 I can combine several elements of art to construct 2D or 3D artwork.
Anchor Standard 2: I can use different materials, techniques, and processes to make art.
Benchmark VA.CR NM.2 I can use some materials, techniques, and tools to create artwork.
Indicator VA.CR NM.2.1 I can use two-dimensional art materials to explore ways to make art.
Anchor Standard 4: I can organize work for presentation and documentation to reflect specific content, ideas, skills, and or media.
Benchmark VA.P NL.4 I can show and describe the idea of my artwork.
Indicator VA.P NL.4.2 I can describe my artwork.
Key Vocabulary
Content Vocabulary
- Strength - A positive quality, ability, or trait that a person does well and can rely on in different situations
Arts Vocabulary
- Pattern - Repetition of specific visual elements such as a unit of shape or form
- Line - A continuous mark made on some surface by a moving point. It may be two dimensional, like a pencil mark on a paper or it may be three dimensional (wire) or implied (the edge of a shape or form) often it is an outline, contour or silhouette.
- Shape - A flat, enclosed line that is always two-dimensional and can be either geometric or organic
- Variety - The differences in a work, achieved by using different shapes, textures, colors and values
- Line quality - Thickness or thinness of a line
Materials
- Examples of Yayoi Kusama’s artwork, such as “Flowers” and “Petals”
- Small pieces of paper, such as 3x5 cards
- Permanent markers
- Pencils
- 8x8 inch white mixed media paper
- Watercolor paints
- Paintbrushes
- Water cups
- Color wheel
Instructional Design
Opening/Activating Strategy
- Show students examples of Yayoi Kusama’s artwork, such as “Flowers” and “Petals”.
- Ask students to notice the lines and shapes that Kusama makes in these artworks.
- Discuss how patterns are created by repeating lines and shapes.
- Pass out 3x5 notecards to students. Have each student make a simple pattern on the notecard.
- Students should then share their different patterns with the students at their tables.
Work Session
- Discuss with students how each person has strengths and weaknesses. Have students brainstorm a list of their strengths. Students should select one for their artwork.
- Pass out 8x8 square paper to students. Have the students write the word in pencil on their paper so that the letters overlap.
- Tell students to be sure each letter touches at least two sides of their paper.
- Next, have students go over their lines with permanent markers.
- Have students use lines to create patterns with their markers. Encourage students to use a variety of patterns and line qualities.
- Students should fill each of the shapes that they made with their overlapping letters.
- Next, discuss how different colors can evoke different emotions. Show students a color wheel and ask students to consider what each color makes them feel.
- Students should then select at least three colors for their artwork.
- Using watercolor paints, students will paint in various shapes of their artwork.
Closing Reflection
- Have students share their artwork using the following reflection questions:
- What did you show in your work?
- What types of patterns did you use?
- What were some of the challenges you faced as you created your artwork?
Assessments
Formative
- Teachers will assess students throughout the lesson by observing responses to discussion questions, creation of patterns, and artmaking process.
Summative
Differentiation
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Accelerated:
Remedial:
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Credits
U.S. Department of Education- STEM + the Art of Integrated Learning
Ideas contributed by: Katy Betts
*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.
Revised and copyright: August 2025 @ ArtsNOW