POSITIVE AFFIRMATION WATERCOLOR ART 4
POSITIVE AFFIRMATION WATERCOLOR ART
Learning Description
Students will create a watercolor artwork using words of affirmation.They will partition their paper with tape and paint the negative space with various watercolor techniques, fostering self-expression, creativity, and artistic exploration.
Learning Targets
"I Can" Statements
“I Can…”
- I can create a watercolor artwork incorporating words of affirmation expressing self-confidence and positivity through visual art.
Essential Questions
- How can visual arts and positive affirmations work together to promote self-confidence and well-being?
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).
Standard 6: “Students will demonstrate the ability to use goal-setting skills to enhance health” (NHES, 2007).
M-4.6.1 Develop a plan to reduce and manage stress.
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
- Positive affirmation - A short, intentional statement that affirms something constructive or empowering about yourself
- Resilience - The ability to adapt, recover, and grow stronger in the face of challenges, stress, or adversity
- Self-confidence - The belief in your own abilities, qualities, and judgment, which allows you to approach challenges and opportunities with assurance rather than doubt
Arts Vocabulary
- Color - An element of art with three properties: 1) Hue: the name of the color, e.g. red, yellow, etc.; 2) Intensity: the purity and strength of the color (brightness or dullness); 3) Value: the lightness or darkness of the color (shades and tints)
- Texture - The surface quality, or "feel" of an object, such as roughness, smoothness, or softness. Actual texture can be felt while simulated textures are implied by the way the artist renders areas of the picture.
- Positive space - The subject or areas of interest in an artwork
- Negative space - The area around the subject of an artwork
- Watercolor techniques
- Wet-on-wet - A painting technique where wet paint is applied onto a wet surface (either pre-wetted paper or another area of wet paint)
- Wet-on-dry - A painting technique where wet paint is applied onto dry paper (or a dry painted layer)
- Blending - A painting technique where two or more colors are smoothly merged together so they transition gradually without harsh lines
- Lifting - A painting technique where paint is removed from the paper—either while it’s still wet or after it has dried—to create lighter areas, highlights, or texture
- Resist - A technique where specific areas of a paper being painted with watercolor are protected from absorbing paint using a resist material, such as wax (like a crayon or oil pastel) or tape
Materials
- Masking tape or painter's tape
- Watercolor paper or heavyweight paper
- Watercolor paints
- Paintbrushes (various sizes)
- Water cups
- Paper towels
- Examples of watercolor techniques (e.g., wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry - video on techniques)
- Other materials for chosen watercolor techniques, such as salt, plastic wrap, crayons, etc.
Instructional Design
Opening/Activating Strategy
Introduction:
- Begin by discussing the importance of positive affirmations and how they can influence our thoughts and feelings.
- Show examples of watercolor artworks, explaining how artists use color and texture to convey meaning and emotion.
Guided Discussion:
- Lead a guided discussion about positive affirmations, asking students to share examples of affirmations they find inspiring or uplifting.
- Discuss the impact of positive words on our mindset and self-esteem, emphasizing the importance of using affirmations to promote self-confidence and resilience.
Work Session
Artistic Exploration:
- Provide each student with a sheet of watercolor paper or heavyweight paper.
- Instruct students to tear off small strips of masking tape or painter's tape to create the outline of the letters of their chosen positive affirmation on the paper.
- Encourage students to be creative with the placement and design of their affirmations, considering the overall composition of their artwork.
Watercolor Techniques:
- Demonstrate various watercolor techniques to the class, such as wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, blending, salt added to water color, lifting, and plastic wrap over wet.
- Allow students time to experiment with different techniques on the blank spaces surrounding their taped affirmation words.
- Encourage students to use a variety of colors and brushstrokes to create visual interest and texture in their artworks.
Affirmation Reveal:
- Once the watercolor paintings have dried completely, instruct students to carefully remove the masking tape to reveal the negative space of their affirmation words.
- Discuss the visual impact of the contrast between the painted background and the untouched affirmation words, emphasizing how the words stand out as a focal point in the artwork.
Closing Reflection
Sharing and Reflection:
- After completing their artworks, invite students to share their creations with the class.
- Ask students to describe the positive affirmations they chose and explain why they selected them.
- Facilitate a discussion reflecting on the experience, asking questions, such as, "How did creating art with positive affirmations make you feel?" and, "What positive messages do you hope others will take away from your artwork?".
Closure:
- Summarize the key concepts learned during the lesson, emphasizing the power of positive affirmations and artistic expression in promoting self-confidence and well-being.
Assessments
Formative
Teachers will assess students throughout the lesson by observing students’ discussion responses, planning, and artmaking process.
Summative
Differentiation
Accelerated:
Remedial:
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Credits
U.S. Department of Education- STEM + the Art of Integrated Learning
Ideas contributed by: Chad Itnyre, Kristen Alvarez, Leah Patel, Lucerito Gonzalez, Tamu Clayton, Sandra Cash, Erin Smullen
*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
