Objective: Creating ways to think about abstract art while learning about Piet Mondrian

Materials:

• White Canvas Board
• Painters Tape or Masking Tape
• Acrylic Paint (Red, yellow, blue, black)
• Paint Brush
• Large Art Tray
• Paint Tray (optional, helps to separate colors)

Download the printable instructions here.

Literature: Coppernickel Goes Mondrian by Wouter van Reek

Step 1: Write your name on the back of the canvas board. Then flip the board over to the canvas side. I choose to set the project up on an art tray but the next step might be easier if you want to remove the canvas board and place on a table.

Step 2: Using painters tape, pull off pieces and stretch them across the canvas board. You’re encouraged to keep the tape as vertical and horizontal lines like Mondrian but there isn’t a wrong way in art, so this is really your interpretation of his abstract composition.

Step 3: After pressing the tape down to make sure it’s secure against the canvas, you get to begin painting using Acrylic Paint.

Step 4: You’re going to be painting in your squares and rectangles with Acrylic Paint. Piet Mondrian used primary colors (Red, Yellow, and Blue) along with White and Black colors in his abstract compositions. You won’t need to use white since the canvas under the tape will remain white.

Step 5: Continue to paint in your artwork like Piet Mondrian and remember there is no wrong way to create.

Step 6: I’ve found it best to remove the tape before the paint has completely dried especially if you’ve painted onto the tape. That way it won’t pull the paint off with the tape.

Now sit back and enjoy your very own creation of Mondrian’s composition of Red Blue Yellow.

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