Art Lesson – Kandinsky

We recently read the book The Life and Work of Wassily Kandinsky by Paul Flux. Kandinsky (1866-1844) was a Russian artist who travelled around Russia, France and Germany. He is famous for filling his paintings with colors and shapes. We particularly enjoyed his Composition VIII.

(picture from Guggenheim collection )

We thought it would be perfect inspiration for some Kandinsky Candy Cane drawings.

First, draw a rough outline of a candy cane. If you need to adjust it, don’t worry about the extra lines. In fact, add more lines so that you’re left with a grid that’s full of different shapes. Make sure the shapes aren’t too small.

Fill in the shapes, alternating colors.  It’s wise to limit your color selection to three or four.  Add patterns and color some completely black. Play around with it until you’re satisfied with the results.

Use black or another dark color to outline the shapes and candy cane. Add some criss cross lines and random shapes.

This was Jaylene’s version.

We were also inspired to make Kandinsky Christmas trees.