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I have a free 4 weeks Claude Monet unit study and the best hands-on ideas. Also, look at my page Free Art Units for more fun art ideas and Best Homeschool Unit Studies for more unit studies.

This Monet unit study is ideal for the whole family.

It can be modified to make it easy for the youngest learner or create more of a challenge for middle and high school.

Claude Monet’s painting style was Impressionism.

It is a style made up of small, visible brushstrokes that offer a minimal impression of form, and unblended color.

There is an emphasis on the accurate depiction of natural light.

Two other major artists known for this style were Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Edgar Degas.

We are going to put our focus on Monet for this study, his style, life, and works.

BOOKS FOR KIDS ABOUT CLAUDE MONET

Digging a bit into his history and inspiration for his beautiful paintings.

First, look at these books to add to your study.

5 Books About Claude Monet For Kids Who Love To Read And Be Read To

Add one or two of these fun books about the famous artist Claude Monet.

Claude Monet (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists)

Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists series combines a delightful mix of full-color historical reproductions, photos, and hilarious cartoon-style illustrations that bring to life the works of renowned artists, combining poignant anecdotes with important factual information for readers (Ages 8-9).This book provides an entertaining and humorous introduction to the famous artist, Claude Monet. Full-color reproductions of the actual paintings are enhanced by Venezia's clever illustrations and story line.

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Linnea in Monet's Garden

Linnea has been in Paris. And she has visited the painter Claude Monet's garden! She even stood on the same little Japanese bridge that Monet painted so often in his pictures. In Paris, Linnea got to see many of the real paintings.

Now she can understand what it means to be called an Impressionist, and she knows a lot about Monet's life in the pink house where he lived with his eight children.

Twenty-five years after its original publication, this celebration of the wonder of art is available once again in an enlarged keepsake edition. The joy and inspiration Linnea discovers in Monet's garden will be eagerly embraced by a new generation of readers.

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A Child's Introduction to Art: The World's Greatest Paintings and Sculptures

Introduce kids ages 9 through 12 to the artworld's most famous painters, styles, and periods, all brought to life through full-color photographs of 40 masterpieces, as well as charming original illustrations. This gorgeously illustrated reader highlights 40 painters and sculptors, including Leonardo da Vinci, Claude Monet, Diego Velasquez, Vincent van Gogh, Salvador Dali, Mary Cassatt, and Andy Warhol, providing information on their life, inspirations, influences, technique, and a full-color photo of one of their signature works of art. It also includes an overview of various styles and periods (Renaissance, Impressionism, Cubism, etc.), instruction on how to view and appreciate art, and information on the color wheel and other tools artists employ.

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The Magical Garden of Claude Monet

Parents, teachers, and gift givers will find:

• gorgeous illustrations and reproductions of works by the artists
• a fun and educational story for home or the classroom
• a great series to be used for home school materials
• a whole series of books for children to learn about important artists!

Author and illustrator Laurence Anholt recalls memorable and sometimes amusing moments when the lives of the artists were touched by children. Anholt's fine illustrations appear on every page and include reproductions of works by the artists.

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Meet Claude Monet (Meet the Artist)

Art is everywhere. Whether you are sitting in a library or walking around the city, you will find examples of art all over. But how do you know when something is art? How is one piece different from the next? In Meet Claude Monet, you will learn from one of the greatest artists of all time. Who better to show how wild strokes can make something beautiful? See what he can show you about Impressionism! Then, examine your favorite places and create art for yourself.Travel through time as you flip each page. Visit artwork from the greatest names in history.Meet the Artist is Read With You’s introduction to the world of art. This series weaves interesting facts with gorgeous art as the artists themselves engagingly introduce their masterpieces. On each colorful page, the artist points out significant details and personal touches in pieces that have captured the world with their beauty. Young readers will practice their reading skills and challenge themselves to examine art like an expert, while soaking up world-famous artwork. Parents and teachers will love the creative questions and activities that encourage readers to apply the concepts they’ve learned and test new techniques.

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Next, look at this first week.

INTRODUCTION TO CLAUDE MONET WEEK 1

Monet’s Life and Background

• Monet was born in 1840 in France, and while he traveled, he spent most of his entire life in France.
• He was the leader of the impressionist movement, a critic once called his work “Impressionism” due to its lack of realism with an emphasis on light and form instead and the movement was born.
• Monet began losing his sight to cataracts in 1912 and was declared legally blind in 1922 but continued painting right up until his death in 1926.
• He destroyed over 500 of his paintings due to a combination of being displeased with his work, seeking perfection in it, and because of the effects of his deteriorating vision

Impressionism Movement:

Impressionism is a style of painting that started in France in the late 1800s. Instead of painting things exactly as they looked, artists wanted to capture a feeling or moment.

Some characteristics of impressionism are:

• Impressionists liked to show light changes and how it interacted with objects, focusing on the effects of light and shadow rather than precise details.
• They used a wide range of colors, often applying them in short, quick brushstrokes to give their paintings vibrancy and a feeling of movement.
• Instead of mixing colors on a palette, they often applied different colors side-by-side on a brush and then on the canvas, allowing the viewer’s eye to mix them.
• Impressionists often depicted ordinary scenes of everyday life, such as landscapes, cityscapes, portraits, and scenes of leisure.
• Many Impressionist artists preferred painting outdoors (en plein air) to study light and color in real-time.

Activities

• Read Monet’s biography, Who Was Claude Monet is great for middle elementary through early middle while Monet Paints a Day is a sweet picture book for younger children.
• Discuss the characteristics of Impressionism above.
• View a gallery of Monet’s works to examine his subjects, series, and techniques.
• Play an Art Game to look at different artists and painting methods, comparing and contrasting is a great way to look at art.

MONET’S TECHNIQUES WEEK 2

Light and Color in Monet’s Paintings:

• Monet considered light to be the true subject of his paintings. He aimed to show the changing qualities of light throughout the day and across different seasons. This meant focusing on the play of light and shadow, reflections, and even atmospheric effects.

• He used color to represent the way light interacts with objects and the environment. He did not aim for realistic color representation, but instead used color to convey the sensation of light.

Brushstrokes and Texture

• Monet employed visible, broken brushstrokes rather than smooth, blended ones. This technique allowed him to capture the fleeting effects of light and movement.
• His brushstrokes were often short, quick dabs or strokes of color, applied rapidly to the canvas. This method created a sense of immediacy and spontaneity.
• The direction of the brushstrokes often followed the form of the objects he painted, adding to the sense of movement and life within the scene.
• He applied pure colors directly to the canvas, side by side, rather than mixing them on the palette. This allowed the viewer’s eye to blend the colors, creating a vibrant and luminous effect.
• Monet frequently used impasto, applying paint thickly to the canvas. This created a textured surface that added depth and physicality to his paintings.
• The varied texture of his brushstrokes contributed to the overall texture of the painting, enhancing the sense of light and atmosphere.
• The textured surface of his paintings added a sense of tactility, inviting the viewer to engage with the artwork on a physical level.

Activities

Experiment with different light sources (e.g., flashlight, lamp, natural light) on the same object.

Practice short, visible brushstrokes. Try different thicknesses of paint, shorter and slightly longer strokes, and combine colors on the canvas by picking up two different colors on each side of the brush rather than mixing on the palette.

Recreate a small portion of a Monet painting or try to recreate the entire scene, below I have a basic tutorial for capturing the style of Monet’s impressionist painting of Poppies.

MONET’S SERIES PAINTINGS WEEK 3