MATERIALS FOR THE TEACHER :
Strips of red and yellow tissue paper about 8″ wide.
FOR THE PUPILS :
Coloured crayons or chalks and 6″ by 9″ drawing paper.
METHOD
Teacher : ” It was a great surprise to find the six coloursred, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet, hidden in the light, and there are other surprises in store for us. Let us hang a strip of red tissue paper in the window at one side and a strip of yellow at the other side, so that the light will shine through each. Red by itself is just red, and yellow by itself is just yellow. Between the two we shall hang a strip of red and over it pin a double strip of yellow. The colour of the third strip is now neither red nor yellow. What is i t? With your red crayon, on the left side of your paper make a strip of colour as smooth and even in tone as the tissue paper. On the right side make a yellow strip. Now between the two try to make the orange strip. Rub the red crayon on very gently, so as not to make a shiny, slippery surface to which the yellow will not cling. When you have an even, light red tone, go over it with an even coating of yellow. Hold your paper up now. Have you matched the colours in the window? Let us pick out those having the best orange strip and pin them up at the front.”
MODIFYING COLOURS
The following may form a continuation of the lesson above or may be given as a seat exercise :
The pupils whose papers have been taken are given a fresh piece, the others turn the paper over and use the other side. Each makes with his orange crayon a square of orange in the middle of the paper, rubbing the colour on lightly but going over and over it till the colour is even in tone and as strong as it can be made. A similar square of orange but much lighter in tone is put on each side of the first square. A light tone of red is then put over the orange in the square to the left, and a tone of yellow over the orange in the square to the right. After this exercise in the modifying of orange, the pupils should be encouraged to bring some flower, fruit, or sample of material that will exhibit one of these hues of orange.
Having taught the six colours that appear in the spectrum and the making of orange, green, and violet as indicated in the foregoing lessons, no further lessons on colour need be given in Form I, as the representative work, especially from nature when coloured crayons are used, will increase the pupils’ knowledge of colour through experience. The lessons in Design will also serve to familiarize them with the different colours.
None of the type lessons in colour should occupy more than twenty minutes, and they may be given as a change and relaxation between two heavier school subjects.