Junior Docent School Program - Milwaukee Art Museum

Tour Implementation Ideas
The following works of art are examples that can be used with this tour. Please know
this tour is not limited to the pieces listed below!
The following teaching aides may be useful with this tour and are located in the
Education Resource Room cabinets:
The following teaching aides may be useful with this tour:
texture bags; four objects – rock, spoon, fabric swatch, wood (twig)
colored foam geometric forms and a sheet of paper
four circles of yellow and four different shades of the same color fadeless paper
backgrounds
Texture
Using the texture board, fabric swatches or four objects [i.e. a rock, something metal like
a spoon, fabric (suede, wool, silk, fur), wood like a tree twig], give these to the students
and ask them, “How does the object feel?” Ask the students to find something in a work
of art that may feel like their object.
Holmberg, August Johann, The Latest Acquisition
Distribute texture bags (one texture example per bag) and have the students feel the
texture in the bag without looking at the object. Ask the students to describe the physical
texture without using the object‟s name, then have them locate visual textures in the
work of art that correspond to the texture in the bag. Discuss similarities and differences
between the physical and visual texture. At the end, students can look in the bag. “Has
your impression of the texture changed?”
Space
Using three same-colored shapes of diminishing size, arrange the shapes on a piece of
paper or felt board using overlapping and size to create the illusion that the shape is
coming toward the viewer. Discuss the techniques used to create the illusion; the
smallest shape should be farthest away and in back, the next smallest shape will overlap
a small part of the previous shape.
Caillebotte, Gustave, Boating on the Yerres
Discuss how the boats‟ oars and the lines in the water show motion, discuss negative
and positive space in the painting.
Pavlik, Michael, Circle and Square Composition
Discuss positive and negative space. “What is positive space here? And what is
negative space? Can you find both in this artwork?”
Smith, David, Cubi IV
Discuss positive and negative space. “What is the positive space in this work of art?
What is the negative space in this piece?”
Munter, Gabrielle, Girl with Doll
“We talked about space with three-dimensional art, where is the space in this twodimensional
painting?” Ask the students what is the positive space. “What is the
negative space? Is there any textures in this painting?”
© 2011 Milwaukee Art Museum 700 N. Art Museum Dr. Milwaukee, WI 53202
JDSP – Docent Packet
25