Summer Art: Capturing Color with Pointillism

Whether or not you break from homeschooling over the summer, lesson topics that lend themselves to incorporating multiple subjects are excellent ways to engage children who have different interests or to slip some “school” into a more relaxed summer structure. Introducing the pointillism style of painting to your young artists creates opportunities to study the history of the movement, explore the science of color and light, and put math principles into practice.

The History of Pointillism

Begin with the basics of pointillism at Wonderopolis. Be sure to check out the “Try It Out” section at the end for an in-depth exploration of Georges Seurat’s Un Dimanche a la Grande Jatte, the similarities between pointillist paintings and the pixels in digital images, and more.

Check out some interesting facts about and examples of pointillism at Ducksters.com.

Explore some beautiful examples of artwork by modern artists inspired by the pointillism techniques of the 19th century.

The Science of Pointillism

How does pointillism work exactly? Why do we perceive so many variations of color in paintings that are literally composed of dots of pure, basic colors? Learn how the science of optical illusion influences this artistic style.

Use this simple science experiment to expand on the light spectrum and the topic of how we perceive color.

Pointillism is only one example of a topic which can be used to engage students who may be interested primarily in artistic subjects. Check out these activities for topics like pointillism and kinetic sculpture for ideas on how to combine artistic and scientific pursuits.

The Math in Pointillism

Learn about the r elationship between pointillism and geometry and how the practical application of “points” in geometry influence modern technology.

Explore “the artistic side of math” with this blog post by elementary math specialist Karyn Hodgens.

Check out this math art project from Better Than Homework for a cool way to blend math, in the form of skip counting, and art, in the form of pointillism.

The Art of Pointillism

Find the fascinating images hidden within images in these extraordinarily detailed pointillism drawings.

Learn and practice some pointillism techniques on your own with this simple instructional video.

Check out the way pointillism has influenced the fabric painting of this art blogger.

Megan Mora Fuentes

A homeschool graduate, Megan earned her associate degree while in high school. She has worked as an office manager for eight years. In her spare time, Megan enjoys kayaking, writing, and baking cookies for anyone who will eat them. She and her husband live in her hometown of Winchester.