Using a resist substance is a great way to highlight the importance and experiment with the use of positive and negative space in a piece of art. The resist substance for this art lesson plan is bar soap, and with it young artists can explore the value of using negative space to enhance an image.
Bar Soap Resist Art Project
Resist is a substance that is applied to areas of an object (in this case, black canvas) that will protect parts of it from being affected by subsequent stages in the art process. Afterwards, the resist is removed from the surface exposing the negative space.
Georges Rouault was a French Expressionist painter who used heavy black lines to emphasize personality, feeling, and color in his paintings. Students can draw inspiration from his use of black lines to study how the negative space can be used to define specific shapes and colors.
By completing the Bar Soap Resist art project, students will explore their understanding of both positive and negative space, along with the use of color on a black canvas.
View the Bar Soap Resist Art Lesson Plan
Tips for Using the Resist Medium
- The resist medium (bar soap) should be used to create a “block” for color work. Show students examples of how the removal of the soap at the end will leave black negative space.
- Encourage students to use strong color and not to draw over the soap areas.
- If the color is not vibrant enough once the soap as been removed, have students wait for the work to dry and then color once more over areas that need to be enriched.
More Unique Art Lesson Plans and Ideas
Combining the resist medium with the use of Crayola Colored Pencils on the black canvas pad allows young artists to create a piece that is truly vibrant and unique. If you’re looking for more ways to use colored pencils in your art room this year, be sure to check out the other art lesson plans available on the blog.
Share Your Star Students’ Artwork
We love student art! Give your star students an opportunity to shine by submitting their artwork to be considered for the next Sax catalog cover. Original artwork from students of all grade levels is eligible and the online submission process is simple.
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