Red Adventure

Let's look at how artists use (or don't use) the color red.

Sometimes artists use the color red just like we see it in the world around us.

Sometimes they use the color red to startle us or grab our attention.

Red might mean "important," or it might exaggerate the colors we see in nature.

Red can be beautiful or it may seem dangerous.

A red color can stir up strong emotion or feeling. Can you think of examples? Let's look closely and see what we find...

Apron

What colors do you see here?

Do you recognize some familiar things?

What do you think this artwork is made of?

Now let's take another look.

Apron

What colors do you see here? Would you agree that there are a lot of reds and pinks? What other colors do you see? What color is the background?

Do you recognize some familiar things? Flowers. Leaves. Birds. What else? Can you see what might be a butterfly?

What do you think this artwork is made of? Can you see stitches of thread? Do you think this took a long time to make? If this were your apron, how would you feel to wear it?

Botanic Red

Can you imagine this design without the color red?

What if the artist had made all the trees gray and white? Would it have a different feeling?

How would it feel if the trees were green?

Anturien (Anthurium)

Brilliant Ruby Macchia with Green Lip Wrap, Dale Chihuly

Artists have used the color red to make these objects beautiful.

What makes the flowers on wire stems seem so red?

Is there another color in the bowl beside the different reds?

What does the shape of the bowl remind you of?

Circular Box

These works are entirely red.

How do the artists help you see shapes? You will have to look closely.

Do you think the artists had to look closely too, while they worked?

Flag

That's not red!

Sometimes artists don't use the colors we expect them to use. Look very closely at this painting. What do you see?

What colors would you expect to see here?

What does this object feel like without its familiar colors?

Herz mit Zähnen (Teeth Heart)

What is this heart made of?

A red heart does not surprise us, but red teeth are a bit unusual.

What are some other unusual things that, together, could make a heart shape?

Mori (Forest)

What shapes are repeated over and over in this picture?

Is the forest a loud or quiet place?

Can you find any red things in this painting of a green forest?

Mori (Forest)

Here is the corner of the same painting we just saw.

Look closely. Do you see anything unexpected?

Would you have missed the weasel if you hadn't looked carefully?

How close do you have to look to see the strawberries?

The Green Diamond Eat The Red Diamond Die

Like the last painting, this painting also uses red and green.

What does it remind you of?

Red Yellow Blue III

These are three separate paintings, but they go together.

If these paintings were signs, what kind of sign would the red painting be?

What message would you tell with a red square?

With a yellow square? With a blue square?

The Birthday Party

What kind of important day does the artist show us in this picture?

How many red things can you find?

If you were sitting at this table with these people, what would you be thinking?

Portrait of a Cardinal in his Study

Which color do you think is the most important one in this painting?

Which color is the second most important?

What kind of work does this man do?

Self-Portrait

These are self-portraits -- pictures that the artists created of themselves. How are the portraits different? How are they alike? What kind of personality do you think each artist had? Do you think both men were cheerful? Silly? Gloomy?

Le ciel rouge (The Red Sky)

The artist called this painting Red Sky.

When you think of the sky, what do you imagine up there? The sun. Clouds. Birds. Airplanes. What else?

Now look at the shapes in the painting. How do they remind you of a sky?

If you saw a red sky, what would you feel or think?

Burning Sun

This is also a painting of the sky. Are the reds the same?

Now look at the dark shapes. Can you imagine the big brush that was used to apply the blank ink?

Le ciel rouge (The Red Sky)

Here you can see The Red Sky and Burning Sun side by side. Does one seem more calm than the other? Does one seem to shout at you? Can red ever be quiet?

The Color Adventure Continues

You've seen many examples of how artists use the color red.

Do you remember reds that were strong and others that were soft?

Did you notice some artists use the color red just as we see it in the world around us? What about examples of artists that use red in an unexpected way?

Do you remember a picture that used red to startle us or grab our attention? How about a red that stirred up emotions and feelings?

You can use the ArtsConnectEd.org Art Finder to start a new adventure. What art will you find that's yellow? What about green or purple?