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Art

Feel It: Expressing Emotion with Colour and Shape

Overview

Students explore how artists use abstract elements like colour and shape to communicate emotions and ideas.

Learning Objective
Students understand how colour and shape can be used to express feelings without realistic images.

Resources needed

  • Paper
  • Pencils
  • Optional: coloured pencils, crayons, or paints

Lesson stages

0 / 10 done
  1. 1 Discuss how colours and shapes can represent feelings.
  2. 2 Give examples (e.g. jagged shapes for anger, soft curves for calm).
  3. 3 Students choose an emotion to express.
  4. 4 Brainstorm colours and shapes linked to that feeling.
  5. 5 Students create an abstract drawing using chosen elements.
  6. 6 Encourage bold choices and experimentation.
  7. 7 Midway pause: reflect on whether the emotion is clear.
  8. 8 Students refine their work.
  9. 9 In pairs, students guess the emotion in each artwork.
  10. 10 Discuss: which elements made the emotion clear?

Tap a step to mark it as done.

Variations

  • Limit to one colour.
  • Use only shapes without lines.
  • Create a series showing different emotions.
More information

Teach: emotion, express, abstract, shape, feeling. Use frames: 'This shows… because…'.

Provide emotion prompts or examples. Allow verbal explanation.

Can students communicate emotion visually? Can they explain their choices?

Use natural materials or draw in sand.

Students may try to draw literal scenes instead of abstract representations.

Abstract art focuses on elements like colour and shape rather than realistic representation.

Activity details
Primary Medium 30 minutes no prep Solo, Pairs, Small Group Indoor & Outdoor
Topics
Abstract Art Emotion Colour Shape