Wassily Kandinsky

Wassily Kandinsky was a musician as well as a painter—sometimes both at the same time! Kandinsky believed that paintings, like music, could express and inspire feelings in everyone. Many of his paintings have bright and bold colors that he thought connected to specific sounds and music.

LOOK

How many different colors can you find? Name them.

What kinds of lines do you see? Choose a line and use your finger like a paintbrush to trace it in the air.

Can you find two boats in this painting? Can you find a city? Or do you see something else?

What color would you use to express different feelings—Happiness? Sadness? Excitement? Anger?

If this painting were a piece of music, what might it sound like to you?

READ

MAKE: Paint to music

You will need:

• Paper
• Paints
• Paintbrushes
• Music to listen to

First, choose a special song or piece of music. Close your eyes and listen to the music. How does it make you feel? What kinds of lines, colors, and shapes do you think of as you listen to the music?

Next, listen to the music again—this time, while painting. Start with a background color (or use colored paper) to show the overall mood of the piece. Then, as you listen, paint a line that follows the melody. Pick a shape, such as a circle or square, and paint it every time you hear a part of the song that repeats. Finally, add colors inside and around the shapes that match the different feelings the music inspires in you.

VOCAB BANK

• abstract
• battle
• inspire
• melody