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Exploring Science Through Art: Colour & Light

When we made our recycled bottle koinobori recently, Immy was fascinated by the way the colour she was drawing and colouring with filtered through the clear plastic of the bottle onto the tabletop she was working upon. This observation inspired this very simple exploration of science through art, an experiment with colour and light.

Before we began I googled images of artworks by famous artist, Wassily Kandinsky, as I thought his work with bold colour would be the perfect inspiration for experimenting with coloured filters. After we had looked at some images together, talking about what these largely abstract works made us think of and what we noticed most about them, I gave Immy some coloured permanent marker pens and clear laminating pouches that I had laminated closed with nothing in them.

Childhood 101 | Art and Science_Colour and Light

She began by drawing lots of intersecting, swirling lines and colouring in the shapes they made, something that I remember doing myself as a child.

Childhood 101 | Colour and Light_Art and Science

Taking a break from that piece, she started work on another laminating sheet drawing bold shapes of colour, clearly inspired by Kandinsky’s work.

Childhood 101 | Art Projects_Colour and Light

As a strong burst of sunlight came through our playroom window, I suggested she hold up her artworks to the window to see what happened. The light filtered through the colours beautifully.

Childhood 101 | Art and Science_Light and Colour

Which inspired her back to the table to keep working, where she kept alternating between one design and the other.

Childhood 101 | Science through art_Light and Colour

We have had such fun exploring these simple colour filters, waiting for the Winter’s sun to shine through our window so that we can catch the colours in our hands or watch them fall on different objects and surfaces. Sometimes we hold them in front of our white walls to see if our various household lights and lamps are strong enough to filter the colours onto the wall. There has been lots of experimentation, trial and error and looking at cause and effect. But to my 5 year old, it’s all just about playing with colour.

Childhood 101 | Science through art_Light and Colour

Time to Create by Christie BurnettMy new book, Time to Create, explores art making as an important tool to support the learning of young children across all areas of development. Be sure to check it out.

Christie Burnett is a teacher, presenter, writer and the mother of two. She created Childhood 101 as a place for teachers and parents to access engaging, high quality learning ideas.

Filed Under: Art, Preschool Play, Science & Nature, Time to Create Tagged With: kids art project ideas

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Read the comments or scroll down to add your own:

  1. Kirsty@Bowerbird Blue says

    July 17, 2013 at 10:47 PM

    what a gorgeous activity, love the colours and light
  2. Nichole says

    July 18, 2013 at 9:53 PM

    Great post with such beautiful photos. I just bought a new packet of Sharpies last week - kids have been busy making new bookmarks with them but might need to pull out some laminating pouches tomorrow for something new to do. Thanks for sharing :)
  3. Pippa Buxton says

    July 20, 2013 at 5:18 PM

    Thank you so much for a great inspiration! We love those Sharpies but I'm feeling a little strict-Mumma as I haven't been letting the kids use these - big 'drawing-on-furniture' risk I thought?! I don't have half of your colour range so am inspired on many levels. Happy weekend!
  4. Nae says

    July 24, 2013 at 12:41 PM

    Beautiful - it worked well! Thanks for the great idea
  5. Nathalie Brown says

    July 25, 2013 at 10:12 AM

    Catching the colours in her hands simply precious
  6. Kylie @ Octavia and Vicky says

    July 25, 2013 at 6:00 PM

    Very cool play, I really need to get my hands on some sharpies.
  7. Hannah says

    July 26, 2013 at 10:33 AM

    I'm going to do this one! My kids will love it. That light filtering through the window is beautiful. I think we'll all enjoy it :)
  8. Debs says

    July 29, 2013 at 8:56 AM

    Lovely idea! We have plenty of laminating pouches to do this on as well. Thanks for sharing :)
  9. Jackie @ happy hooligans says

    April 23, 2014 at 3:19 AM

    Wow, I love how the image is reflected on the floor, Christie! Co-incidentally, the wee hooligan and I just picked up a roll of clear-ish window cling this morning (the stuff you use for privacy), and I was thinking we could create window art with it! I'm hoping we get the same effect with our art!

Trackbacks

  1. Grounded Parents | Weekend Read: Tina Fey, the NFL, Plant Science, Beautiful Science, etc says:
    September 13, 2014 at 10:01 PM
    […] Exploring science through art. […]
  2. Science in a constructivist kindergarten classroom | Constructivism in the classroom says:
    October 14, 2014 at 6:35 AM
    […] https://childhood101.com/2013/07/exploring-science-through-art-colour-light/ […]
  3. Legging Blog says:
    July 19, 2017 at 11:15 PM
    Add Some Colour To Your Winter [...] ad looked at some images together, talking about what these largely abstract wor [...]
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