Drawing Music

A project by Art Hoppers in partnership with St. Mary Magdalene Academy

INSPIRATION

2 ARTISTS THAT INSPIRED US

Wassily Kandinsky

Painter

Wassily Kandinsky (1866 – 1944). A Russian painter and art theorist credited as the pioneer of abstract art.

Kandinsky spent his artistic career developing a visual language which expressed his philosophical and spiritual concerns. He loved music and had a strong sensibility toward the otherworldliness of the imagination, through which music could transport us. One of his many talents was feeling the sensation of synesthesia, a condition which enabled him to blend the senses and experience ‘hearing colour’ or ‘seeing sound’.

The idea of ‘seeing music’ formed the basis of our research with pupils while observing a small number of Kandinsky’s abstract paintings.

Errollyn Wallen

Musician & Composer

Errollyn Wallen (1958). Born in Belize is credited as “the renaissance woman of contemporary British music” (The Observer).

Errollyn is a leading, international composer of contemporary classical music and singer-songwriter of pop-influenced songs.

She studied music composition at universities of London and Cambridge. She founded her own Ensemble X, with the motto ‘We don’t break down barriers in music… we don’t see any.’

Errollyn has been awarded for her services to music over the years and is celebrated as an inspiring role model for young people who represents the importance of self belief through the unfaltering dedication to her talent.

ART HOPPERS – Art Delivery

Design a new mural inspired by Errollyn Wallen’s Concerto Grosso IV for the primary school playground.
Deliver art ed sessions to Reception, KS1 & KS2 inspired by Wassily Kandinsky’s abstract paintings of music.
Incorporate the creative expressions of pupils in the mural design.

The format

Art Delivery : 2hrs. Art educators: Claire WT & Sadie Edginton.

Delivered to: Reception – Year 6 = 7 classes of 30 children.

Total reach: 210 pupils.

When: Sept / Oct 2021.

Introducing the project:

Listen to Errollyn Wallen’s Concerto Grosso IV. Discuss what we felt / imagined from the music.

Study Kandinsky’s paintings: ‘Impression III (Concert)’, ‘Black Lines’, ‘Composition VIII’. Talk about abstraction and his ability to see music as colour and shape.

Listen to the sound of individual instruments. Point out where the sound could be described within the painting ‘Composition VIII’.

Techniques & Exercises

All classes: Draw the sound of instruments using charcoal.

Reception: Large, physical drawing. Watercolour painting.

Year 1: Collage compositions / drawing with carbon paper.

Year 2: Geometric shapes. Collage compositions, colour transparency.

Year 3: Speed drawing. Stenciling with Brusho Crystals.

Year 4: Speed drawing. Painting with ink, water and acrylic. Framing small areas of interest.

Year 5: Collage compositions. Layering colour, texture and shape, exploring visual narrative.

Year 6: Painting in washes. Colour theory, tonal values, texture. Framing small areas of interest.

Classroom Delivery

Listening to ‘Concerto Grosso IV’

By Errollyn Wallen

To begin, in each class, we played a recording of Errollyn Wallens’ ‘Concerto Grosso IV’ (composed in 2008) played here by Chineke! on their ‘Spark Catchers’ album (NMC, 5/20).

Children closed their eyes, relaxed and listened.

We then asked them 2 questions:

How did the music make you feel?
What images did you imagine in your mind?

Year 1 pupils say: “At first I felt sad, then happy, then mad, then a rocket happened!” “It made me feel like my eyes were on fire.” “I saw patterns moving around.” “I saw a picture of someone swinging.”

Year 2 pupils say:

“I thought it felt like a train. At the start it felt like something bad was going to happen, then peaceful… it was a bit scary.”

“I saw like a dog and a cow mixed together and a tomato. A big head and a small body.”

Year 5 pupils say:

“It made me feel like someone was chasing through the forest, running away.”

“I saw shapes moving and others blinking.”

“I saw dancers and ballerinas.”

“It reminded me of Tom and Jerry.”

Drawing music

Do you see how it sounds?

Kandinsky’s painting ‘Composition VIII’ is one of a series in which he describes what a musical composition looks like in his own imagination.

The visual elements appear suspended, floating like a mobile in space, creating a delicate, compositional balance.

We asked the children in every class to listen to the sound of one instrument at a time and point out where they imagined the sound to be described visually in the painting.

Interestingly, there were some common ideas which played out in each class. The flute was often seen to be a wavy line, the french horn; the central triangle and the xylophone was typically seen to be represented by the chequerboard motif.

What instruments do you think Kandinsky is illustrating in his painting?

Vassily_Kandinsky,_1923_-_Composition_8,_huile_sur_toile,_140_cm_x_201_cm,_Musée_Guggenheim,_New_York (1)

In the Studio

Working with Childrens’ Art

A selection of charcoal and colour works from across all 7 year groups were displayed for reference.

Timelapse 01

Drawing with charcoal – An exciting catalogue of mark-making describing various musical instruments including string, wind, brass and percussion were displayed to inform the design of the mural.

Timelapse 02

Colour compositions – A collection of exercises which explore methods of abstraction inspired by Kandinsky and with reference to London’s urban and natural landscapes, guide the visual direction of the design process.

Image gallery – PUPILS’ ART

We gathered over 600, individual, 2D artworks from across the school. There were an abundance of beautiful works to develop ideas from. Here’s a fraction of that content. Huge thanks to all the children for their inspiring creative expressions! They’ve been a joy to work with.