Slovenian syllabus for art in primary education doesn’t envisage copying works of art of well known painters, but it can be the choice of the teachers to decide using it as a model of creation. Some pedagogical advisors are even against it.

While on the other hand this technique is incorporated in the secondary school syllabus for art.

If teachers of art in primary school decide to use it in the program, they should take in account that the aims of it are totally different comparing to those used at a higher level.

Let’s present the main objectives of the mentioned technique:
- motivation for getting to know, perceiving and valuing artwoks
- a good example for resolving a specific art problem (for example – contrasts, composition…)
- to experience artwoks with certain emotional engagement and thus to use it also when creating their own artworks  

We wanted to try out the project with our students to see how it works in reality. Metka Miljavec our art teacher has chosen the artwork (Red umbrella – parasol) of a well known Slovenian impressionist painter Matej Strnen. Why? Let’s present the reasons for her decision.

Students are (by our syllabus for grade 6) expected to resolve a special task, that is colour complement contrast (students aged 12-13). In the given artwok students can see how the artist has demonstrated contrast of red and green cast (shade). Standing figure generally presents very static composition. But this painting gives students opportunity to become aware of how a stiff static scene can be set in motion with the help of colour contrast and lines (horizontal, vertical, inclined lines).

They can observe how the light influences the structure of the painting. In our case the light pierces through parasol and colours the face of the woman and parts of her dress.

We experienced that the motive and the colour of the painting engages students’ emotions.

Solkan Primary School
Metka Miljavec
Viljenka Šavl