BACKGROUND
Experience colours all around us

Exercises in our EXPERIENCING COLOURS cornerstone invite reflection on the role of colour in our lives, and are designed to develop and apply our critical thinking skills as we focus our attention on the colours around us. As we fine-tune our observation skills, and develop our language to describe what we see, we can apply this process to other subjects or disciplines outside of colour. Colour is traditionally taught within the confines of art and design, and to a lesser degree within science – but it plays an important role in many if not all disciplines. The key to recognizing the importance of colours in our lives is first noticing, describing and then documenting all the variations of colours that surround us. As we do this, we will find we are able to see more, describe more, and engage more with the world around us, across many disciplines, and deepen our relationship with both our immediate and wider environments.

Goals for Experiencing Colour exercises:

1. To cultivate an awareness of the rich varieties of colours around us

• In our immediate surroundings – home, school

• In our neighbourhood and urban/rural environment

• In our clothing

• In the foods we eat

• In our holiday celebrations

2. To further describe those colours’ characters and hue families; and then be able to match those colours with swatches or by mixing paints or other colorants

3. To recognize the role that colour plays as an information giver

• In keeping us healthy

• In keeping us safe

• For survival

• For communication

• To help us navigate

• To help us understand the world around us

4. To recognize that colours can be used as a tool to help us communicate our emotions

• Certain colours and associations may be common, while others are more personal

5. To explore how colour connects with our other senses

6. To recognize that colours have different meanings/symbols in different cultures, and that not all cultures have the same symbolism for all colours

7. To recognize that not all people perceive colour in the same way

Many EXPERIENCING COLOURS exercises are designed to be open-ended, and can be done in a variety of environments and contexts. Students can create a Colour Journal to document the colours around them and in their lives. This will help them cultivate a deeper awareness of their surroundings, as well as develop a personal colour palette that can be used in other creative activities. By developing a visual vocabulary to fully describe the nature of their immediate environment, and by becoming more attuned to any changes in their environment, students will hone their critical observation skills. This exercise cluster helps students recognize the important role of colour in so many aspects of our lives. Understanding this role is a foundational building block for navigating the world around us.