Cut-Up Repeat (in the style of Matisse)

Matisse Cut-Up Repeats

Try these wonderful bold cut-outs, much like the style of Henri Matisse.

Make a little stack of 5 or 6 colored squares, and staple once in the corner to hold together. Then cut one shape from the stack. (Little kids need less paper to cut through easily, and older kids can experiment to see how many they can handle.) Some kids can cut free-hand like Matisse, and others will prefer to draw a shape first. 

Glue the shapes in any pattern or design on a background paper. Black or bright blue is particularly effective, but any color works fine.

Matisse's cut paper leaves spray across the paper in wild abandon, and yet placed with care and great visual pleasure for the viewer.

 

 

 

 

Polynesia by Matisse

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Matisse cuts his famous paper shapes. When he became too ill to paint, he invented his wild and wonderful paper shapes. He was called a Fauvist, which means "wild beast", for no one had ever created art such as this before.

 

Matisse is shown in his studio in his home in France with his artwork surrounding him. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matisse poses in his garden. I think his face shows the kind of person he was, as beautiful and cheerful as his artwork.

When he became too ill to leave his bed, he painted his grandchildren's images on the ceiling above his bed using a broom handle with a paintbrush tied to it so he could enjoy looking at them when they were not with him. That tells me everything I need to know.

 

More Kid Art Works after Matisse