Famous Artist Study - Edvard Munch

"The Scream" (1895) by Expressionist artist Edvard Munch is as famous as van Gogh's " Starry Nights".  Both artists are very similar:  both suffered from mental issues, used bold exaggerated colors and simplified figures and shapes and these two pieces are the most reproduced pieces of art in the world.

Munch, born was born in Norway in 1863 and died in 1944.  He produced four versions of "The Scream" in various mediums. He was an expressionist artist. Expressionism was a modern movement originating in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century. Artists typically presented the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it radically for emotional effect to create a mood or idea.

We will be focusing on Munch for this lesson.  Although the work may be a little disturbing or scary when viewed, it is a great lesson for perspective (the bridge) and creating movement (sky and fjord) and feeling through color.  We will be putting our own twist on the work by replacing the figure of Munch (it is a self portrait) and adding "things that make us scream".

Here is one of the original four that Munch painted.

Here is my background done in oil pastels.  Students will create a simple background focusing on the bridge and bold use of color.

What makes me scream?  Large amounts of laundry!  I hope the kids have fun expressing themselves with this project.