Art Made by Artists TodayActivities & Teaching Strategies
Active learning helps students connect the vibrant stories behind contemporary Indian art to their own lives. Seeing how artists blend old and new ideas, like using bindis to create patterns, makes abstract concepts concrete and memorable for young learners.
Learning Objectives
- 1Identify specific materials and techniques used by contemporary Indian artists.
- 2Compare and contrast traditional Indian art motifs with those found in contemporary Indian art.
- 3Describe visual elements in artworks by modern Indian artists, using specific vocabulary.
- 4Explain how contemporary Indian artists blend traditional influences with modern themes.
- 5Connect visual elements in contemporary Indian art to personal experiences or familiar objects.
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Gallery Walk: Spot the Blend
Display 5-6 prints of contemporary Indian artworks around the classroom. In small groups, students walk slowly, noting colours, shapes, and traditional elements like lotuses or elephants. Each group shares one observation linking to past art they know.
Prepare & details
What materials do you think this artist used to make this picture?
Facilitation Tip: During Gallery Walk: Spot the Blend, position yourself near clusters of students to quietly prompt them with questions like, 'What do you notice about the colours or shapes that reminds you of something you know?'
Setup: Adaptable to standard Indian classrooms with fixed benches; stations can be placed on walls, windows, doors, corridor space, and desk surfaces. Designed for 35–50 students across 6–8 stations.
Materials: Chart paper or A4 printed station sheets, Sketch pens or markers for wall-mounted stations, Sticky notes or response slips (or a printed recording sheet as an alternative), A timer or hand signal for rotation cues, Student response sheets or graphic organisers
Artist Chat Pairs
Pair students; one acts as an artist showing a printed work, the other asks key questions like 'What materials did you use?' or 'What does it remind you of?'. Switch roles after 5 minutes and discuss as a class.
Prepare & details
What do you see in this painting — can you describe it?
Facilitation Tip: For Artist Chat Pairs, pair students with contrasting strengths—one who observes details and another who connects ideas—to encourage full participation.
Setup: Adaptable to standard Indian classrooms with fixed benches; stations can be placed on walls, windows, doors, corridor space, and desk surfaces. Designed for 35–50 students across 6–8 stations.
Materials: Chart paper or A4 printed station sheets, Sketch pens or markers for wall-mounted stations, Sticky notes or response slips (or a printed recording sheet as an alternative), A timer or hand signal for rotation cues, Student response sheets or graphic organisers
Create Your Blend
Provide paper, crayons, and stickers. Students draw a traditional motif like a peacock, then add modern twists such as city buildings or bright neon colours. Display and describe their works.
Prepare & details
Does this modern painting remind you of anything you know?
Facilitation Tip: Before Create Your Blend, prepare a tray of materials like acrylic paints, bindis, and old newspaper cutouts so students can experiment without hesitation.
Setup: Adaptable to standard Indian classrooms with fixed benches; stations can be placed on walls, windows, doors, corridor space, and desk surfaces. Designed for 35–50 students across 6–8 stations.
Materials: Chart paper or A4 printed station sheets, Sketch pens or markers for wall-mounted stations, Sticky notes or response slips (or a printed recording sheet as an alternative), A timer or hand signal for rotation cues, Student response sheets or graphic organisers
Then and Now Match-Up
In small groups, give cards with past art images and matching contemporary ones. Students pair them, discuss similarities in themes or styles, and present findings to the class.
Prepare & details
What materials do you think this artist used to make this picture?
Facilitation Tip: During Then and Now Match-Up, give pairs a limited time to discuss similarities before sharing answers to keep the pace active.
Setup: Adaptable to standard Indian classrooms with fixed benches; stations can be placed on walls, windows, doors, corridor space, and desk surfaces. Designed for 35–50 students across 6–8 stations.
Materials: Chart paper or A4 printed station sheets, Sketch pens or markers for wall-mounted stations, Sticky notes or response slips (or a printed recording sheet as an alternative), A timer or hand signal for rotation cues, Student response sheets or graphic organisers
Teaching This Topic
Teachers should focus on guiding students to see connections rather than memorising facts about artists. Using familiar references, like pointing out how a contemporary horse painting echoes traditional pattachitra styles, helps students understand evolution in art. Avoid overwhelming them with too many artist names; instead, let them explore techniques through hands-on activities. Research shows that when students create their own blended art, they retain concepts longer than through passive observation alone.
What to Expect
Students will confidently describe artworks using observations about materials and themes, linking them to traditional influences or modern expressions. They will articulate how artists transform familiar elements into new creations through guided discussions and hands-on work.
These activities are a starting point. A full mission is the experience.
- Complete facilitation script with teacher dialogue
- Printable student materials, ready for class
- Differentiation strategies for every learner
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionDuring Gallery Walk: Spot the Blend, watch for students who say traditional art and modern art are completely separate.
What to Teach Instead
Use the activity's discussion prompts to ask students to find at least one element in a contemporary artwork that connects to a traditional style, such as patterns or symbols, and have them point it out to their partner.
Common MisconceptionDuring Create Your Blend, watch for students who assume only expensive or new materials are used in contemporary art.
What to Teach Instead
Provide a mix of traditional and modern materials on their tables and direct them to use at least one simple item like paper or bindis in their artwork, then describe how it feels different from a paintbrush.
Common MisconceptionDuring Then and Now Match-Up, watch for students who dismiss contemporary art as messy or unclear.
What to Teach Instead
Ask pairs to explain one intentional choice in the artwork, such as why an artist used bright colours or abstract shapes, using the matching cards as evidence to support their ideas.
Assessment Ideas
After Gallery Walk: Spot the Blend, give students a printed image of a contemporary Indian artwork. Ask them to write two observations about materials or techniques, one connection to a traditional art form, and one sentence about what the artwork reminds them of.
During Then and Now Match-Up, circulate and listen for pairs to explain one similarity and one difference between the traditional and contemporary artworks they matched. Note if they identify modern techniques like mixed media or abstraction.
During Artist Chat Pairs, pause the discussion and ask each pair to point to an element in their assigned artwork that shows a blend of old and new influences. Listen for their reasoning about materials or themes.
Extensions & Scaffolding
- Challenge early finishers to research a contemporary Indian artist online and prepare a 1-minute talk about how their work blends tradition with modern life.
- Scaffolding for struggling students: Provide a word bank with terms like 'acrylic', 'mixed media', 'motif', or 'texture' to help them describe artworks during discussions.
- Deeper exploration: Invite students to compare a contemporary artwork with a piece from Ajanta or Mughal miniature art, noting three specific similarities and differences in their notebooks.
Key Vocabulary
| Contemporary Art | Art created in the present day, often reflecting current social, political, or cultural issues and using modern materials and techniques. |
| Mixed Media | An artwork created using a combination of different artistic materials, such as paint, collage, fabric, or found objects. |
| Installation Art | An artwork created by assembling and arranging various objects or materials in a specific space, often to create an immersive experience for the viewer. |
| Traditional Motifs | Recurring visual elements or patterns that have been used in art for a long time, often carrying cultural or symbolic meaning, like those found in Madhubani or Warli art. |
Suggested Methodologies
More in Looking at Art from India's Past
Ancient Indian Art: Indus Valley and Mauryan
Students will examine key artifacts and artistic styles from the Indus Valley Civilization and the Mauryan Empire, understanding their historical context and significance.
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Beautiful Old Paintings and Statues from India
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Patterns in Indian Buildings and Art
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Making Dot and Line Art Like Indian Folk Art
Students will delve deeper into specific Indian folk art forms like Madhubani, Warli, Gond, and Kalamkari, understanding their regional origins, techniques, and cultural narratives.
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Talking About a Painting Together
Students will develop critical thinking skills to analyze and interpret various artworks, discussing elements of composition, symbolism, and the artist's intent.
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