A quizzical tilt of the head, a little smile – yes, your child is looking at a piece of art that uses color, lines and shapes to show people, animals or places differently from how they appear in the real world. Abstract art is also called non-objective art, because you do not typically see specific objects but rather you are meant to feel emotions upon viewing the art.

Abrakadoodle students create art in Kandinsky’s style.

Abrakadoodle students love exploring abstract art and the artists who produce it – from such inventive masters as Guiseppe Arcimboldo from long ago in the 1500’s to Wassily Kandinsky, who came to prominence in the early 1900’s.

Here’s an abstract art activity to try at home. Do you have a family pet, such as a dog? Any favorite animal will also work. What you’ll need is some blank paper, scissors, color or construction paper for making shapes (you can pre-cut some shapes for very young children), crayons, markers, glue, and other nice-to-have’s such as paint, stamps, magazine clippings and other embellishments. You might even consider printing a photo of your pet that can be cut and used for this abstract project. You can encourage your child to use simple shapes via sketching or gluing cut-outs in the form of collage to represent your pet or your child’s favorite animal. Next, consider colors or patterns that give your pet a new look that represents your child’s feelings or ideas. There is no right or wrong way to do this creative type of art. Let your child’s imagination take shape!