Ted Harrison was a Canadian artist known for his bright and colorful paintings that capture the beauty of the Canadian landscape. His unique style, which features simplified shapes and bold, vibrant colors, is loved by people of all ages, especially children. This article will explore Ted Harrison’s life and art and learn why his work is so important for kids. We will also provide some fun and easy art projects inspired by his style that kids can try at home. So grab your paintbrushes, and let’s dive in!
Famous Paintings by Ted Harrison
You’ll help kids understand how he used color and shape to create beautiful and memorable images by breaking down a few famous paintings.
Choose a few paintings to feature: Select two or three of Ted Harrison’s most famous paintings. You can quickly search for examples or choose your favorites if you know his work.
Describe the paintings: Describe what you see in detail for each painting. Point out the use of color, the shapes that make up the image, and any interesting features that catch your eye. Consider discussing the mood or feeling the painting evokes.
Explain the story behind the painting: If there is a story or inspiration behind it, share it with your readers. Ted Harrison often painted scenes from his home in the Yukon, so you could talk about how the landscape or culture of that region influenced his work.
Ted Harrison Paintings Examples
The Craggy Shore
This painting depicts a rugged coastline with cliffs and crashing waves. The bright blue sky and vibrant green trees contrast the earthy tones of the rocks and sand.
Northern Landscape
This painting captures the stark beauty of the Canadian wilderness, with snow-covered mountains and trees silhouetted against a bright blue sky. Using bold, contrasting colors gives the image a sense of energy and movement.
Raven Brings Light
This painting is based on a traditional Indigenous story about a raven who brings light to the world. The image features a large, stylized raven in the foreground, with colorful geometric shapes representing the sun and moon.
The Children’s Forest
This painting shows children exploring a forest filled with vibrant trees and animals. Using bright colors and simplified shapes gives the image a playful and whimsical feel.
The Meeting Place
This painting shows two moose standing in a snowy clearing, with colorful trees in the background. The moose are rendered in simple, stylized shapes, but their expressions and body language suggest a sense of connection and companionship.
The Skiers
This painting captures the joy and exhilaration of skiing, with colorful figures flying down a mountain against a backdrop of snowy trees and blue sky.
The Dog Sled
This painting shows a team of dogs pulling a sled across a snowy landscape, with bright colors and bold shapes giving the image a sense of energy and movement.
Spring in the Yukon
This painting features a bright green meadow with colorful flowers and trees, with a mountain range in the background. Using contrasting colors and simplified shapes gives the image a cheerful and vibrant feel.
The Sun and the Moon
This painting features a large, stylized sun and moon in the foreground, with colorful geometric shapes in the background. The image evokes a sense of wonder and mystery as if the viewer is peering into another world.
Haida Gwaii
This painting depicts a group of totem poles against a bright blue sky, with bold shapes and vibrant colors giving the image a sense of power and strength.
Spring on the Prairies
This painting shows a wide-open landscape with colorful flowers and a bright blue sky. Using simplified shapes and bright colors gives the image spaciousness and freedom.
The Village
This painting features a group of colorful houses nestled against a mountain range, with bright colors and simplified shapes giving the image a playful and whimsical feel.
The Northern Lights
This painting captures the beauty of the aurora borealis, with colorful geometric shapes representing the dancing lights in the sky.
The Caribou
This painting shows a herd of caribou against a snowy background, with bold shapes and bright colors giving the image a sense of strength and power.
Summer in the Yukon
This painting features a bright green landscape with colorful wildflowers and trees, with a mountain range in the background. Using bold colors and simplified shapes gives the image a cheerful and playful feel.
The Bear
This painting shows a large, stylized bear against a backdrop of colorful trees and mountains. Using bold shapes and bright colors gives the image a sense of strength and energy.
Autumn in the Yukon
This painting captures fall colors, with bright orange and yellow trees against a blue sky. Using simplified shapes and bold colors gives the image a sense of joy and vitality.
The Owl
This painting features a large, stylized owl perched on a tree branch against a colorful background. Using bold shapes and bright colors gives the image a sense of mystery and magic.
The Fishing Village
This painting depicts a colorful fishing village nestled against a rocky coastline, with bold shapes and bright colors giving the image a sense of vibrancy and energy.
Ted Harrison Art Lessons
Ted Harrison Art Lessons For Kids is designed to help young artists develop their skills in drawing, painting, color theory, and other related topics. The lessons also offer tips on creating your artwork using different mediums, such as pencils and paints.
Ted Harrison’s online art school for kids offers over twenty courses covering everything from sketching to animation. Each course is taught by Ted himself in an easy-to-follow manner that makes it easy even for beginners.
Examples Of Ted Harrison Art Lessons
How To Draw A Cat?
For example, Ted Harrison has a lesson on how to draw a cat. This is one of the most popular animals among children, and it is very easy to draw. To draw a cat, you need to know how to draw circles, which are the main shapes of all animals. Once you have mastered this skill, drawing anything else will be easy because you can use these basic shapes in any other drawing.
How To Draw People And Animals?
Ted Harrison also has lessons on how to draw people and animals together so that they look realistic. This can be challenging for many people who don’t know what they are doing, but anyone can do it with some practice!
How To Draw Faces?
Ted Harrison also teaches students how to draw faces by showing them examples of different facial features and expressions so they know how each part looks when put together properly. This is important because it helps them create their artwork later on if they want to!
Steps To Learn Ted Harrison Lessons
Here are some easy steps to follow:
Start with a simple drawing
Ted Harrison’s art is known for its simplified shapes and bold outlines. Begin by drawing a simple shape with a thick black marker, such as a tree or a house.
Add color
Once you have your outline, it’s time to add color. Ted Harrison’s art is known for its bright and contrasting colors, so choose bold shades like bright blue, red, yellow, and green. Fill in your shapes with these colors, careful not to go outside the lines.
Experiment with patterns
Ted Harrison often used patterns, such as a checkerboard or wavy lines, in his art. Try adding patterns to your shapes using a different color or a patterned marker.
Remember the background: Ted Harrison’s art often features a bright blue sky or colorful mountains. Try adding a colorful background to your art to make it pop.
Have fun with it
Ted Harrison’s art is about playfulness and whimsy. Don’t worry about making mistakes or being perfect. Just have fun with your art and let your creativity flow.
Ted Harrison Inukshuk
Ted Harrison’s Inukshuk is an iconic symbol of the Inuit people, and it inspired many of his famous paintings. Harrison often combined traditional Indigenous imagery with his unique style in his art, using bold, contrasting colors and playful patterns to create a sense of whimsy. The Inukshuk represents strength, perseverance, and guidance, and by incorporating this traditional symbol into his art, Harrison created playful and meaningful images. If you want to create your own Inukshuk art, start with a simple outline using a thick black marker and fill the shapes with bright, bold colors. Experiment with different patterns and textures to create a unique image. Let your creativity flow, and have fun with it!
Ted Harrison Landscapes
Harrison’s landscapes often depicted snow-capped mountains, frozen lakes, northern lights, and the people and animals that call the region home. His work was inspired by his time spent living and teaching in the Yukon Territory, and he became known for his depictions of the region’s stunning natural beauty.
Here are some examples of Ted Harrison’s landscapes:
Yukon Magic
This painting features a bright yellow sun rising over a snowy landscape, with a river winding through the middle. The mountains in the distance are depicted in shades of blue, purple, and green.
The Village and the Valley
This painting shows a small village surrounded by mountains. The houses and trees are depicted in bright, contrasting colors, and the mountains are simplified into bold shapes.
Arctic Landscape
This painting features a stylized depiction of an Arctic landscape, with a bright red sun rising over snow-covered mountains. The foreground is filled with igloos and sled dogs, adding a sense of scale to the scene.
Mountains and Flowers
This painting combines Harrison’s signature bold landscapes with colorful flowers in the foreground. The mountains in the background are depicted in shades of blue and purple, while the flowers are bright reds and oranges.
Northern Lights
This painting features a nighttime scene with the northern lights shimmering in the sky above a snowy landscape. The trees and mountains are painted in shades of blue and green, with bright yellow and orange pops in the sky.
Conclusion
Ted Harrison’s art inspires people of all ages with its vibrant colors, whimsical style, and meaningful imagery. Whether you’re a fan of his Inukshuk paintings or his stunning landscapes, there’s something magical about the way he combines traditional imagery with his unique style. By following some of his techniques, you can create your art in the style of Ted Harrison and discover your unique creativity along the way.