The content of the lesson cycle «Fundamentals of composition. The Peredvizhniki» in fine arts classes in the system of supplementary education for children

Abstract

The article presents the content of the lesson cycle «Fundamentals of composition. The Peredvizhniki» designed for fine arts classes in the system of supplementary education for children. The initial premise is the observation that traditional methods of teaching the fundamentals of composition, based on the mechanical repetition of exercises and the memorisation of definitions, provide weak motivation for learners aged 10-13 and make it difficult for them to master abstract concepts such as the compositional centre, rhythm, balance, planes and format. As a pedagogical solution, a system of five lessons is proposed, each of which links one compositional device to the work of a particular Peredvizhnik artist: V.G. Perov, A.K. Savrasov and I.I. Shishkin. The aim, objectives, course and practical assignments of each lesson are described consistently, as well as the requirements for artistic materials, which are treated as part of the learning task rather than as a technical detail. Particular attention is paid to the logic of the transition from the analysis of a work of classical painting to independent creative work, to techniques for reactivating prior knowledge, to the «bridges» between lessons and to the creation of a situation of success. It is shown that the criterion of effectiveness is not the photographic likeness of the work, but the growth of the learner’s awareness and the ability to explain their own compositional decision. The educational and developmental potential of the cycle is noted: immersion of children in the space of national culture, the development of emotional intelligence through the analysis of the mood of a painting, and the formation of critical thinking and the ability to argue one’s point of view.