Lessons in ARE 303

So today was the last of our class presenting their first lesson of their Unit. Everyone did a great job and I think this was a great opportunity for me and I'm sure other students as well, to think about different ways of approaching lessons in the future.  There was a good variety of themes and lessons, which I truly appreciated.  Great job everyone!

Responding to the NEWS!

A few weeks ago Lauren and I presented our first lesson from our unit to the class. Over all, it went really well! There will definitely be some changes if this lesson would be used in the future, but it's a good start. Here is our lesson overview: This lesson asks students to respond to a news publication while using the influences of Faith Ringgold and Robert Rauschenberg to create a hybridized artwork on newspaper.

We started off with an open discuss of the two artists we used, showing their work and explaining to the class how their work relates to hybridization. Two examples we used were Monogram by Rauschenberg and Who's afraid of Aunt Jemima by Ringgold.

We then had the students pick an article that they were going to respond to from a pile of articles we provided for each table. A table of five had at least twenty articles to pick from, so there was a good variety of subjects for the students to relate to one, if not more.

We reminded students they had to pick an artist to focus on : Ringgold who had personal, community,  and cultural connections to her work or Rauschenberg, who was more about current events and politics. We also asked for students to use text, whether it was making words that stood out to them in the article visible or adding their own.

The class seemed to really enjoy the materials provided while exploring and responding to their chosen article.  I wish I documented everyone's work! But it really was a great experience doing this with our class.

Here are my teacher examples:

Art investigation worksheet- revised

So after going over our worksheets in class by having another student answer the questions provided, and being able to revise them a few changes were made to mine. Here is the new one...

 

The format is better now because the students have the space to write and there is nothing distracting them from the images or questions. I also changed the placement of the where the students name and class period would go. Originally I had it on the bottom right corner, which didn't make sense because it should be the first thing students see, not last. But now it is in the upper left corner, where it should be. I elaborated on some of the questions as well.

-In the first image, the questions are : Examine the movements, why is the women being pulled? to where is she being pulled? what significance does the cubical spiral bring to the composition? 

-For the second image, the questions are: What is the large green paint can referring to? what type of message is it sending? do you agree with the message? what is the woman doing? why? what's the relationship between her and the paint can?

-Third image, questions are: Describe what you see. Identify what is closest to you. why is there only one large eye facing the viewers direction? what meaning is it providing? 

By doing this worksheet made it easy for me to think about how to do critques in a classroom.

Accordion Book

For this assignment, we were to pick a postmodern principle and use principles of art and design while referencing to "Principles and Elements Panorama Abstract Art Book". On that sheet were materials listed for the project and the steps of creating it. 

Here's my Accordion Book!

 

 

And here's my materials and steps for creating this...

Principles and Elements Panorama Abstract Art Book

Materials:

·       Construction paper

·       Magazines

·       Glue

·       Scissors

·       Colored media (colored pencils, paints, etc.)

·       Tissue paper

·       Objects from nature

·       Scrap book paper

Choose two contrasting shapes. This will bring unity to the piece. Make three of these with the choice of cutting them out of magazines or free hand them on tissue paper. Unity is created because the same basic shape is repeated throughout the composition; Unity is often created by repetition of art elements.

By using the contrasting chosen shape, repeat it ten times using a different color. Vary the size and shape. Vary the proportions of the sides of the shapes. Make some variations as dramatic as possible. Create contrast. Variety and interest are attained by making variations of the basic shapes.

Arrange the shapes that to create a sense of movement and rhythm. A good idea to do so would be to stretch the movement along the entire book going horizontal. By doing so, will create balance.

Create emphasis by adding one to three shapes in a different color. Consider using a complementary color from the previous shapes.

Create emphasis and contrast by adding a new kind of shape in the same or different colors. Make them relate though. Add as many as you would like, just remember to maintain a sense of unity and overall style in your composition.

By mixing media, add lines that will enhance the sense of movement and emphasis in your piece. You have the choice to use colored pencils, paint, pastels, markers or crayons.

Enhance the composition by creating areas of pattern and texture through repetition of points, lines, or shapes.

Consider the entire composition. Does it have symmetrical or asymmetrical balance? Add whatever it needs to be a completed accordion book.

Add multiple sets of unity along the nature’s movement in a 3 dimensional form. This form should be a representation of something seen in nature.

Using another mix media, enhance the process of the 3 dimensional representation made previously.

Add elements from nature to the composition.  Repeat the element multiple times along the book.

Finally, add a different mix media around the book in a movement that makes you think of nature.

Finish book by making an “About the Author” page and a cover, which displays your knowledge of a wide vocabulary of visual art elements and principles as well as postmodern concepts.

As one can see, I used representation. I also used the elements of movement, contrast, pattern, variety, repetition, balance, texture and mix media.

postmodern principles- readings

The themes of postmodern principles became more important and influential over time to me in this class. I became to realize that they what every artists does, to a certain extent and in different ways.  Also, that these themes are used commonly in High School and College. We were to read two articles: Approaches to postmodern Art-Making by Terry Barrett and Principles of Possibility: Considerations for a 21st-century Art & Culture Curriculum by Olivia Gude.

Barrett talks about how postmodern artist seek to collapse boundaries that are important to modernists and how they believe art is "high art" and above the things experienced in "low culture". Also how postmodern artist work collaborative. He also talks about Appropriating, Jouissance, Stimulating, Hybridizing, Mix Media, layering, mixing codes, re-contextualization, confronting the gaze, facing the abject, constructing identities, using narratives, creating metaphors and finally irony, parody and dissonance. 

Gude's article was interesting. She talks about playing, forming self, investigating community themes, encountering difference, attentive living, empowered experiencing and making, deconstructing culture, and reconstructing social space.

She says to consider structuring general art-making courses to introduce six areas of art-making: 

1. expressionism

2. mimesis

3. formalism

4.applied design

5. craft

6. postmodern principles.

...( from the principles he talks about, we are to pick a postmodern theme to present to the class that I will talk about in later posts)