Jo Murphy's Blog

Posted by Jo Murphy

• visual language,
• technical language (Photoshop) will become common among the club members
• local knowledge and ownership of the locale will be strengthened
• because the libraries are housed publicly this too will create a group language, a sense of pride and ownership of the process (this might come about even for people who are not in the club as they may still view the images and ask relevant questions)
• perhaps a college in-house style of visual graphic presentation will emerge

Posted by Jo Murphy

In the book Tribal Leadership, [Collins Business 2008] researchers Dave Logan, John King, and Halee Fischer-Wright found that tribes are not only powerful, but that tribal dynamics can be mapped. One of the aspects that these authors map is the common laguage that develops when a team or workplace moves from team to tribe.

What Would Be the Characteristics of This Common Language?

Leaders (classroom teachers) can improve understanding and motivation of their classes by using team language to develop a "we" culture instead of an "I" culture. The result is called "stage 4."

A culture that embraces synergy above individual success, develops an ability to accomplish more within a streamlined harmonious environment. Happiness and a sense of well being is predicted.

How Could Teachers Develop Class Aptitude for Harmonious Synergy?

One way is to literally model valuing peace, harmony and serenity. Running a simple class activity showing students a way to destress and stay calm and focused might just be the key to achieving a class sense of well being.

An activity such as How to Make a Finger Labyrinth in Clay, would be one of the many ways of modeling to a class that the teacher values every member of the classes emotional wellbeing. Providing students with strategies that show them there are choices they can make about the levels of stress they are willing to accept in their own emotional landscape, could precipitate the development of harmonious group language.

Posted by Jo Murphy

If teachers have read the book Tribal Leadership and have listened to the free download from Zappo's.com they may come to a point where they would like to introduce the concept of "Working as a Tribe" to their drama class.

This would not be an easy thing to do. Tact would be required when facilitating a process whereby students self assess their own ability to work together. With care a teacher could guide her class to a point where they may wish to assign themselves a level when engaging in group projects.

Using "Die Weiss Rose" as an Historical Example

The movie Die Weiss Rose [1982]provides Drama teachers with a perfect model with which to exemplify level four behaviour as descrbed in Tribal Leadership. [Logan et al 2008] The story of the White Rose is far enough removed from the everyday common experience of the average student, that it comfortably provides a context within which they can see the point of asigning levels of behaviour. There is little risk that the students take the point personally.

Stage Four cultures and leaders exhibit the following behaviors:

• A desire to work together will be stimulated once individuals have passed through stage 3 due to disenchantment with the limitations of personal success.
• Shared core values, which facilitates members of the group making decisions in line with a shared set of values.
• A "noble cause" as a shared goal.
• The use of "triads" to decentralize communication in contrast to stage 3 communication where knowledge is power.
• Using values and a noble cause to work toward an outcome, ensures that actions are informed by the values which flow toward that cause.

When discussing the movie, students wll be quick to see that Hitler experienced life from the point of view of a level three person. "I am great and you are not." They may find it harder though to pick their way through some of the trickier aspects of level four and five, when discussing baviours of the White Rose group of students.

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Posted by Jo Murphy

Authenticity and the Creative Arts is about quality leadership within the creative arts. Leaders develop an ability to facilitate a listening ear so students learn to tap into their own Authentic Voice. "Leadership Education has much to say to the Creative Arts. Faced with the daunting task of creating public expression, students develop faith in their authentic voice."

In "Finding Your Voice", Covey says "One word expresses the pathway to greatness: voice. Those on this path find their voice and inspire others to find theirs. The rest never do." Leadership Wired. 2008 Vol 11, Issue 10]

The focus points are

• Tap Into Talent : Ask Quality Questions Help students to tap into their talents when they guide them towards understanding where they excel.
• Fueling Passion : Gift Students With A Confidence Arrange assessment so that students are fully focused on activities that fill them with positive emotion.
• Build an Inquiry Culture Great Art (sometimes called High Art) is always about something very important. Build a culture of searching inquiry into your creative arts classes.
• Finding Momentum. Once authentic voice finds focus in the foreground of attention, model action to the students.

Tribal Leadership – Leveraging Natural Groups is a research project that mapped the key leverage points of tribes to ascertain whether they are more powerful than teams. Voice is an important element within this framework. All members of a "tribe" are treated as important members of a "life is great" culture. They have passed through the selfishness of a mindset that says "I am great and you are not." With direction they move to "we are great and they are not," to "life is great because we are dedicated to a noble cause."

It is at this point where enemies drop away and care for humanity takes hold that true creative synergy evolves.

Posted by Jo Murphy

• How to Make Jigsaw eCards from Original Cards Show young people how to make a jigsaw eCard from a handmade Christmas card. Start with simple patterns to craft cards which can be uploaded to make jigsaw messages.
• How to Make a Humerous Reindeer Pop Up Card Create a crazy reindeer character accompanied by a simple play on words. Teach children about how to think up humour when making this funny Christmas card with them.
• How to Make a Simple Christmas Tree Pop Up Show young people how to make pop up cards, starting with a basic easy to follow pattern. Adorn the simple Christmas tree with decorations and the effects are stunning.
• How To Make Puzzle Christmas Cards Puzzle cards are a way to produce worthwhile activities for the Christmas vacation. Making and receiving the puzzles will bring fun and laughter to the holiday period

Posted by Jo Murphy

The Advent Wreath is a device used to hold community focus over a period leading up to Christmas.

The shape of the wreath speaks symbolically about eternity. In the article The Advent Wreath, [2007] Fitzpatrick talks about the symbolism of the wreath and the way candles are used to hold focus.

Symbolism of the Wreath Captured and Accentuated

• She says that the wreath shape is circular with no beginning or end. It symbolizes "the eternity of God and the everlasting life found in Christ." So when making the wreath described in How To Make an Advent Wreath I spaced the Pine cones evenly around the circle to acentuate the symmetry.
• By choosing elements of the Australin bush when crafting the shape, I sought to underline not only continuous life in the religious sense of spirituality. I wanted to tap into a deepening awareness of the nature of stewardship that characterises human relationship with nature. I have used materials Australians value as symbolic of their unique countryside. Each element of the design originated as a type of seed pod which symbolises renewal and rebirth within the natural cycles of ecology.
• The four candles, placed around the wreath represent the weeks of Advent. Three candles rimmed in purple ribbon "symbolize the prayer, penance and good works done during Advent." according to Fitzpatrick . While the "pink candle is lit on the third Sunday of Advent and stands for rejoicing, hope and expectation."

Sustained focus.

The staggering of the lighting of these candles symbolises a listening and awakened pose. People light candles for Advent to represent understanding that Christ is the light of the world. This community spirit can reach its natural culmination in a receptive state, when a white candle is placed in the center of the wreath. This candle is usually lit on Christmas Eve and it completes the visual statement with a final flourish of complimentary design.

Posted by Jo Murphy

When explaining how to listen deeply he says,“Always pay attention to what you love most. You will go in the direction that you put your deepest passion - your deepest love.” [Conversation with Bill Isaacs 2001]

• Love Creates a Synthesis of Attention He says that when people are attentive to what they love most, they become able to discern where their compass is. This information is useful in two ways. It provides a guide to self knowledge. In this way individuals can take the reigns of personal responsibility. By being responsible for the direction of and cultivation of love, individuals become able to steer the direction of attention. The act of personally choosing the direction of love creates a synthesis of attention, which over a period of time draws forth the focus of intention.

• Praying and Continuously Seeking as a Kind of Inquiry In an attempt to clarify what he means Isaacs says, “listen to what you love most - you will always go in that direction.” When individuals become conscious that they are continuously asking for something, they come to understand that life is a personal inquiry. Some would call this praying, but more secular language would designate continuously seeking as a kind of inquiry. This is the heart of the old saying, "Be careful what you ask for; you might get it." Issacs says.

• The Journey From Lost to Found Isaacs goes on to say, “If you're not sure what you're asking for, what does that mean?” Look around you and take a hard line summation of the world you have created. Look at the world you have created (and it’s consequences) that’s around you right now. If the results of your attention have created something you would call a mess, than rather than fuss, or fret , look at the situation through the eyes of love. Everyday, is the day co inquirers ask themselves hard questions about where life and situations are taking them. If you are struggling, Isaacs says, " Always pay attention to what you love most."

Posted by Jo Murphy

Posted by Jo Murphy

Garie Sim is an artist and designer who taught himself how to become a "clayman." He teaches in Singapore. He has been making models from Plasticine since he was a child and discovered of the versatility of Polymer clay in the early 1980s.

• How to Recycle and Create Your Own Creative Polymer Clay Tools

• How to Recycle and Create Your Own Clay Tools and
• How to Create You Own Ergonomic Replaceable Magnetic Steel Blade Cutter

Posted by Jo Murphy

Posted by Jo Murphy

The article Whale Watching As a Creative Arts Project gives an example of a whale watching experience and talks about ways to create multi-modal projects designed to explore the experience of a nautical tour. Readers may wonder why environmentalists are prepared to venture into the terrain of these beautiful creatures.

They may ask, “Aren’t teachers modelling behaviour that is detrimental to the environment by organizing such tours?”

Environmental Conscience

Posted by Jo Murphy

In Queensland, Australia the coastline offers opportunity for enjoyable educational fieldtrips. On nearby islands, students experience the fun and excitement of creating sand sculptures, learning to surf, walking for exercise and for charitable purposes such as Walk For Want. Fertile cross disiplinary projects are designed such as a fishing sessions where the experience of the catch can be depthed by an explanation of fish anatomy as the fish are cleaned and gutted. Cooking sessions demonstrated on an open barbeque makes the lessons seem worhtwhile.

Arts teachers are wise to prime students about capturing immediate impressions of the experience. Upon return students will have gathered a wealth of material upon which to explore the experience.

Ways to Capture Experiences

• Visual Journal: A visual journal should be an accoimpaniment through out students entire arts schooling experience. It will be natural for them to capture as much data as possible both visually and in a poetic manner. Memory of excursions will be greatly enhanced by this discipline.
• Videoing Resource Material: If students have been allowed to practice with video cameras frequently they will be good at capturing worthwhile material on camp and excursions. Talk with them about what you would like them to acheive. Uopn return to school, compiling and editing and dubbing soundtracks will be an aspect of their project.
• PodCasting: Encourage students to capture their experience into their MP3's if they have them. This will create a wealth of authentic material from which to create PodCasts or soundtracks. Encourage them to record sounds like the wind and bird song. If they make their own instruments on the beach have them write and record original music.
• Photographic Journaling: When students are engegd in field trips such as Whale Watching, capturing a fleeting impression might mean that they might capture an image form which to paint a fantastic large canvas. They will also be able to capture photos of installations or environmental pieces they make.

Posted by Jo Murphy

The New Masters Of Fantasy provides a trailer of featured images from the third volume of artwork created by contemporary masters of fantasy. View featured artwork as a Volume III Trailer. It is a movie that scrolls, accompanied by fantasy music to create atmosphere. Be sure that students view the clips on full screen mode. The article Vixy.net Saves YouTube Clips provides instructions that will make this process easier.

The Fantasy Art Genre

This is the art of the fantastic! You will find heroes and maidens, elves and unicorns and imaginary creatures such as dragons. These beings inhabit strange and fantastic landscapes, such as lunarscapes, dark forests and "other worlds". The combinations of realistic drawing with imaginary inventions are ingredients that promise to stimulate student imagination.

Fantasy Art Projects

After viewing the film clip, invite students to create a world of their own. This will engage the students because

• fantasy art never goes out of style
• the genre is eclectic, offering a diverse range of possibilities so that the topic appeals to everyone
• Volume Three is an inspiring stimulous because the art comes from talented artists all over the world
• the Volume has been gleaned from areas of the world so students should be able to recognise cultural influences making the project appropriate for students from all cultures

"The New Masters of Fantasy” provides teachers with creative stimulous which is a magical and timeless inspiration appropriate for all ages and for students from all cultures.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Particular graphics software packages are intended for unique purposes, so artists need to be aware of the difference between file types that they offer. If you become unsure about why files are behaving in a certain way, go to the help menu of the graphics package you are using. The information about Vector and Bit Map Files has been paraphrased from Adobe Illustrator CS Help Files.

Vector Images

"Vector graphics are made up of lines and curves defined by mathematical objects called vectors." Adobe CS Help

Vectors describe an image according to its geometric characteristics. This means that vector graphics are defined by a specific width and length, set at a specific location, and filled with a specific color. They can be moved, resized, or there can be a change of color without losing the quality of the graphic.

Because they are resolution-independent, they can be scaled to any size and printed at any resolution without losing detail or clarity. This is why they are a good choice for logos and other graphics that must retain crisp lines when scaled to various sizes.

Bit Map ImagesThese raster images use a grid of small squares known as pixels to represent images. The pixels are assigned a specific location and colour value. This creates a kind of mosaic of pixels which give an appearance of the object drawn. When you edit a bit map image you are working with pixels rather than objects or shapes.

Bit map images can represent subtle gradations of shades and color, but, unfortunately they are resolution-dependent, which means that they contain a fixed number of pixels. This means that they will lose detail and appear jagged if they are scaled on-screen. If they are printed at a lower resolution than intended they will appear fuzzy.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Al Jazeera is the largest and most controversial Arabic News Channel in the Middle East. The channel broadcasts news 24 hours a day from around the world. Founded in 1996, and based in Qatar, it has become the fastest growing news network among Arab communities and Arabic speaking people around the world.

Criticism from varied governments has helped the channel garner credibility from an audience that is used to government-imposed censorship and biased coverage.

Troubled History

After its dissolution in April 1996, Sheik Hamad who was disappointed by the lack of press freedom in the Arab world, pledged to let Al-Jazeera "report the news as they see it." "I believe criticism can be a good thing," the emir said in a 1997 speech, "and some discomfort for government officials is a small price to pay for this new freedom." Allied Media.com

Breaking Barriers

Al Jazeera's now has a team of dedicated journalists. They have a multi-national education and they come from diversified backgrounds. The aim is to present news, which is objective, accurate, and truthful.

Now, Al Jazeera has gone a long way towards breaking down the language barrier by launching an English language Al Jazeera station. The station has a goal of bringing “people and continents together.”

One such story talks about a dance programme in the Phillipines that has radically altered the level of violence experienced by the inmates there.

Posted by Jo Murphy

The Problem With Utube

Using YouTube in the class room can be a bit risky. Utube is a fantastic resource and there is such a range of video clips to choose from. There are timely modern videos as well as age old classic clips. The risk is that the clip might drop out due to a "blink" in the internet transmission. If this happens during class it can be both frustrating and embarrassing. Many teachers avoid using Utube clips in the classroom for this reason.

The Solution is Vixy.net

Vixy.net is a simple solution to this problem. This free online open source technology will facilitate a simple download of the clip. It can be saved to your own disc space. Once you have done this, you can play it when and where you want without the risk of losing the connection.

How It Works

• Surf to vixy.net remembering to take the URL of the clip you want with you, by highlighting and copying.
• Paste the url into the slot at the top of the Vixy.net homepage.
• When you submit a URL, it will download and convert to the video format, and then you can download the converted file.
• Save the file to an external drive or to your hard drive or iPod.

Open Source

This service allows you convert a Flash Video / FLV file (YouTube's videos,etc) to MPEG4 (AVI/MOV/MP4/MP3/3GP) file online. When you submit a URL, it will download and convert to the video format, and then you can download the converted file. TheFLV to MPEG4 Converter engine is now OpenSource. (Information taken from Vixy.net website.)

Posted by Jo Murphy

The purpose of the International Conference on Critical Literacy in Visual Culture is to critically examine what it now means to be "literate in a world that is continuously being re-shaped by the enormous array of printed, digitized and transmitted images and visual communications systems that contextualize our perceptions of ourselves and our world. " Conference Website

Challenge To Educators

The material explored at the conference will be about the challenge educators face when they attempt to understand the relationship of literacy to power. There will be papers presented that attempt to understand the power that unmediated media exposure can wield over students.

It is hoped that breaking down barriers, which separate theory and practice, will help to achieve a clearer understanding of the created visual environment. It will be an opportunity to attempt to redefine literacy so that it empowers rather than subjugates subjects of visual culture.

Venue

The conference will be held at the Universities Center, Main Street. Dallas. It is hoped that it is the first of a series of trans- and inter-disciplinary conferences.

Art Exhibition

There will be an exhibition called "Keywords" in the reception (UCD Main Lobby). It is an art exhibition highlighting work using pre-existing images or information and electronic media in their work. The artists are Nora Herting, Jonathan Harris & Sep Kamvar, Penelope Umbrico, Jim Bumgardner and Brad Kuhl. They will receive a curatorial statement presented by UNT College of Visual Arts & Design Assistant Professor Paho Mann.

Browse Content

The conference will host two pairs of keynote speakers. If you would like to glean an idea of the variety of disciplinary perspectives, the Abstracts provide an educational smorgasboard well worth browsing.

Posted by Jo Murphy

The theme for WYD08 is: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses" (Acts 1:8).

It highlights the promise made by Jesus to set fire upon the Earth by the power of the Holy Spirit . It is this fire, which "inspires the pilgrims who come to Australia, to believe and witness to Him. " Celebrating World Youth Day

Logo Symbols

• Cross

The cross in the centre of the logo is white. This represents the light of Jesus. There has been a Journey of the Cross & Icon , which will lead into Sydney, the site of this years International celebration. The cross is raised in victory.

• Flames

Tongues of fire have elegant and undulating form as they rise as though they have been fanned by the breath of life, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

• Colours

The colours of red, orange and yellow flow throughout the design, symbolising Trinity and Unity.

• Australian Themes

The colours of the Australian outback are parched and earthy. These contrast pleasantly with the blue of the logo. The blue represents the oceans that surround Australia, the waters of Baptism, and the sea of humanity.

• Australian Design

The Sydney Opera House is the symbol of Sydney, the host city for World Youth Day 2008. The sails are interwoven with the other symbols. They bring a familiar cool peacefulness of the seascape to the hot parching flames.

Posted by Jo Murphy

David Swinton is a sculptor who offers his services as an Artist-in-Residence. He works in Primary Schools helping students enjoy the art of Paper Sculpture. David has over thirty years experience of working in schools, museums and galleries.

He also works in a discipline called Environmental Sculpture. This is a creative endeavour that enables schools to enrich their immediate surroundings. Schools commission him to design and excute three-dimensional and bas-relief artworks in hard and softwoods, stone, mild and stainless steel, non-ferrous metals, ceramics, cast concete, plaster of Paris and fibreglass.

David has a personal approach to creative thinking. He matches what is already avaiable in the school so that his work blends into the environment, thus enhancing both the hard and soft landscaping.

His book , "The Magic of Paper Sculpture" provides templates you can make available to your class. It is about encouraging a way of thinking and seeing. When a teacher gives sheets of blank white paper to a class, and asks the students to design sculpture from them, he/she is taking the students to a creative space within which they will need to use the right hemisphere of the brain.

When students are fully utilising this side of the brain they become more creative. The incessant chatter of the mind ceases and instead time passes pleasurably. The feeling of accomplishment that students experience when they have worked in this way is empowering.

Once you have tried working with your class in this way, I am sure you will want to develop the skills, style and medium further.

Posted by Jo Murphy

I have recently trialed an E-course written by Jerry Lopper and begun bringing an awareness of the need for balance to the Creative Arts Students I teach.

When teachers talk to Creative Arts Students about living a balanced life, they are not “talking about achieving an outcome or arriving at a destination." Lesson 4

Artists need to monitor feelings throughout the day. By monitoring how comfortable they feel, students can gauge how they react when faced with set backs or challenges.

Because the artistic life is thwart with competition, it is calming to focus on what Jerry calls the five comfort zones.

• Think about your life’s purpose often and deeply. Ask, "Why am I really doing this?"
• Devote as much energy and time as you can to personal passions, Become involved and proactive. This will boost self esteem and enhance relationships with others.
• Develop and utilise personal powers in nearly every aspect of your daily lives so that gifts and talents are developed to the full. This will help you feel good about your achievements,
• Design a set of personal principles. Students who think about their personal values find it easier when they face difficult choices or if life seems unfair. (Someone else gets that part!)
• Focusing from a positive, healthy, and optimistic perspective students become able to draw on their own internal resources when workload is high or challenges seem formidable.

When students feel tense or overwhelmed, it can be helpful to stop a while and look at the way they spend their time and the amount of energy being given to different aspects of their life. When one aspect of life goes astray, remember the Five P's …purpose, passion, personal power, principles and perspective.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Paper beads featured on Tania's Habitat are so attractive it is difficult to believe that they could be so cheap and easy to make. Threadbanger on Utube shows us how to make simple paper beads using only a glue stick. A more versatile glue medium would make even classier results.

Materials

• A "Wet" Area
• Paper and additives (Boganvillia petals, paper bark, gift wrap)
• adhesive such as PVA or Decoupage Glue,
• plastic trays
• toothpicks and vasaline

Optional Extras

• glitter letters or paper letters cut from coloured card
• acrylic paints and brushes

Cutting

Cut the paper into triangular strips so that they roll evenly into a twirled ball. Before you begin arrange the strips so that the twirling will create an attractive design.

Gluing

Lay the glue out onto a tray and drag the paper through, covering both sides and remove excess. Cover the entire surface of each piece of paper. Where there is no glue will eventually bubble up or buckle.

Rolling

Roll the paper onto thick toothpicks that have been greased with vaseline to prevent to beads from sticking. As you twirl it will turn into a thick bead. Use thick tooithpicks meant for spiking cheerios, so that when you pull them out of the beads, the hole will be large enough for the thread to go through. An orange or a flower sponge can act as a stand for the spiked beads. They are not to touch up against each other .

Finishing

Once dry, paint the beads with acrylic paint. Spray them with varnish, or, shellac for an antique look. Experiment. with 'stick ons' such as glitter letters or stencilled coloured paper. Glue them so that they spell names or words.

The articles Handmade Beaded Jewelry For Mother and How To Make Rosary Beads show you how to put your new found skill at the craft of bead making to good use.

Posted by Jo Murphy

This recipe requires a cooking session either with your class or as preparation. Both the Artful Crafter and Pioneer Thinking describe the recipe in the same way.

Materials

• Salt
• Water
• Corn Starch

Method

1. Mix 2 cups salt and 2/3 cup water in a pan.
2. Mix 1 cup cornstarch and ½ cup of cold water in a bowl and sit the mixture close by.
3. As you heat the mixture stir continuously (the dough might burn so practice well in advance of your class)
4. Quickly remove from heat and stir in the cornstarch and water. If mixture is too thin, return to low heat and stir constantly.
5. Wrap in a plastic sealer wrap and store in a cool, dark place in an airtight container.
6. Vegetable dye can be used to colour the dough.
7. The material should be like a like bread dough. Knead it until smooth and pliable.
8. Roll the beads in your palms. (cold cream into them before you begin)
9. Color can be added during cooking or kneading. Beads could also be painted when they are dry.

Drying

For a finishing touch gently sandpaper or smooth with an emery board.

1. Thread the beads on a greased (vaselined) wire and set this across a shoe box to dry.
2. Wait approximately 2 days for the beads to dry. If you need them more quickly preheat oven to 180 Centigrade, and after turning off the heat, place the beads still on the wire over a pan in the oven.

Finishing

The rough beads are have a rustic aura. Lightly sanding with an emery board will smooth the beads but that could turn out to be a tedious endeavour. Painting them with both acrylic or oils would also work well.

The articles Handmade Beaded Jewelry For Mother and How To Make Rosary Beads show you how to put your new found skill at the craft of bead making to good use.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Clay beads are very easy to make. They are either rolled in the palm of the hand or rolled out to make a clay coil, which is then sliced to make even cylindrical beads.

An inexpensive way to pierce the centre of the bead, is to gently push a moistened wooden skewer through the centre of the sliced coils. Cheap wooden skewers can be left in the beads as they will burn out in the kiln. This makes the project easy to manage and the beads easy to count.

Materials

• A block of clay
• Cutting wire
• Bat to place beads on
• A pack of skewers
• Kiln for firing

Timing

It does take a while to make beads this way, because you will need to allow them to dry before firing. Firing will take a few days depending on the style of kiln you have and your 'kiln roster ' within the school. Because beads are so small and light weight, it might even be cheaper to have them fired for you commercially . This can be done at your local pottery supplies company. If you choose this option there can be a delay, because the staff will fire the kiln when they have a full load to heat. If you are planning a beading project such as making rosary beads, leave at least a week between when you make the beads and expect to be able to use them in a creative project.

Using the Beads

When you are finished you will have attractive beads from which to create your projects. If you want a glossier look , the beads can be glazed or spray painted.

The articles Handmade Beaded Jewelry For Mother and How To Make Rosary Beads show you how to put your new found skill at the craft of bead making to good use.

Posted by Jo Murphy

A thumb piano is an African musical instrument. It "has a small sound box fitted with a row of tuned tabs that are plucked with the thumbs." FreeDictionary.com Because its use is so widespread across Africa it has acquired a variety of names, such as kalimba, sansa or mbira,

Free Simulated Online Learning Experience

The Africa Kids website has an interactive interface with a variety of options for exploring the thumb piano. If you would like the students to learn very simple tunes, and you have some thumb pianos for your class they can play along. There is a print function so that you can print the music.

If you do not have access to thumb pianos, there is a simulation of the instrument for the students to play. It is possible to record music and play it back. With practice the students could become quite proficient at writing and recording simple melodies.

An Attractive Instrument

The thumb piano is an attractive instrument,. (Image from Overstock) It is easy to make. It is held gently between two hands. The thumbs strike the keys making a sound, which reverberates from within the wooden hemisphere through a hole. The difference in the size of the keys makes the melodic sound. It is usually made from wood, (perhaps a seed pod) and the keys are beaten to their correct size from metal. A metal bar holds them in place. The instrument can be tuned with this bar.

Posted by Jo Murphy

One type of early Australian Art is called “xray art.” The form is drawn as though the viewer can see through to the skeletal structure of the animal and its entrails. p 220 "Spirit and Art: Pictures of the Transformation of Consciousness," by Van James 2002 Steiner Books

Xray painting is not only widely known of Aboriginal Australian art but it is also common to other tribal cultures.

The images are more spiritual than simply being useful pictures created by hunters. Although the nomads would certainly have opportunity to become familiar with the inside of animals that they regularly carved, the art is thought to be more "essentially spiritual" than this. Van James indicates that early tribal cultures could see phenomenon much more deeply than contemporary people who merely relate to the outer exterior of objects.

The stories of aboriginal people, like the one related on page 201, talk about the dreamtime and the creation of the world. It is thought that xray, line art drawings were a way of recording creation stories.

The drawings may be of even greater spiritual significance. Tradition would have them "produced only in part by the living," as the spirit of the deceased and the dreamtime gods were said to assist in the creation of the artwork. In this way messages of spirits from the dead were channelled through the living.

To show an example of what is meant by this van James shows older, simpler spirit drawings called "MIMI." The spirit are said to have left their images on the rocks as they "melted into them." fig 263 page 202 Google Books

Explore further examples of xray, line art on page 201 (figures 262 and 263) of the same text and then try this class exercise from Enchanted Learning

Posted by Jo Murphy

This simple humerous animation of an Easter Bunny rapping can be the focus of fun and laughter in the classroom. The rabbit parodies "Rapper's Delight"!? while clearly spelling out the word Easter to the hip hop beat.

Integrate Dance, Music, Literacy and Art into your lessons by using the resource in a variety of ways.

• Draw student attention to the clever play on words and sounds
• Play with the catchyness of the music. Encourage the students to hum, strum or drum along
• Invite the students to make up their own spelling rap. They could take their rap to a lower aged classroom and be the teacher for a while. This approach could become a great way to start a spelling tradition
• While the rap is playing have the children draw chickens and rabbits. Have them design a card from the cartoons they create. Have the students send a card with the eCard function.
• In the Modern Dance Research Assignment, student groups are encouraged to choreograph a small skit. This animation might enthuse the students with an injection of fun.
• As part of the same research assignment, students are expected to write their own lyrics. Easter Bunny Rap can act as an example.

This animated resource is easily available and free online. This means that teachers throughout the school can teach the same dance steps across the board. Easy access means that a whole school could be practiced for an Easter Presentation with out fuss or bother. Or,the rap could become the basis for a dance the entire school population could have fun with together at the Easter Hip Hop.

If you can suggest other ways this animation could be used as a class resource, please post to the discussion.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Open this Hip Hop dance lesson featured on Yahoo Videos.com in another tab. You will have time to read this article before it is fully loaded. The dance instruction video is called "Dance Lesson - Hip Hop-Bunny Hop." It is an ideal resource for teachers who want to incorporate dance into their "Lead Up to Easter " units of creative arts activities.

The Bunny Hop is a repetetive line dance.

• The video has an instructional break down of the simple step formation.
• The routine is gradually 'worked up.'
• Finally, the viewers are able to see the dance performed smoothly and rhythmically by dancer Louisa Bramlett.
• The routine consists of two sets of eight, and the dancers hop in a square.

The dance could be featured when teachers unveil the Easter Bouquet as described in the article. Or the activity might be the early morning 'heart starter' for your class. If you are thinking of a longer term project the article Modern Dance Research Assignment is full of suggestions.

• Play the video several times allowing the students to become accustomed to the style of instruction.
• As they watch, participants will get some idea of the eventual look and feel of the dance.
• When they are ready to learn, continually replay the video until the students are coordinated.

The video originated from Learning 2 Dance. It is a dancer's website that has something to offer everyone. No matter whether you teach Prep School or make a living as a professional dancer, this site has something practical to offer. It is a membership site. Some of the videos offered are free.

If you like teaching dance this way, or, if you are an enthusiastic student and the style of learning suites you, the site offers a variety of options. We would love to hear about your experience!

Posted by Jo Murphy

This article "How to Make a Huge Easter Bouquet " inspires and guides students as they create a composition from a collage of hand drawn Easter images.

If you choose to do this project, you will need to make some strategic decisions about how you would like the project to turn out. Do you want the central character of the composition to look realistic or would you prefer it to be very funny and cartoon like?

This step-by-step instruction called "How to Draw a Bunny" is from www.cartooncritters.com. The artist uses a variety of guidelines to show you how to shape a cartoon rabbit. A simple search of Google will turn up a host of drawing sites that will show students ways to teach themselves to draw bunnies.

This instructional video by Jan Brett is also a wonderful resource for teaching young people how to draw a real animal from life. Places like www.Utube.com will turn up instructional videos, if you do a simple search through their search engine.

If you can’t decide how you want the bunny to look - why not set a challenge to your students? Ask them to find an instructional site so that they can teach themselves how to draw a bunny. Once they feel confident, ask them to teach this method to at least one other student in the class.

Arrange an exhibition of bunnies and bring in an independent judge to select the one to be central character in your Easter Backdrop.

Put the other bunnies to good use as Easter Cards, by means of a simple cut and paste on to a folded piece of coloured card. Place them around the Easter Display and retrieve them before the holiday to send to a special friend.

Posted by Jo Murphy

The Graffiti Creator website is set up like a hobby club. Students of all ages love the interactive software. The lettering generator is simple to use, and designed so that users can spawn original and personalised graffiti. As students generate their own text, the variety of options makes a huge range of unique, attractive designs possible. Like a combination lock, the generator can spawn an endless supply of interesting concoctions that will keep students engaged for quite a while.

Vandalism or Artform?

Before you begin, read Graffiti Tag Writing as an Artform and talk with the class about being responsible artists.

Simplicity

The software is very simple and even quite young students can learn how to operate it.

Students

1. select a font to experiment with,
2. click the image or the load button
3. start typing their words into the space provided.

Classroom teachers can incorporate the use of the software into class assignments and learning experiences.

Assignments

• Write an assignment about lettering and ask the students to design the cover and all headings with the software
• When students are mounting an exhibition, working towards a theatre production or have an event such as a fete scheduled, use the Graffiti Creator to design the signage
• Set an assignment to create a word game with each card designed from the lettering generated by the online software
• Visual Art Teachers might want to set the task of designing huge canvases or wall murals. Create them online and then copy on to the surface
• Perhaps students might like to design a word and screen-print it on their shirts for end of year celebrations

The Graffiti Creator website has forum and gallery so that students can share their work online. If you have examples you would like to share, please post them to the Hip Hop discussion thread.

Posted by Jo Murphy

If a stained glass artist is skilled and versatile, it is possible to combine techniques and materials to create highly innovative sculptures from the combinations.

In the article, Designing for Stained Glass a sculptural work is featured. It is a turtle that channelles water in a fountain which has lilly pads floating on the surface. The fountain is an amalgamation of a variety of materials and art forms. This creates a collaged effect. Once combined, the work is integrated to become a unified whole.

The water feature is an example of the way stained glass pieces can be combined to create a sculptural form. The fountain is a functional item as well as a beautiful artistic statement. The image featured on the cover "Water Works" by Tracey (Walrus Publications.) illustrates, how lead lighted glass can be combined with other materials to create sculptural works.

The artist made the turtle fountain by

• creating the turtle and the lily pads fron stained glass pieces
• setting the fountain into a terracotta pot that had been stopped up to make it water tight
• connecting a pump through the stained glass sculpture
• placing the fountain in a garden so that it becomes part of the planned design

Often, though not always, artists will plan these types of projects with the environment into which they will be integrated informing the design.

These projects can be exciting and fun, but they can also be expensive and time consuming because

• the artist must learn a variety of different techniques
• and about a variety of materials and art forms
• it is wise to practice extensively before going on to more difficult and expensive projects

Posted by Jo Murphy

Pop-up cards can be very complex or you can set exercises that are simple and straightforward. They can be plain, quick, and easy to make without mess or bother. But you can also give the students time and material to turn them into specimens that are stunningly attractive and greatly adorned. This article will also show some ways to bring in humour.

Ease In With Patterns

This pattern from robertsabuda.com is extremely simple, but with just a little effort, it can be quite a stunning Valentines Day offering

If you photocopy the pattern, you can give it to the class. Encourage the students to use it to make a card appropriate for their own age group and ability level.

Process

• practice with white photocopy for starters
• when they have practiced give them the pattern on coloured card
• to add effect, multi coloured card would be great
• corrugated or metallic card would ensure the kids become engaged

Brainstorm Ways To Finish Cards Uniquely

• Decorate with glitter and perhaps heart stickers
• Get the students to bring photos of their Valentine and glue them to the heart
• Draw a portrait of the Valentine on the pop-up section
• or draw a self portrait and frame it on the heart

Extension

Ask the students to do a simple Google Hunt for other pop-up Valentine designs and patterns from sites like eHow.com. Ask them to bring examples and share them with the class.

If you have students that need to be challenged, ask them to design a pop-up version of their own.

Posted by Jo Murphy

An Aspiring Artist

Sir John Campbell Longstaff (1861-1941), artist, was born at Clunes, Victoria. He showed great talent from an early age. In 1873, he won a junior division prize in the Victorian schools of design's freehand drawing competition. He entered the art school of the National Gallery of Victoria in 1882 when Henry Butler recognized the young man's talent.

He won the school's first travelling scholarship in 1887 with 'Breaking the News', a figure composition depicting the tragic aftermath of a mining accident.

In 1889, he lived at Belle-Ile and under the influence of Russell's Impressionism he temporarily "lightened his palette and loosened his technique." Astbury. 1986 Soon after in Spain he studied the art of Velasquez. Careful craftsmanship and subtle dark tonalities were to continue as an influence on his portraiture style.

Rise To Fame

Longstaff was a highly valued portraitist. He painted King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1904. By 1906, he had a 'magnificent studio' at Carlton Hill and he became a regular exhibitor at the Royal Academy in 1902-20. He also exhibited with the Royal Society of Portrait Painters.

In 1911, the acclaimed artist appears to have spent considerable time painting portraits in Sydney and Melbourne. Throughout In 1918-19, he worked as an official war artist with the Australian Imperial Force.

5 Times Archibald Winner

From August 1920 Longstaff lived permanently in Melbourne and according to the NSW Art Gallery; Archibald commissioned John Longstaff to paint a portrait of poet Henry Lawson. Later Archibald's fascination with portraiture led him to leave money in his will for an annual portrait prize.

Because of his great skill, Longstaff won the Archibald Prize for Portraiture. He was honoured in 1925, 1928, 1929, 1931 and 1935.

Posted by Jo Murphy

In Creative Arts Computing Plan, I suggest that Teachers look at successes and difficulties experienced with past projects. Devise a plan with your class to map out the year.

Some of these articles about theatre projects suggest ways that computing has been used to enhance learning. I also suggest Theatre Teachers streamline projects so that they are quicker, more practical as well as easier to store and to share with others.

Digital Projects

• The article Online Jigsaw Theatre Invitations outlines a successful project about sending email jigsaw invitations. Students use original artwork or photos from the show as classy promotion. Now is the time to show the students these types of ideas so that they can begin to think about how and when they will generate the required images. Show them how to keep a digital journal so that when the time comes you have plenty of process photos from which to choose.
• Use Digital Frames as a way to focus throughout the year. What a great way to motivate and affirm students.

Digitalise These Projects

• In the article exploring Emotions Through Colour, I show how colour is an important aspect of theatre. Using the information contained in this article, create the colour wheel in an online paint application and file it in a digital journal that it can be a resource book and sharing tool for students.
• When painting a theatrical backdrop digital art can be used to preview designs. Computer generated images make it easier to match up bits and pieces of larger projects. They can be worked and reworked with ease until theatre students settle on a design that suites all.

Use an Inspirational Journal keep track of the various aspects of your projects.

Posted by Jo Murphy

A check list is a way to discuss computing with your dance classes. Map out use of digital process as a tool of facilitation.

Preference

• With individual Digg.com accounts students hunt the web for examples of dance. (Comedy Example) As Digg Friends communicate about preferences, examples will float to the top of the collective pool
• Download sheet music and tunes from sharing sites such as Itunes.com
• As members of YouTube.com, use this resource to locate examples of dance and arrange them into albums. This article has video examples to get you started
• Show the students this article about improvisation and try the exercise
• Take webcam videos when students are practicing. Catalogue the student's efforts for your resource library and for assessment purposes. This record will mean that impromptu ideas will be available later
• Use time lapse digital imagery to record natural events. Use this material as a source for choreography

Practice Sessions

• With lap tops students can practice from DVD and webcam resources. This means that small group work is possible
• Online libraries of photo reference can be available to help the students remember dance steps

Performance and Recording

• Use recorded practice sessions as stimulation for discussion about ways that the performance can be improved. Present the final performance live and partly video recording. This broadens the scope for creativity and style of presentation
• After live performance play a collection of funny video bloopers that have been recorded at practice sessions through out the year

Presentation and Albums

• Create digital invitations
• Use an Inspirational Journal
• Keep well catalogued albums for future reference. Store these online in places like UTube or Facebook.com
• Upload your final presentation to Youtube.com to receive International feedback
• Create a class Squidoo

Posted by Jo Murphy

Context

Day Four of a five-day comic strip workshop called “The Funniest New Years Resolution Ever” will draw heavily on Tech Drawing Skills and this way of seeing. It is a day of exploration and experimentation.

How Stuff Works has a fantastic drawing section. Here you will find illustrated Instructional "How To Draw" articles. This tutorial shows How to Draw a 1957 Chevy. The use of geometry and geometrical shapes as guidelines is the key to Cartooning and Comic Strip Creation.

It is worthwhile for any artist who aspires to writing comics to practice Tech Drawing. Practice all styles of drawing things mechanical, from simple water jugs to complicated helicopters. After a while, that way of thinking and seeing will become natural. Budding artists will experience a real boost to drawing skills.

The Process

By now, artists have

1. explored simple perspective - The Basics of Perspective
2. explored how to Set The Scene When Telling A Story
3. discovered how to create characters to people a tabletop.
4. It is now time to start thinking about putting the skills together in an environment.

Participants will be asked to use perspective and technical drawing to plan an environment that has objects as its imaginary architecture. When it feels right place characters within the scene.

As the workshop has progressed, participants were continually reminded to be thinking of a little script about “The Funniest New Years Resolution Ever.” Day Five will see that quip created.

NB*. The story does not have to take place on a tabletop. That was just a teaching device.

Let us see what happens.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Over the course of a five-day comic strip workshop called “The Funniest New Years Resolution Ever,” participants have been given enough information to

1. Draw a scene
2. Place comic characters in it

Read the articles How To Make A Comic Strip and Multi Variant Story Boarding.

Devise the short quip by using a storyboard as a planner.

• Sketch out what is going to happen lightly into the gridded storyboard with whisper lines
• Have extra copies of the storyboard so that you can try all sorts of combinations of the mapped out story

Here are some tips and tricks to help you finish the quip

1. Keep your storyboard short and simple. Have only three or four frames.
2. Make sure you have a short pithy punch line.
3. Speech bubbles can be added on the computer or even glued on to the comic from scraps of paper with handwriting on them - but – don’t have the characters say too much.
4. It might be appropriate to have a caption below each frame that spells out what is happening in the story.
5. It is OK to use collage to brighten up your comic and add interest.

When you are satisfied, create a proof copy and share it. Friends can give valuable feed back about how funny the gag is.

When you are satisfied,

• firm up the designs
• colour the final copy

Once the story board has been finalised

• frame the art work on black or coloured card
• encourage the group to participate in an Appreciative Inquiry which would focus on positive statements about the project
• make your plans for an exhibition and celebration of the effort
• decide whether to create a volume - a combined book - of the group effort
• share you work on the discussion boards

Posted by Jo Murphy

Day One of the five-day workshop is simple. The story board for “The Funniest New Years Resolution Ever” will be uncomplicated. “The Basics of Perspective;” is a short two hour lesson focused on “What goes back in space gets smaller and darker.”

1. Read these pages from this drawing course about the idea of simple perspective.
2. Go to Steps to Drawing a Cylinder Shapes are flat and forms are three-dimensional. This is an example of a graded step through exercise where a rectangle ‘morphs’ to a cylinder. When the viewer looks at an object that is not flat, she can see several sides of the object.
3. A cartoonist can also place something inside the container. This cat is inside a can. Where there is overlap, the can has been erased so that it looks like the cat has its arm hanging over the side. Ask co inquirers to think up captions like: “I don’t want to get canned in 2008.”
4. Three dimensionality is important for cartooning. Experiment with the concept of vanishing points and of “Point Perspective.”
5. Explore why “points of view” are important when creating a background scene.
6. On Andrew Diec’s Website browse the different types of perspective. Show these samples to the class.
7. It would not be wise to encourage beginners to try to draw more than one or two point perspective.
8. On the first day keep the exercises simple and ask only that the participants draw a fun coke can or cat in a can.
9. Stimulate interest and an understanding that comic strips are usually set in an environment.

This is the first day of a five-day workshop. On Day Five artists will be ready to create a comic strip called “The Funniest New Years Resolution Ever.”

Posted by Jo Murphy

This is part of a five-day comic strip workshop called “The Funniest New Years Resolution Ever.”

Context

This is Day Two of the project. On Day One The Basics of Perspective co inquirers investigated perspective and found how easy it is to create a simple object such as a Coke Can. Now we explore how to "Set The Scene When Telling A Story."

This exercise further develops the process so that participants use these skills in context. They are going to make a whole tabletop.

This is so that they can come to

• create a cartoon world
• use perspective creatively
• place a cartoon character/s within an environment

Process

• ask the drawers to create a tabletop by drawing an oval or rectangle receding in space
• on the top of the table draw a tablescape
• place knives, forks, spoons, cups, table clothes, napkins,presents, cakes on it (any thing that would be on the top of a table)
• draw from real life or use pictures scavanged or downloaded from the internet

As participants draw, encourage them to think of a cartoon character that will spring to life on this tabletop world such as:

• a mouse
• cockroach
• fly
• midget
• ant

Content

Demonstrate for participants the subtle techniques of drawing

• Whisper lines
• Rescuing outlines
• Crosshatching (Depth) tone, shade, rendering
• Seven Elements of Design
• Positive Negative Space

As the participants develop confidence, keep the line work very feint so that it can be erased easily.

• Keep the project and the joke ideas simple
• Continually refer to the Drawing 101 if you are stumped.
• Keep the drawing proscess easy and manageable.
• Use patterns to create interest.
• When you have finished drawing the table top “people it” with characters such as mice.
• Colour the entire drawing
• Rescue Outlines again! Go back and make sure your lines are crisp and clear.

Posted by Jo Murphy

This is part of a five-day comic strip workshop called “The Funniest New Years Resolution Ever.”

Context

On Day One - The Basics of Perspective participants investigated perspective. On Day Two they explored how to Set The Scene When Telling A Story Now it is time to create characters for the comic strip.

Method

Read Creative Character Creator.

These are the stages for each character

1. Body Start with two ovals of equal size, one on top of the other. The top is the head and the one below will be the body. .
2. Proportions Once the head and the body are marked in, draw the other elements of the character such as the ears and snout with whisper lines.
3. Cropped When developing a character the artist will allow herself to be influenced by little idiosyncrasies that occur. As this happens it will feel natural to rub out guidelines and neaten the figure. Read How To Crop An Image
4. Developed Once the image has been developed, colour and begin looking at ways to write the story around it.

Developing The Character

There are many ways to make a character look funny.

• Exagerate - Make the eyes bulge or give it the biggest nose or tummy.
• Play with relative size - Have a mouse sit beside an egg which is huge in comparison. Have a tiny little person looking up at the mouse.
• As comic artists play, ideas for a script will begin to naturally develop.
• Perhaps you could sit a very large mouse on a small table - and then ask how did this situation come about?
• Play with textures and patterns
• Give your characters crazy clothes

Take your time and have fun. When ready move to Day Four of the Five Day Workshop.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Here is an example of a funny personalised Christmas Card.

This funny card has been created from a portrait of a family animal. This image is a photo of a painting of a cat. The artwork is a Christmas present and the card has been made to compliment the gift.

First Gather Your Materials

You will need

• a photo of your favourite animal or of a family member. The clip must be very clear and a close up shot.
• Christmas Hat
• Christmas Bell
• Christmas Border
• for real collage,glitzy materials such as ribbon and sequins
• computer print out of the caption you would like to add to the card
• A programme such as Photoshop or another Computer Art Software package, or a programme such as Word
• A scanner, camera or photos and printouts you have collected

Assemblage Instructions

Either cut and paste in real life or cut and paste these images on the computer, in this order

1. prepare a rectangle (usually11 inch by 8 inch)
2. fold it is half or select the right half
3. paste the 4 inch by 4 inch image on the right hand side of the rectangle
4. paste Santa’s hat on to the cat after sizing to an exact fit
5. paste the bell around the neck of the portrait
6. cut the centre from the border and place and paste over the top
7. create the card greeting in a computer art programme or Word
8. cut and paste them into place
9. fold the card in half
10. place in an envelope of the appropriate size when dry
11. cut a section of another Christmas border to be the size of a postage-stamp and paste it on the top right hand corner of the envelope

As an added bonus you can turn the image into a jigsaw to send as an email card to add loads of fun to your Christmas Party.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Bennelong Point is the name of the small jutting piece of land that stretches into Sydney Harbour. The Sydney Opera House proudly stands as an Australian Icon looking regal but blending harmoniously with the aquatic harbour seascape.

Bennelong was born in 1764 of the Wangal people. His story is a sad one. He was one of the first indigenous people forced to live with the early Australian convict settlers. The intention of Sir Arthur Phillip was to ‘civilise' the indigenous people into the European way of life so that they could enjoy its 'benefits'.

“Bennelong was captured in November 1789 as part of Phillip's plan.” Looking back, one could now interpret this capture as an arrogant plan to teach these people the language and customs of the English. Phillip also wanted to learn the ways and customs of the ‘locals. ’ Like Arabanoo, (Windows media download) Bennelong was able to adopt much of the European dress and ways of behaviour. He was also able to learn “fair enough English.”

Bennelong was able to communicate the language of the Sydney Aborigines. He also cooperated with Governor Phillip bestowing him with the Aboriginal name Wolawaree, thus locating him in a kinship relationship. “in order to enable communication of customs and relationship to the land. “

The Governor built Bennelong a hut on what is now Bennelong Point, the modern day site of the Sydney Opera House

Ironically, a theatre that hosts a variety of world stories – was the site of an early Australian Encounter. Here, Bennelong “entertained the Governor,” and the battle with regard to the rights of the Indigenous Population of Australia began.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Think of the way some people roll their "r"s or the way some birds warble in the evening stillness. These sounds are beautiful and interesting. This trilling sound adds interest, depth and a lyrical quality to classical music. The famous Opera singer Dame Nellie Melba was renowned for her ability to hold a trill for a long time without losing the pureness of tone or the timber of her voice.

If you would like to understand the history of the trill Neil Howlett talks about its development, history and includes some examples of the written music on his site. He says that "Contrary to expectation, fast agile voices are not always those which trill easiest. "

Because the technique is so difficult to master it is considered a sign of excellence in Operatic style. According to Howlett common defects of the trill include

• "out of tuneness of all sorts, particularly too narrow an interval
• "too wide an interval (a wild wobbling known in Italian as ‘trillo caprino’ – a goat’s trill)".

The trill was once popular and frequntly used. Nowadays it is not so commonly penned and very rarely do we see singers master it to same excellent standard of singers such as Melba.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Although dragons come from the imagination, there are some conventional characteristics that we recognise as 'dragon like.' See image of dragons from Herb's Metal Blog.

Characteristics

They traditionally have long necks and wings somewhat like those of a bat. They can have horns, long snouts and flailing tails. Usually they seem to have four legs with talons. They can be any colour although often they seem to be golden, green or brown.

Activity

As an end of year activity start this exercise with your class by

• asking them to describe a dragon to you
• Draw the dragon on the board or on the computer projected onto the wall
• By creative synthesis use older drawings you have already completed with the class such as the cat and the bat. This way you are consolidating old knowledge and using it in new ways.
• When you have created a simple dragon that satisfies and excites the class, ask them "How will you show that it is a Christmas Dagon?"
• They will give answers such as "He will wear Christmas clothes!" "He will pull a sleigh." "She will breath fire so that santa can see the way." View this image to see an example
• Continue to have fun by drawing with the students until they seem confident to produce a Christmas Dragon of their own.

Functional Use For Drawing

When they are finished their work, scan it or save it and create a Christmas Jig Saw to send as a card to their friends. They will now have a skill to share with their family and friends. Jigsaws such as this Christmas Dragon will give them loads of pleasure over the Christmas break.

Posted by Jo Murphy

To crop means to clip or cut. It also means to neaten up or trim something. When talking about computer art the term refers to neatening an image by cutting some away.

Why Photographers and Designers Crop Images

Cropping an image in a computer software programme is similar to composing an image when taking a photograph. During the photographic process the artist will focus the lens of a camera to zoom in on selected subject matter so that it is centred creatively within the Composition.

Graphic Art Computer Programmes help artists to perform this function artificially. This process gives the photographer a second chance when composing a design. The process of selection allows the designer to select out the part of the picture that is wanted and to carve away the rest.

When To Use The Crop Tool

Many software programmes have a crop tool which has handles that computer artists use to slide in and out so that they can see what the picture will look like when cropped. It is almost like an artificial frame or window through which the designer can look. This allows her to play around with the image until she is satisfied with the way the image ‘sits’.

• Artists selectively crop pictures to compose a design
• and to resize an image. The file might need to be smaller for a particular purpose such as the creation of an Online Jigsaw
• She might also splice, slice and dice images when making collages

When students are learning about design they may not realise how much of a picture plane can be wasted dead space. By asking them to crop images the teacher facilitates an awareness of the possibilities that juggling Positive and Negative space can bring to a design. Designs can be enhanced visually as well as functionally.

Posted by Jo Murphy

The way that www.theKidspage.com presents free online Christmas jigsaws is especially helpful for teachers who want to send kids to the computer to do jigsaws as a reward after a task well done.

This allows the teacher stay with those students who are not yet finished and need extra attention.

Easy To Use - Self Direction

The jigsaws are set out so that students can

• access them without teacher assistance
• travel through challenging stages, levels of difficulty and complexity
• access hints about the shape of the pieces by clicking a link at the top of the jigsaw tray
• access a visual of the final picture in the same way (these flash up in the back ground)

Students can be self-directed without feeling stranded by a jigsaw that is too complex. Nor will they be bored by puzzles that are not challenging. For the younger children there is also the extra benefit of a great "Well Done!" that is played when the jigsaw is completed.

Class Interaction

If you have the time and would like to become involved in jigsawing as an activity with your Art Class, you can set challenges for the class such as

• use the computer clocks to time personal best efforts
• with the computer clock time students when they challenge each other
• become involved and try your skills with the class

Other Activities and Printable Goodies

The site offers a wide variety of jigsaws presented with a Christmas theme. They are visually appealing and highly colourful. TheKidspage.com site also has free printable activities and colouring pages that will serve as great boosters for the classroom during the PreChristmas, end of year teaching season.

Jigsaw for Other Times of Year

Jigsawing is beneficial for the students all year round so please add any jigsaw resources you have found to the discussion boards.

Posted by Jo Murphy

This Lesson Plan about Halloween masks is a good one. They are fun to make and would keep the class happy on a Friday Afternoon before the Halloween Festivities. The Lesson Plan comes from Hobby Craft.co.uk. Craft lessons are fun and they are a great way to engage the children especially when they are tired or 'revved up' awaiting a celebration.Craft lessons are worthwhile and easy to link to desired curriculum outcomes. When making masks teach the Seven Elements of Design as you go.

This lesson about How To Draw and Paint Bats will explain ways to talk to the students about texture and present ways to work with positive and negative shapes. While learning about these important aspects of design the students will also create images that can be turned into craft projects.

Method

To make the Halloween Masks teach this lesson and then use the Bats created to develop them into eye masks.

Tell the students to

• Take the bat they have designed and paste it to card
• Once it is dry - cut it out
• Attache tabs or punch holes and insert elastic
• Cut out the eyes. You may need to help younger students with this as they will need to make a little nick in the card and then once they are able to force the scissors through, they can cut around the eye holes
• Have the students place the mask on their head and ask them to adjust their friends tabs or elastic so that the mask sits and fits snugly

This is an effective way to teach Design because if the students know that their designal efforts are to be developed into a fun craft project. They are likely to approach the task with enthusiasm.

Posted by Jo Murphy

The Lens Flare in a digital painting is a point of light. Used as an abstract element of design, it would not be attached literally to any elements of the design.

But if an artist means to use the flare in a painterly manner it is important to remember what the flare is meant to do.

Imagine what this simple drawing would be like if a Lens Flare was added to it. It would give it a new dimension. The glare from the flare would shine on the character's face. The flare would be placed directly inside the lamp, shining from the inside out, illuminating the image.

Each star in this Halloween picture could be given a light source. The impact of this over use of a device would be the loss of dramatic effect. The scatteredness of the technique would dilute it. There are only a few little pin pricks of lens flare used in this starry image and the light source has been diffused. It is not suggested that the light is shining from any one place with in the picture plane.

In this Bat picture though, the Lens Flare has been placed to depict a glare shining right on the bat. The bats face is screwed up as if it is trying to block it out. The viewer can see where the glare is coming from. Visually we can track the light on the face of the bat and see the shadows that have been cast .

Computer artists must always be conscious of what they are trying to depict. Visual clues are hidden every where in a picture. It is the job of the teacher to show the student how to read these clues and to be able to describe what is happening.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Here is a Cat On A Bridge and The African Widow Bird. In this article students are using these prompts as an inspiration as part of a Multi Variant Story Boarding project. The images are from the articles How To Create Cat Characters and Cardio Dance Lesson Plan Ideas.

"What Are You Looking At?" has been created by combining two images so that the cat and the bird are looking in the same direction.

They have been combined in this way.

• The images were saved in a folder and clearly labelled. They were then opened in Photoshop Elements in seperate cascaded windows.
• The bird was dragged across with the Move Tool and dropped into the background picture (Cat On A Bridge ) This will create a new layer.
• The Eraser Tool is now used to rub out any overlap. This unwanted over lap will be the birds background. This double background effect will create confusion within the background picture.
• The Magic Wand Tool will be used to select the unwanted colouring. The Magic Eraser tool will be used to erase the larger more easily seen pieces of "rubbish."
• Once "rubbish" has been selected with the Magic Wand Tool, the Eraser Tool will be used on a small pixel size such as 1. This is so that the very fine "rubbishy" patches of colour can be cleaned piece by piece. This is called "Cleaning the Image."
• Once the image Has been cleaned, the Burn Tool will be used to darken up the edges and the Pencil Tool on Pixel 1 can be used to draw outlines back into place. We call this "Rescuing the Outlines."

Now you have the picture of a bird and a cat looking in the same direction. "What Are You Looking At?"

Posted by Jo Murphy

Taking the text apart teachers amplify the way the artist has developed each element of the artwork. The class can examine the way each part has been stitched together to create a synthesis. The synthesis will ammount to more then the sum of the parts, because they interact with each other.

Deconstruction is a Teaching Technique Appropriate for all Genres.

The idea is to

• choose a complex artwork
• locate and name each of the elements combined to create the art piece
• focus deeply on each element looking at the way it has been created
• after working with each element, hone in to look at how they have been combined
• after looking at sub sets of combinations, step back with the class to see how these elements take form as a whole creation
• talk about this interaction as a synthesis

Why We Deconstruct

Deconstruction deepens understanding of the artistic process

• Students gain a more authentic understanding of the way artists create
• The act of creation is simplified in the minds of the students so that they look at complex works of art and realise that they need not be overwhelming to create if the stages of creation are approached one at a time
• It can be a means of introduction to a new unit of work
• Structured understanding of artistic creation helps students break down tasks into manageable parts. This helps them to create a time management plan for their own work.
• Understanding of the way artworks are structured will enable students to develop artworks that are deeper and much more layered
• Students will begin to develop an understanding of layers of meaning
• Groups of creative art students will come to understand how to break down large works into smaller parts so that they can work on a collective project without confusion.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Spray cans had not been invented in the days of Mary MacKillop. Parents wanted a photo of her spraying grafitti to comermorate events that had happened throughout 2007. This was to celebrate the year seven passage of rites. The drawing will go on the cover of their magazine.

Here is how I placed a spray can in her hand. Image of a hand holding a spray can.

1. I scanned the photo
2. Cropped the hand
3. Cut and pasted it into MSPaint

For this exerices the Eye Dropper tool becamse crucial in both the MSPaint spray can drawing and the finishing in Photoshop. When ever an artist has to blend two pictures the matching colours need to be fairly technically achieved.

You will also need to use the Magnfying Glass extensively.

1. So I literally drew the can into the hand using the Line Tool to make sure the sides were straight and the Curvy Line Tool to make sure the elipses wre gentle and looked realistic.
2. Once I had drawn the can into place I used the Brush Tool with the colour selected through the Eye Dropper so that I erased any messyness outside the lines of the can with the right colour.
3. I rescued the outlines with the Pencil Tool.

Once the drawing was into the hand and the appearance was neatened I transferred the picture back into Photoshop and placed it on a layer above the original. I then set about blending the two pictures with the Eraser Tool set on Soft Edge. I used the Free Transform Tool to make sure all was in place and then saved the picture in PSD format so that I could work on it further to create the cover

Posted by Jo Murphy

When making Flash Cards teachers can change the time on the face of a clock.

Here is how

• make a basic clockface in Photoshop Elements
• print this off
• laminate it.
• print and laminate hands for the clock

Change the time on several versions of the same clock and hold up as Flash Cards.

For Making Clocks With Toddlers I used this technique to create the clock on the wall. These are the steps to create a basic but adaptable clock in Photoshop Elements or Photoshop.

• Use the Elipse Tool to create one larger circle and a smaller one within
• Colour this with the Paint Bucket Tool
• Shade it by selecting the rim with the Magic Wand and dragging the Gradient Tool across this selected Rim
• Using the Line Tool cross two short lines to be the arms of the clock place
• Add dots and numbers to the clock face
• Place a dot at the centre so that this can be the anchor
• Select and use the Gradient Tool -drag it from the same direction so that the direction of the shading is uniform

To change the time on the clock

• save a blank clock face in a folder
• keep all versions of the clock in the same folder
• open the blank clock face
• add the hands telling the time
• place the dot back in the centre to neaten up the appearance where the hands meet

You can not only create Flash Cards to use when teaching the time but you can renew old ones by

• scanning them
• erasing the centre of the clock face
• change the time on a new layer

As your students get older you can teach them this technique. They can use it when cartooning or writing comics.

Posted by Jo Murphy

The image of a Preying Mantis illustrated at the bottom of this article was created in MSPaint. Once it was drawn simply it was then transported to Photoshop CS and the Filter Tool was used to enhance the background.

• The colours in the picture of the Preying Mantis are complimentary. Red and green are opposite on the colour wheel. I have chosen a crimson red to contrast against a more limey green just to give it that bit of tang!
• When the picture was transported in to Photoshop it was grainy and a little too stark in the shading method I had used - so I used the Blur Tool to mix the colours and making the blending more subtle.
• When I had done this I rescued the outlines with the Pencil Tool on Black.
• Once I had enhanced the foregroundI selected the background with the Magic Wand and going to the Filter Menu I experimented with filters until deciding that the Mosaic Tile was what worked for me.

When you have Dance, Drama or Singing as part of your schedule it is often appropriate to allow the students 5mins Drawing straight after. This is to take advantage of the stimulation of their creativity and to allow the theme to be expressed in another form. Simple drawings taken from the images you have been working with can give you acess to a quick Art Starter that is not too much fuss or bother.

Posted by Jo Murphy

By making your own Flash Cards teachers can save money. All you need is

• Microsoft Paint so that you can draw the idea very simply.
• And Photoshop Elements so that you can enhance the image and add text in the way you want it to appear.

The two software programs are suitable for different aspects of the task.

• MSPaint is not only simple but it forces the artist to stay simple and uncomplicated. This is visually appealing for little kids and it is easy to convince them that they are capable of drawing like pictures too.
• Photoshop Elements is more versatile and the text is much more easily manipulated and positioned.

When the image is transported into Photoshop the Filter Tools can be used to enhance the image

The Crop Tool can be used to crop away any unused areas of the illustration so that the children focus on the content desired

Below you see two pictures

• Image One has been drawn MSPaint whilst telling students the purpose of the Flash Card. Students drew there own version - asking what the time was in a different way. Some drew themselves out at night sleeping under the stars.
• Image Two is the original cleaned up and enhanced. Flash Card with a different slant and one with adifferent orientation.

Posted by Jo Murphy

The paint brush tool in Microsoft Paint is much more versatile than most teachers would ever have thought possible.

This is because there are so many sizes. It is made more versatile because of the Calligraphy Styled Brushes at the bottom of the Specification Palette found at the bottom of the Tool Bar.

• When you talk to the students show them a picture like this platypus.
• Ask them how they think the river weeds were drawn?
• When they say with the Brush Tool ask them “How the lines were made so jagged?”
• Demonstrate drawing with different styles of lines on the drawing stage so that they are enabled to see how you change to and fro.
• Set them a simple sentence to write using each of the brush styles and sizes.
• When they are finished doing this simple ‘getting to know the tools exercise’ have them enhance a simple drawing such as this stencilled platypus
• They should now know a lot more about how to use the tool
• When you ask the students to draw ask them to use the smallest size of the Brush Tool rather than the Pencil Tool as the lines will be just that bit bigger.
• This allows students to see any gaps in the lines
• If they always check that there are no gaps in the lines from which their shapes are made,the colours won’t be able to flow out onto the rest of the drawing stage.
• As a Literacy Booster have them write the same sentence using different colours and different shades of the same colour.

Posted by Jo Murphy

This article shows you how to teach MSPaint to little children. The theme of the unit is Under The Water. You can see the images of divers swimming and floating are very simple.

It is possible to turn this activity into an extended challenge that requires young and old work together to make combinations and collages by overlaying and blending layers of images in Photoshop

1. draw an under water scene
2. draw a sea creature such as a crab.
3. save the MSPaint drawings
4. open both in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements
5. downsize pictures so that they be seen at the same time.
6. use the Move Tool to drag the sea creature across onto the underwater painting.
7. activate Freetransform Tool and the Move Tool until you have positioned it
8. with the Background Eraser to take out blue sea so that one merges to the other.
9. change to the Regular Eraser Tool to rub out anything that is getting in the way of other parts of the painting. (This will be a matter of taste.)
10. you may want to Crop the picture now that it has changed or "morphed as the kids call it"

This is an example of Proximal Learning in the style of Learning Community.

Posted by Jo Murphy

• In MS Paint select the for curvy line.
• For little children it is better to select a thick line for ease of manipulation.
• Click, and hold down the right side of the mouse. Draw a straight line by dragging the pointer.
• Drag the pointer to adjust the line making it bendy.
• This article shows seaweed drawings constructed this way.
• Repeat - making two bends in the line. (All the tool will allow) Seaweed does not bend much more than this so it will look right
• Talk with the kids about not getting hung up about being perfect.
• Ask students to come back and draw parallel or loosely parallel lines to match
• Using the Brush Tool on maximum thickness to join the two lines with an arc at the top.
• Close off the lines at the bottom so that when you fill the seaweed with green the paint does not overflow from the shapes. Encourage the students to use a variety of greens and show them how to locate the Edit Colour Palette by double clicking on a colour in the colour palette. (It moves about on the drawing stage. ) Tell them to create at least 6 green hues.
• Lightly spray a different green over the top so that it starts to look variegated and motley. This could be shadows. Conversations might come about if you talk about colour in this manner.
• Post your examples on the discussion boards or ask any questions that might be of interest.

Posted by Jo Murphy

When she writes articles Rebekah Lynn shows both the right and wrong way to capture the effects she talks of.Creating Tangible, Touchable Hair is a very comprehensive tutorial about drawing hair.

I recommend you follow some of her exercises with your students.

As always, keep it simple, it is better to tease out each elements of design the students need to grasp, as you talk about each drawing exercise you give your students.

Your students will have been taught about texture from the article What Is Texture? and they will know that Texture is ”When you make something look like it would feel if you touched it."

• As you encourage the students to draw hair ask them to stay with monotone to start with.
• Ask them to practice directional lines and shading in an attempt to get to better know the texture of hair.

The students will enjoy Rebakah’s reference to helmet and haystack hair. In her humorous way she is showing the students how to be discerning about the harshness of their lines and the cropping of shape.

When the students bring in the funniest bad hair day photo they can find, it can be from a magazine or they could even go out searching for research material in the wind, or at the pool or even at the hairdressers.

Again I caution you to teach them about boundaries and make sure they don’t burst into the local hairdresser and click away at the poor unsuspecting clients. As always teach them to ask first, telling the respondents what the photos will be used for.

As a prize for the best drawn sketch – perhaps you could laminate and display extra especially well drawn ‘hair do’s or especially funny ‘hair do’s. Make as many certificates as you need to really give incentive for this to be great project.

When the students have had enough fun and they feel comfortable with drawing hair you could develop the exercise by asking them to do coloured sketches of animals or birds such as Chinese Chickens. Shaggy, cropped, soft and silky or rough and bristly – colours, tones and textures - the possibilities for interesting drawing projects are endless.

If you want to explore drawing further you might like How To Draw The Easy Way or to take this course

Drawing 101 - a free Suite101 course

Posted by Jo Murphy

This image was created to illustrate a Year Three Pop Art Project. The Pointillist Style cartoon has not been created mechanically but has been stylised and flattened so that the students go through the motions of spacing the dots themselves. Very simple colours have been chosen and the entire painting has been flattened and simplified.

The process from quick rough sketch to cropped stylised Pop Art Image has been recorded. (Placed at the bottom of the article.)

Teachers can make use this project in a variety of ways. They can choose to teach students the theory of Pop Art as well as show them about technology. They can also use the opportunity to tell them why these stylisations used to occur in printing methods. They can explain that Digitalisation has meant that processes are simpler, quicker and more accurate than before. Old style printing was beautiful and this project helps us “remember when!”

When teacher talk with the class about Pop Art they might want to talk to the students about

• Printing Press Process
• Screen Printing
• Pop Art
• Roy Lichtenstein
• Andy Warhol

They may prefer to look at the project as an explanation of one of the Seven Elements of Design …pointillist technique

They might look at the technical aspects of the project such as

• How To Project Images Onto Canvas
• 2 point perspective

Or they may keep the whole project as a simple Cartooning Exploration.

If the teacher is in the process of explaining assessment systems to students, parents and other teachers the illustration can be a visual prompt in the process of Outcomes Based Assessment. Feel free to copy it when you illustrate the need for Pit Stops and Bench Marks to Empower Self Motivation in your Assessment System.

Posted by Jo Murphy

If you would like to introduce the students to the idea of Creative Synthesis, try teaching them about the ideas of Surrealism or Dada. Show them paintings that are combinations of unlikely subject matter. The artist will have worked with this unlikely combination until there was a synthesis. A creation of a new ‘whole’ that is completely different and more than the sum of the parts combined within it has been synthesised.

Renee Magritte is an example of an artist who creates suggestive nuance by combining elements that would not otherwise be put together. This juxtaposition creates a “synthesis” that is poetic in nature and loaded with meaning.

Surrealist.com not only shows images that you can share with the class when explaining the artworks, it abounds with information that will be useful when you discuss the intention of the artists.

One of the ways we understand the word creative is to say that creative people think laterally. This way of thinking produces endless possibilities. Creative ideas are inspired by turning things over and viewing them from many different perspectives.

Answers defines synthesis as “The combining of separate elements or substances to form a coherent whole.”

Brainstorming is one way of stimulating creative synthesis.

• The teacher asks for lots of ideas to be poured forth.
• These words or ideas will be listed and grouped into possible combinations.
• From this visual mapping of ideas - possibilities come to the surface.
• Many different combinations can come from the same data which is laid out before the class.
• At some stage this material will be refined, and culled creatively.
• Students can toy with and massage form until they finally re-form the material into a whole

It is up to the students to decide what medium they will use and how far the process of integration and reintegration will go. If you have suggestions about encouraging students to creatively synthesise material please post them to the discussion boards.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Outcomes Based Assessment moves fluidly around the idea that educators

• explicitly want to teach some ideas, skills or concepts.
• will be checking in from time to time to ensure that, these concepts are indeed being absorbed by students.
• when checking, will overtly look for evidence of the assimilation of knowledge in a variety of ways.
• will look for evidence of skill development.
• will test using styles that reflect the idea that students access information in a variety of ways
• will allow students to display and be able to talk about this knowledge acquisition in a multiplicity of forms
• It may be helpful to read this article as a guideline when you are thinking about Outcomes Based Assessment.

To ensure justice for those students who may not be able to express themselves in the more left brained manner we can allow them to present a talk, video their play, as well as set multiple choice questionnaires. Different instruments facilitate gathering evidence so that the teacher can make an assessment based on a variety of data collection methods. The visual diary and a digital folio can bring together the information so that it can be gleaned for meaning.

Outcomes Based Assessment System formalizes the idea that the student will always know what to expect and they will be ‘clued up’ to where they are within this system.

To this end, the teacher will provide students with criteria sheets at the beginning of the process. By a process of class collaboration and negotiation teachers will ensure that students know when the check will be or that the teacher or others will be videoing from time to time. Because they expect and understand the reasons, they can relax around these checkpoints and even have fun presenting this material. You might choose to use slogans with them such as Brian Tracy’s “{Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.) In this article I talk about goal setting and helping students with preparation.

In this article, Writing A Fathers Day Class Play, I have pinpointed two check in spots. I use the old racing pit stop as an analogy. Rather than scare the student the process gives them a sense of control and is empowering because they know when and how to prepare for assessment. Good practice will have the teaching setting these pit stops with the students at the beginning of the project.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Drawing teachers often tease out the Elements of Design and teach about them seperately. It is easier for the students if the Art teacher also demonstarates types of hatching giving each one focused attention. It can be useful to single out this element of sketching and allow the students to practice a variety of ways of applying it alone. This will avoid over complication.

On the website Drawing Techniques JR Dunster describes hatching as .. "when an artist uses the pencil to render in a back and forward movement."

Cross hatching is when this process has been set at cross purposes. There are examples on this webpage.

When you set the students to explore these techniques;

• make sure that you get them to do hatching for an entire drawing first.
• after they have focused on this technique alone, encourage them to capture the same subject matter using cross hatching. Not only is this good self discipline but it will cause them to experience both to the full. (To completion.)
• remembering that one of our roles as an Art teacher is to help the student gain an understanding of perseverance and to develop tenacity. To do this, help them find ways to stay with the project until they have come to full resolution.

I suggest that you

• have them draw their first forms very simply in each style.
• after they have experienced both ways of hatching introduce the idea of crosshatching in a combination of colours. Use a different coloured pencil for each direction of the hatching. Beautiful combinations can be created this way and the students understanding of colour theory is enhanced.
• gradually introduce new styles, ideas for creativity and techniques to their experience of rendering and sketching as you go a long. This will ensure that the students are developing a wide repertoire of techniques.

Because they have experienced each method or technique in isolation, they fully understand the power and efficacy of each one alone. As time goes by and the students have experience of all kinds of combinations they will be empowered by the thorough understanding of the basics of drawing.

You might also want to read this blog Shading: One Element of Sketching

Posted by Jo Murphy

When teachers explain and guide experience of each drawing method or technique in isolation, students fully understand the power and efficacy of each one alone. If we build up sets of these skills and provide ready reference to them the students become masters of a repertoire. As students learn to combine approaches to shading such as hatching, cross hatching, (and today Squirkling) they become versatile and authentic in their creative endeavours. Students can start their own Blog so that it acts as a personal library of references to the styles they learn.

A useful example of one such library is the Draw Space website of Brenda Hoddinott. Brenda has described her curriculum as being “designed to enhance various shading skills and the illustrated projects offer simple step-by-step instructions for rendering several enjoyable subjects.”

One of the techniques she describes is called Squirkling (it) “is an easy method of shading, in which randomly drawn curved lines (called squirkles) combine squiggles and scribbles with circles to create textured values.”

Brenda adds to her website regularly, offering free tutorials so that she can share her gifts and talents with others. Not only is this generous it is also a fine example to students, who, if they also share their work will learn many valuable digital skills.

It is motivating to become involved in this kind of sharing. Students have good reason to hone their skills. It is illuminating for the artist to experience explaining their work and the practices behind their work to an audience.

The process of sharing art practice can become another Literacy Booster – this is a win-win situation for all concerned. The interactive nature of arts based websites makes this a dynamic learning situation. Many of the online communities that grow up around this kind of endeavour turbo charge student learning.

You might also be interested in reading Drawing Technique - Cross Hatching Shading: One Element of Sketching and in the course Drawing101

Posted by Jo Murphy

Shading is a technique that artists and students use to capture gradation between light and dark. In this tutorial Shading Tutorial - Understanding the Art of Shading Rebekah Lynn tells us that her explanation is meant to teach shading techniques for realistic art. Other types of art may use different methods. The technique she explains is about subtle changes of tone and she shows how to capture this gradation in a step by step manner.

To begin with I suggest that you set out to teach the students about shading by concentrating on that one concept alone, rather than teach other complex aspects of drawing at the same time.

Here is a suggestion for an exercise that might be appropriate when you introduce the topic.

• Set up a white egg on a flat white surface
• Perhaps it would make it even easier for the students to understand if you set up this still life with them. While you are placing the object talk about light source as you create the scene
• Take digital photographs and then print them on the black and white printer – give one to each student so that they can comfortably draw from their own copy. They will have the real scene and the photcopy to look at as well.
• Have the students draw this scene as realistically.
• Ask them to look at shape and shading only
• Make sure they draw the picture at least as big as the original still life

If you set this exercise up this way the students will be quite clear about the task at hand.

If you want to make sure they understand and can clearly place this within in their own goal setting framework, have them decide the criteria for assessment with you.

Like to talk about this exercise? Please post questions or comments on the discussion boards.

Relevant Article Drawing A Language Like Any Other Can I really draw one day? Learn How To Draw The Easy Way: How Do We Learn How To Draw

If you would like to learn to draw and how to keep a Visual Journal Drawing101 is the course for you.

Posted by Jo Murphy

When assessing art we often talk about a piece of work in isolation.

When we do this we might say “This piece of work makes me feel.” “I like this artwork because….” Appreciative Inquiry

When an Art Teacher makes a global comment it will by contrast be about a body of work or the process by which a artist comes to develop a body of work.

There fore we would make a global comment about an artist when we refer to

• A visual diary
• An exhibition
• A project or a theme
• An illustrated volume
• Any collection of art pieces and ideas that go to make up the general direction in which the artist is heading

Think it through!

• Planning Digital Pathways for Art Beginning the process of creating an electronic storage system can seem overwhelming to an Art Teacher.
• Assessment Tools Applied To Arts Using assessment instruments as goal setting tools and planning guides can ensure smooth communication and create enthusiastic Art Students.

The articles cited above outline how to gather together a body of student work for assessment. Once this work has been entirely gathered and collated it is time to make a global comment. An art teacher usually doesn’t feel confident about making a global comment based solely on one piece of work. A collection of work ensures that the teacher can know the artistic approach and have a very general idea about the trends and themes the student is following.

In the formative stages of an artists career it is unwise to give advice about career choice, directions or future pathways with out access to an entire body of that students work.

One aesthetic piece of work can be misleading if the student does not have evidence of sufficient self direction to follow through on themes, or to create more of the same, or develop new innovative pieces.

Clear mapping of process ensures teachers feel confident to make assessment comments.

You might find these articles helpful. ....

• Planning Art Assessment
• Planning Digital Pathways for Art
• Assessment Tools Applied To Arts

Posted by Jo Murphy

A criteria sheet for assessment is a well balanced explanation to the Creative Arts Student about what is expected of them..

The sheet sets out clearly an explanation about what work is to be completed during the course of

• assignments,
• themes of work
• units
• projects

For conciseness they are often laid out on a grid and dot pointed.

Usually they are clipped to the assignment when the work is handed in for assessment.

If the work is in a journal they will often be pasted to the front page of the unit.

This

• acts as a ready reference for the student, teachers.
• will facilitate communication with other interested parties such as parents who may wish to encourage their child.
• will ensure accountability practices with very clear guidelines for the student and teacher to follow together.
• acts as a quick handy reference to ensure work has been covered
• ensures it is assessed according to one clearly known standard
• provides a planning tool for the student as well as the teacher
• provides a goal setting tool for the student
• scaffolds a platform for support for the teacher to teacher from
• is a frame of reference so that all concerned parties can be clear about areas of development that are in need of assistance
• will set out expected outcomes clearly.
• provides a process so that the student will know what is being assessed exactly
• ensures students and others are clear about the standards expected
• allows them to know what level of effort will achieve levels of ascertainment
• provides highlight so that students understand which element or area of skills building, understanding and student participation will be targeted by the assessor
• process will ensures justice, accountability, stress free projects that are well guided.

As the students grow and mature, look for ways to allow students help plan these sheets. If this ownership is gradually released to the students it may help them to feel empowered.

Everyone feels released from stress when students claim ownership of their educational process.

You might find these articles helpful. ....

• Planning Art Assessment
• Planning Digital Pathways for Art
• Assessment Tools Applied To Arts

Relevant article Teaching Art to Community Groups

Posted by Jo Murphy

People create albums of photos, original artwork or prints because they are precious. The materials we use need to be suitable for the purpose or damage to the treasured pieces may occur. When creating the Zillmere Story Book we used Double Sided Tape to adhere the images to the pages.

Traditional glue or spray adhesive glue was not suitable for this purpose because the artwork may have

• buckled
• bubbled
• been damaged by the spray
• or become polluted by acidity

Conventional tape could not have worked because

• It would need to be turned back on itself creating a bulk beneath the art piece
• it does not allow for the tape to be applied first to one side and then placed on the desired area later
• its use would be too time consuming
• although more expensive using the tape saved time. money and stress by the end of the project

How Double Sided Tape Works.

In the preparation phase of the project we

1. selected and categorised appropriate work
2. trimmed and cleaned each piece setting it aside with the name and writing of each participant
3. placed tape around the edge of each side of the back of the work
4. trimmed off excess tape protruding over the edge of the work as this could cause pages of the book to stick together
5. peeled the backing of the tape from the artwork
6. stood directly in front of the black card to which it was to be adhered
7. lined it up and positioned it
8. once positioned - ran across the surface of the work with a flat piece of card to press down firmly and release any air bubbles
9. the next step was to trim the card so that only a slim black edge were showing
10. this trimmed and carded work was then put through the same process only this time lined up and adhered directly to the pages of the book

The result of using this tape was for the most part precise neatness.

• Very occasionally something went wrong.
• A carded piece may have been slightly misaligned.
• During the planning stage eventualities such as this were predicted
• Very fine black felt tipped pen lines were used to realign work and neaten and straggled edges.
• Although this process required double handling of work the results were improved by being patient with it
• I will use Double Sided Tape again if ever asked to complete a similar project

If you would like to read more about how the book was made please explore these articles

The Zillmere Story Book (How it was made)

The Zillmere Story Book Project: Getting Involved In The Arts Through Your Local Library

Posted by Jo Murphy

An avatar is a small identification image that appears when you post to forums or when you comment on any posts. It is an accepted convention of online community participation.

Here are some ways to create your own

Hand draw and scan finished avatar

1. Draw up a cartoon image with light whisper lines.
2. Rescue the whisper lines with felt tipped pens.
3. Colour with colour pencils or crayons.
4. Scan and erase so that the background is transparent.
5. Resize to the desired dimensions.
6. Upload to discussion space.

Hand draw and scan the work in black and white.

1. Finish the avatar by colouring it in a computer art programme such as Photoshop Elements.

Draw in MSPaint

1. colour, embellish, resize and save.
2. erase the background in another computer art programme.

Draw in MSPaint

1. transfer to another computer Art programme such as Photoshop.
2. complete as suggested above.

Draw with a Wacom

1. or with the mouse directly into a Computer Art Package such as Paint Photoshop or Free Source where computer art programme of your choosing.
2. finish in the ways suggested above

Photograph a painting.

1. Digitally if possible or a scanned image otherwise
2. clean it in Photoshop (et al)
3. erase the back ground.
4. you will find the colours intense.

Make a collage

1. kids love to find bits and pieces and glue them together on a sheet of paper to create a character from a variety of sources
2. scan the collage into a computer art programme.
3. Manipulate and process the image as described above.

Create an avatar at an online site.

1. You will find instructions to guide you through

If you would like an exercise to give your class this competition has been offered by The Learning Place.

Creating Avatars for a Competition "The Learning Place an Australian Education website is offering a competition where the prize is a work shop by the Creator of Swamp Gary Clark."

• The students are asked to create an Avatar.
• The guidelines are fairly specific.
• The avatar will be a Bilby.
• It will have a variety of emotional expression taken from a list given by The Learning Place.
• The prize is a workshop for your class by Gary Clark.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Gary Clark was born Brisbane 1954 and graduated in commercial art in 1972. He worked in advertising; progressing to cartooning in 1978. Swamp has been appearing in newspapers in Australia, New Zealand, and Scandinavia since 1981. A funny, lively but simple cartoon strip has captivated audiences ever since.

"Led by Ding Duck, the Sludge Surfing Dump Rats - Wart and Mort Frog - Swamp is a down-to-earth look at a bewildered society thriving in an ever-increasing complex world."

Readers can check in each day or subscribe to the comic strip to be delivered by email. Some teachers might want to post it to the white board or the window and start the day with a classroom chuckle. Posting a cartoon and challenging the students to come up with a 'funny' daily is a good way to get the creative juices flowing and hone the drawing skills in daily exercise. Perhaps you could challenge the class next door.

The website has

• a workshop section with lessons that are set to grow.
• 'fun stuff' section which is interactive. Students are invited to come up with a caption for a cartoon strip. These activities are a great way to get the kids involved, and can serve as a Literacy Booster. Students will soon realise that they have the ability to brainstorm a host of good ideas.
• There are colouring pages and clip art packages that will help the busy teacher come up with fun on a wet afternoon.

The Learning Place a Queensland Education Website is running a competition to bring Gary Clark into a Queensland classroom. The winner of the competition will be learning how to cartoon from the icon himself.

Stay tuned as I talk about that competition and the benefits it will bring to all classes that attempt to master the art of the avatar!

Posted by Jo Murphy

If you are living under drought restrictions it is a good opportunity to teach students about the exhaustibility of natural resources. They can see the water levels of local dams dropping by the day. They are experiencing rationing and can gain a sense of value for the importance of natural supplies.

When teaching students clay techniques programme recycling as a natural part of the lesson. Teach the students that firing every piece of work is not wise use of resources. This will encourage them to plan their designs so that only the very best will be fired. This will conserve the energy that fuels the kiln as well as maintain a plentiful supply of clay.

Here is a simple management strategy

• have an ice cream container in the centre of the table for scraps
• this container will also receive recyclables at the end of the lesson
• have a larger bucket to transferr scraps into at the end of the lesson
• appoint a monitor for every table
• ask them to be extra careful to gather all scraps and to make sure there are no contaminants
• ask a head monitor to top the water level of the larger bucket making sure there is only enough to cover the clay and no more
• explain to the students why you will not be washing the tables at the end of the lesson
• in conversation see if they will understand that by simply brushing scraps away the table tops are clean enough for the next class to do their clay work on
• tell them that you are planning your lessons so that clay classes come 'back to back' and that this is your way of conserving water.
• ask the students to brush all dry clay off their hands carefully so that they will not need to wash hands too thoroughly
• stay with them if they are little so that they do not have the taps running for too long
• or have a great big bowl of still water for them to wash their hands in first to take the main clay off by washing hands throroughly before washing quickly under taps

Recycle clay that has been soaking during class so that the students see what recycling really means

• once the lesson has started lay the wet clay out on sheets of news paper
• continually cut through with a wire and turned the clay
• knead it as you go (sheep's head knead)
• when the clay is consistently workable wrap it in cling wrap
• show the students each stage of this process and explain that the clay needs to be consistently wet and contains no air bubbles (explain that air bubbles will cause it to explode later in the firing stage)

If you continually recycle clay during class the students will soon gain an understanding of the process. If you have each student experience the process by helping you, or being in charge of recycling for the day, they may also realise that if recycling takes so much work it would be good not to take too much clay!

Posted by Jo Murphy

Begin this exercise by asking the class questions that will make them curious as to how the accepted Art World developed.

• What would have happened if the Medici Family had not benefactored Michelangelo?
• What would the world be like today if Hitler had not eschalated World War Two? Would the Art world be the same?
• If the Pyramids had not been built. Would Egypt be different today? If slavery was not allowed at that time could they have been built or would their nature be changed?
• What would Australian Art be like if white man had not invaded Australia? What if some other nationality had gotten here first?
• How would the Art World have developed if buying and selling Art was banned?
• Would the development of Art be different if Artists were treated like Living Treasures and did not have to worry about making a living?
• What would Art be like today if Feminism had not become an accepted way of thinking? Would Art be different?
• Would the Art World be the same today if the camera had not been invented?
• Would it be different if travell hadn't become so cost efficient and easy?
• Computing? Has it made a difference to what could happen?
• What about the printing press did the invention of this technology change the world and thus the Art World?

Keep on brainstorming. You will find that the factors which influence the shaping of history are inexhaustible.

Give the students a framework for investigation.

So you could pose a hypothetical framework for investigation such as.........

• Pretend you are Michelangelo and you don't have the funds to keep sculpting - what will you do?
• You live in the 18th Century and you have a great idea - how will you tell others about it?

Posted by Jo Murphy

When teaching Computer Art to Prep school students (4-5 year olds) you may need to sit by their side and make sure they know where all the tools in MSPaint are situated. You might have to show them how to use each tool time and time again. If the teacher can find a way to stay with the kids to ease their frustration - there will eventually be an AHA moment. Once they have a solid understanding of how to get started and can create pictures alone, the class will be very easy to manage.

As you arrive at the Computer Art Lab

• give one sheet of paper to every second student
• ask the students with the paper to go to the drawing table
• invite the others to go to the computer
• Begin by opening MSPaint

Now the room is setup for you to teach them how to draw a simple bus.

• Using Maths Through Art ideas ask them to use rectangles, squares and circles to construct the bus.
• The students at the table should be able to manage this without too much teacher supervision.
• If one or two have trouble drawing, arrange the students in cooperative learning partnerships.
• The students at the computers are now a much more managable size for you to companion while they adventure.

Take them through these steps

• open the computer
• find the shape tools
• draw the body of the bus with a rectangle
• draw the wheels with the circle tool
• draw another circle inside so that the tyres can be filled with black using the paint can
• create a head light with a circle
• design windows with sqaures
• depict doors with rectangles
• the rest of the bus can be constructed through student experimentation
• encourage them to experiment with the spray can, line and curve tools.

Time the class so that they can change places at half time.

This way they will all have assistance to experience this simple Computer Art excercise.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Investigation of dance forms can be great fun. Watch videos of dance styles or select movies that have great dance scenes in them. Students can gain a feeling not only for the dance but as well for the era from which it came.

• Students might want to take on a dance style and practice it with a friend. They then make a presentation to the class explaining moves and traditions.
• Students could put on a dance in the lunch hour and invite the school
• Sometimes dance companies will come into a school and teach the students over a period of time
• Students could dress in the style of the country of origin or the age from which dances originated
• You might ask students to design a fashion piece to be worn when dancing. This will bring about an understanding of the idea that “form follows function”
• Perhaps students could script a conversation dancers have when dancing This small script could be turned into a comic quip
• Perhaps students could create a dance animation

Information about dance styles to begin investigations or impersonations is handy. Here a two websites to help you enjoy the adventure

Central Home Website has a lot to offer. There are fun diagrams of dance steps as well as the The History of Dance

Dance History Research and Scholarship Dance History, Ballet History! Let this page serve as your Dance History Bookmark

Follow the links to great ideas about teaching dance. This page is about the work of Degas and you can see that the topic is ballet – but from a behind the scenes viewpoint.

Posted by Jo Murphy

A drawing of mother can be simple and almost cartoon like. The students can snap shots of her until they find a characteristic pose that speaks best of 'Mum.'

It can be painted in acrylic on paper or hand drawn.

There are many ways you can go about planning your drawing.

• This simple drawing step by step from about.com should help you get them started.
• As an alternative a simple photograph could also be effectively framed as outlined below.
• Don’t forget to encourage the students to sign their picture

To make a very simple gift frame

1. Weave the frame from coloured paper.
2. Take two sheets of coloured paper either analogous, complimentary or black and white
3. Cut them in thin strips
4. Weave them
5. Wrap the woven paper around a cut card board frame
6. Glue the ends of the weaving to the back of the frame
7. Glue a matching cardboard frame to the back of the covered frame so that no end of paper is showing
8. Glue a sheet of over head project plastic inside
9. Place the portrait of mum inside the frame
10. Glue ribbon around the edges with a hot glue gun
11. Take some of the same ribbon and make a loop
12. Glue the loop to the back of the frame

If the students choose to colour their drawing, encourage them to think about colour schemes. They can make sure that the colours are reflected in the frame they have made

If they would like to make this a really effective gift why not get them to think outside the box? Perhaps they would like to tape a flap to the back of the frame so that it can stand up as a place marker in front of the lovely meal they serve as a treat on Mother’s Day!

Here is a card suggestion that might go with it too. Tying Ribbon Through Gift Cards

Posted by Jo Murphy

Scott has developed the art of painting waves and the Australia coastline to perfection. He captures the translucency and the richness of the clear crystal waters. His colour work is amazing vibrant and his ability to sketch out crisp clear composition breath taking.

“His work has been described as “stylish, photo-realism”. It is unique, and very Australian.”

Scott Christensen now paints full time as a studio artist in the Redland Shire, Queensland. He is not taking classes this year but may well do in 2008 he said. If you would like to start learning from him before then the March 2007 edition of International Artist does have a spread about his painting method. He walks the viewer through the steps required to create seascapes in his style.

One of the aspects of his work that lends contrast and spark to his composition is the Pandana tree. Pandanas are featured as a frame through which the viewer looks out over the water. His ability to capture splash is admirable, as is the masterful blending he achieves when etching out vast expanses of sea.

His paintings are soft and fresh but also have a quality of solid construction. His clever handling of rocks seems to solidly anchor the paintings in a grounded and earthy fashion.

If you go to Scott’s website and scroll down you will see some small step-by-step images that give you an idea of his style. The list of the competitions winnings and the exhibitions both solo and group he has participated in also give an impression of accomplishment.

Scott is loved and admired as an Australian artist. He is also recognised and acknowledged on the contemporary International scene.

Posted by Jo Murphy

• It is beneficial if you can find at least 5 minutes a day to draw.
• The very best time for many people is when they wake of a morning.
• Before going to bed at night look over, or add,to the list of techniques and styles you would like to accomplish.
• Visually scan the subject matter you would like to draw and then “Sleep On It.” For example take a glass of water and place a pencil in it. Look at it carefully; look at phenomena such as refraction. Look at the colours and decide what materials you will use to draw it with.
• Have these materials ready beside the bed. When you wake take your materials find a comfortable place and draw gently for five minutes.
• This way of learning to draw can become a habit. We call this the habit of creativity. By drawing in your journal everyday, you are developing the habit of creativity.
• Even though the drawings are simple as time goes by you will have developed a repertoire and a visual source book. “When the time comes to design a long term drawing, a painting or sculpture you will have a wealth of ideas available and you will have developed your skills so that drawing up your design is just a matter of applying what you have learned.
• These tips come from Drawing101 A Course Online

Posted by Jo Murphy

There are times within any teaching environment when a teacher wants students to focus quietly rather than seek to impart knowledge vigorously.

Often, if there is a settling activity before an orienting or enhancing activity, the information is absorbed and consolidated much more quickly.

If the teacher couples meditative techniques with a relaxing drawing task, students who may have been feeling apprehensive about new learning become still and more receptive.

Examples of relaxing and focusing art tasks:

• Spirals that evolve in complexity
• Patterns such as Half Drop Repeat and Tessalations
• Art Nouveau created from the immediate environment
• Abstract Colour Paintings allowed to flow directly from the subconscious
• Focusing on Recreating Texture - throw down old hessian and ask the students to draw a close up of what they see
• Cartooning - allow cartoons to come from the sublimnity of a guided meditation
• Shading - gently simple abstract shapes scribbled onto the page at random
• Lines drawn in a horizontal position. Horizontal lines are the most relaxing of all allow gently scripted lines them to spill onto the page and then trace and retrace

When would teachers want to use these kinds of down time activities?

• Before exams when students may be stressed
• Before holidays when students can’t concentrate
• After sport when the teacher wants the class to calm
• After a Critical Incident, that has caused stress for the class or community
• In times of sorrow
• When very important work is to be done and the teacher wants to focus students calmly
• Friday Afternoon as a wind down and reward for a hard weeks work
• After lunch to settle from the playground or socialising
• When conferencing is scheduled and the students need to be very quiet

When might students be looking for down time?

• Work is finsihed and they want to chill
• When they feel an upcoming project is important and want to focus
• When making gifts and anticipating a celebration
• As a way of learning about their own personal taste or spirituality

In the article Art For Meditation on the Yoga for Meditation website

The author talks about meditation techniques and asks “why art is the most powerful (form of meditation)?” The reason is that images such as sunsets, the oceans, clouds and other peaceful visual depictions trigger calmness and bring us peace. “That is the power of vision on the mind.

“Images stimulate our mind with signals that transport us into an inexplicable state of bliss and calm. Various meditation techniques use symbols and colors to soothe the mind.” If you look at the paintings of Oscar Basurto you will find examples of healing art. One of the advantages of encouraging the students to create their own is that they will experience the powerful meditative effect and perhaps come to habitually use the technique for self-soothing as well as create a portfolio of their own work to display in the work area to keep this powerful influence permeating all of their creative endeavours.

Posted by Jo Murphy

The marriage of sensitive and brilliantly executed images of women into ‘panoramic scapes’ of pattern, colour and texture create a multi-dimensional imagery of the richest and kaleidoscope kind.

Kilmt's images and creations provide the digital arts teacher with a cohesive example of how to use Digital Photography, scanning and computer generated imagery in Photoshop, Painter or other digital packages. His style is to create a world of blended poetic representations creating composites and compositions from them.

If you look closely at The Maiden 1912 - 13 you will see at least five women woven through the field of flowers and flowing patterns colour.

Landscapes like After the Rain, 1899 show that the ability to render perspective as relevant and useful for the figurative and spatially oriented artist and graphic artist alike.

Both of these classics can be sent by email from this site called Kilmt Expo Shop.com

Lesson Suggestions

Peer Assessment Idea.

• Ask the students to send an email card to a friend or peer assessor outlining what they appreciate about the painting selected.
• Perhaps the students could edit the email cards message as a literacy booster. Ask the students to edit each other’s short essay style statement about of the card and send it back with comments
• In an Appreciative Inquiry, you might ask the students

1. What does the marrying of images suggest to you?
2. What emotions does viewing this work evoke for you?
3. The students might dialogue in “Think Pair Share” style about the compositional qualities and lyricism of the artwork.
4. Invite them to visit each of the seven elements of design together.
5. The students might be asked to express their interpretation of the meaning of the work
6. Alternatively, if they find the idea of interpretation interferes with their enjoyment of the work they could describe its gentle suggestive aura

1. Invite the students to write a poetic response to the piece
2. Invite them to find or write a piece of music that reflects the theme
3. Invite the students to create their own inspired composition by digitally combining elements of the design. To do this they may want to use

• Digital photos composed on the computer
• Scanned photos composed in the same manner
• Print photos torn or cut and paste
• Life drawings from Life Drawing Class (so as not to harm these precious drawings the students may want to arrange their work in layers or shoot them seperately and combine in Photshop)
• Real flowers could be composed around photos and drawings which are digitally photographed so that the overall impression was mergence/emergence

“Whoever wants to know something about me -as an artist, the only notable thing- ought to look carefully at my pictures and try and see in them what I am and what I want to do." Kilmt

Gustav Klimt was born in Baumgarten, near Vienna, Austria 1862 and died of a stroke 1918

His compositions speaks eloquently about the attraction of the sexes.

• Ask the students to write a short piece about what they think his ideas about women may have been
• Ask the students to depict one event from his lifetime line in any medium or combinations of mediums that they choose

Posted by Jo Murphy

I would project the painting on the wall using LCD Projector and ask the students to analyze each actor within the panorama.

To allow a detective like ambience arrange the students in teams of "Think Pair Share."

Provide a list of questions like this.

• How do you think Jesus was feeling? How do you know?
• Look at each discipline and ask the students to play detective. Invite them to work out which disciple each one is and why?
• Expect them to look at the composition together.

Questions about each of the seven elements of design would look something like this,

1. is point a dominant designal element of this composition?
2. explain how the shapes are arranged?
3. tell the story of how the lines lead the eye through the picture composition
4. how did the artist use colour to convey emotion?
5. talk about the use of texture within the picture plane and how was it created
6. in what way is contrast an important feature of this depiction?
7. how is perspective used to convey a sense of space and atmosphere?

As they look at the composition in this way the students will refer continually to the story of the last supper. They will be trying to unpack methodology and experience the contextualization of the pictorial representation. They will find themselves attempting to explain how the artist was trying to influence the viewer emotively. They will gain a sense of evocation. This will stimulate realisation that perhaps they too can influence the viewer of the artworks they create.

As you teach and companion persist with this way of viewing artwork. Over a period, the students will become more discerning when ‘decontextualising’ art and other forms of media. The process will bring them to an understanding of the psychology of influence. Continually guide them through the idea that we as consumers are subject to the same intentional psychologically constructed influences. This type of learning is often called 'resistant reading of text.'

The ability to read text resistantly is desirable because it allows children and adolescents a sense of personal chosen identity. They begin to choose sets of personal values rather than passively absorb ideas and core values from their environment. The idea of resistance gives them a sense of empowerment when faced with peer pressure or other forms of exploitation and undesired influence. The student becomes mutli-dimensional when he or she realises that there are many ways to view the world and that “how we choose to see things” can be a matter of personal choice.

If you would like to read more about this way of seeing ‘resistant reading’ you might want to read

Henry A Giroux “Stealing Innocence.”

More activites for Easter

Posted by Jo Murphy

Easter is a time of celebration and as such lends itself to many well integrated themed Creative Arts Units. This four-week theme will be published as short descriptive articles. They will fit together like a conversation about the magic of the Easter Celebration.

There will be

• dance,
• drama,
• story writing,
• visual imagery
• animation.

Dance.

Some of the stories developed as dance will be about natural situations like the birthing of a butterfly. The children will work through movement in teams. They will develop the themes to culminate in an enactment of their ‘hatching.’

Visual Art

Other stories brought to life in workshops will be totally fictitious. An example is the “Chicks Do Tricks Wall Mural” ©Busywomen This will be facilitated by a brainstorming process with the participants. This mural will be an example of the use of Digital Muraling techniques within a fully inclusive classroom.

Story Writing.

The intention is to unveil the mural for parents at Easter. It will be accompanied by enactment of the story the students create.

Animation.

So that the art work is manageable and not too daunting the simplest form of animated gif can be used. It is then possibl;e to assemble these into a larger moving image on a large external hard drive. The animation will be devised from simple animated gifs the students create. These moving (fluttering) images can then be superimposed over a static or perhaps slightly changing background and accompanied by original music. The music is also an area of creativity and improviational possibilities for the students. The animated gif is a proactive way of showing children and parents the potential of the animated medium

So that there will be something for everyone in this smorgasbord of Easter delights there has been an emphasis on the symbolic traditions of Easter.

Inquiry Into Easter Symbolism (Multi Cultural)

“What is Palm Sunday?” Is intended as an investigation of the symbols that are associated with Easter. What at first take appears to be a Christian inquiry can be about tracking symbolism throughout other cultures? Children/students and their families can compare and contrast how the same symbols occur in other cultures and how and when they are used.

As the articles are created, I will turn some of the images into coloring pages so that you can download them to use with your classes.

How we turn work into coloring pages is also a topic worthy of an article.

If you have feed back about these lessons I would be appreciate your input. If you have images you would like to share please post them to the discussion boards or email them to me and I will upload them for you.

If you are looking for other Easter Activities

Posted by Jo Murphy

Witching Imagery

Poetry to match

Why wait you here

With witching in mind?

Why look you out

What prey will you find?

What do you do

On eerie dark nights

What sparks you off

What sets you to flight

I'd rather not know

I would rather hide

Off you go then

Get off on your ride

000

An interesting way to stimulate creativity in the classroom is to place a large image in a prominent place in the classroom and invite the students to respond to it in whatever mode suites their mood.

Some may want to act out; some may want to draw from the theme others may write poetry and others students might be challenged to write poetry in response.

If a play develops perhaps it could even be pushed as far as animation. Perhaps the students might like to create atmosphere in the room and carry the theme throughout the week.

If you have the energy to inspire and maintain enthusiasm Blogs in the classroom is a great idea. The example below was entered as a response to a Blog I keep

Fondling frogs and feeling soggy ( Owed 2 Tonyzonit)

That hat

Belongs to that fat old crone

Sighing in her room

Laughing on Hallows' Eve

at the cross disowned

I suppose it matters she was born

Even though she just pours scorn

Hiding in the night all foggy

Fondling frogs and feeling soggy

This poem from Tony Zonit is represented by illustration here

http://www.busywomen.com.au/slobber_frog...

0000

Blogs have an organisational impact on the classroom students can stay in contact and often write on their blogs even through the holiday period. Now that UTube allows students to upload movies, any thing is possible. The International Communication has benefits in the areas of Languages, Cultural Understanding, Geography, People and Society and of course throughout all of the Arts.

The world of the Internet is for an Art Student a Mecca of cultural and expressive interaction - the sooner you tune the students into it - the better!

Posted by Jo Murphy

Go out into the field looking for textures.

It would be great if you could provide a camera for each student or group. If they cannot have access to a camera drawing textures is an interesting way to challenge students. Spend a lesson collecting drawings of texture and then in the next lesson you can ask them to choose one to paint.

They could use a variety of techniques so have sponges, scrapers, straws, atomisers and challenge them to come up with other interesting implements with which to make marks and impressions.

It is very challenging for a student to try to convey the impression of a texture with out giving any other visual clue to where the texture comes from.

For example can you draw

• A horses main with out the horse have people know what it is and where it comes from
• The gauze of a strainer
• An eye with out the eyelids
• A tongue with out the lips or teeth
• A chicken’s wing without the chicken
• A clump of grass without the ground
• The top of a carrot without the carrot

Ask the students to come up with challenges and perhaps play a Pictionary type game calling out textures instead of words and phrases

The tricks when trying to achieve texture is to focus on

• the contrast of light and dark
• colour and its mixtures
• the way marks are applied (pressure of application)
• and the way paint and other materials are applied (blown, scraped, brushed sponged)

These types of challenges are fun. When you have practiced, experimented and explored it is time to set a real drawing project. Ask the students to choose a still life sporting high textural contrast. A cob of corn surrounded by cut onions is a good one. Or a horse with a silk cloth under its saddle. Angels with white wings is taking the idea to a more difficult level.

What ever the project don’t forget to draw the student’s attention

Posted by Jo Murphy

Colour appeals to the emotions. Feelings stimulated by certain colours seem to be universally acknowleged. It is important to teach students about this and to have them think about colour as they go through the course of a normal day.

1. On a sheet of A4 paper draw a circle six inches in diameter.
2. Divide the circle into six equal parts - like a pie graph.
3. Colour each part in this order. yellow orange red purple blue green
4. Mix each of these colours together equally and paint a dot of that colour in the centre of your colour wheel - this will create a neutral colour.
5. Go back over the outlines with a black felt tipped pen so that the colour wheel is neat.
6. When you are satisfied that this is as neat as possible have it laminated
7. Have the students keep it with them always as a ready reference.

This is a very simple colour wheel.. Encourage them to use it in other classes not just Art. When they are cooking students could use it when planning the aesthetics of the meal.

If you teach the students about the emotional qualities of colour they will be able to plan the right colour scheme when they are illustrating stories and scripts.

When we teach about colour schemes we look to various combinations from the wheel.

Warm colours are variations of red, yellow and orange and cool colours are mixed from blue, purple and green. By consciously using these simple analogous colour schemes students can become quite proficient at creating ambience.

This flower is an example of an analogous colour combination. The three colours sit side by side on the colour wheel. I think you will agree that the flower is a happy creation.

By using a combination of colours that are beside each other on the wheel we can be sure of a harmonious outcome.

Another analogous combination can be created by using cool colours. They are the colours along the other side of the wheel purple, blue and green.

Cool colours lead us to experience emotions such as serenity, peace and femininity.

Any three side by side from the wheel can be analogous for example red purple blue. Have the students experiemnt and see if they can name the feelings created by the combinations. Thery will be able to create all types of subtle variations.

Complimentary Colours on the other hand give us a sense of stability. This is because opposite colours balance each other. Complimentary colours are to be found on opposite sides of the wheel. This combination produces the most vivid results. The mixture is very good for creating attention getting devices on the students assignments.

They will enjoy playing with colours if they are engaged in a unit on fashion.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Have the students brain storm as many nouns as they can. The words need to designate people, places and things. Write these with a felt marker on paper in coloured columnes. The words need to be printed clearly in big handwriting on sheets of paper and then cut into strips and sheered into group catagories.

The catagory for people might include : giant, fairy, gladiator, teacher, janitor, nurse, doctor

The group of places could contain : hospital, desert, desert island, castle, iceberg,

The collection of things may include : ice pick, rock, scissors, egg beater, heater,

Make sure the class has generated a wide range for each category.

Imaginations should already be sparking by the time you have created the list of nouns.

Cut them up and spread them out on the floor. Make sure that they remain in their categories. Have the students choose one from each category with their eyes closed. Not being able to choose the words they want will stretch the creative potential of the students further.

1. Have the students jot down a story in their journals very quickly. The quicker they do this the better. You are aiming to have their creative juices flowing profusely.
2. Once they have some kind of story or description nutted out they might be able to put it into poetic forming.
3. Either before or after they write the poem has them illustrate the creative offering. This will help them firm up their ideas and turn the exercise into creative fun.

Here is an example of how the exercise would work.

Chosen nouns :

• Witch
• Desert
• Clock

Witch

Which Witch

went to the desert alone?

Flying on a broom

Casting shadows

across the grey sandstone

Clothes all tattered and torn

She was so very forlorn

Riding through the night all starry

Hairy, craggy and very scary

What a terrible shock

she felt when she looked at the clock

Time she said

I must take stock

This eerie night makes me wary

The students can bring their pictures out to the front of the class and recite their poetry. They may want to type the poetry out on the computer and place it into a border with their illustration. Perhaps they can mime the poem to the class after they have read it out aloud. Students might want to create a response to the poetry of others. Like this!

That Witch

That is the one!

She’s flying home

away from the sun

The sun came up

the moon went down

Time to scatter

she said with a frown.

The idea of having the class write another verse to follow on is a very good one. Who knows where such a creative adventure could take you!

If you would like to share the results of your creative endeavors please post them to the discussion boards.

Posted by Jo Murphy

The materials used to make this prop were bought from a $2 shop. This cute little treasure chest cost three dollars.

The raw pine box was

• under coated with white paint
• coated with gold paint
• coated again with glue
• and shells and beads were placed on it to arrange an attractive treasure like appearance

I have used it as a background in Pivot http://www.busywomen.com.au/awake.gif

If you are creating a backdrop for a play and the set and props are constructed out of boxes and large sheets of cardboard or the like the students will need

• lots of room
• lots of time.
• some kind of script
• a description of the environment where the action takes place

If however, the action takes place on screen or in the small confines of a puppet theatre the prop can be the starting point or prompt for the script writing to begin.

The purpose of the lesson will dictate the starting point for creative endeavour.

One lesson scenario is to

• place a small box in front of the students
• layout a large quantity of materials
• have the students design a box.
• move to photography of that box
• have them place the box in a variety of spaces and places
• create digital photos
• students write a script from that prompt

or

• script a story in Pivot and polish and elaborate from there

If you are designing an Art Tech Classroom, you might want to have the student’s think of five different ways they could make use of their treasure chest

Examples could be

• a background for PIVOT
• a photography exercise
• a scriptwriting prompt
• a story writing prompt
• a poetry prompt
• a prop for could create a finger puppet play
• they could create a world inside the treasure chest with tiny pottery pieces

I can think of many more use for a prop like this one

However, I would be more interested in hearing your ideas.

If you would like to share similar lessons please email I am happy to load images of your work online for you.

These related articles may give you ideas about how to extend your lessons.

What Is Art Tech?

Story Boarding Multivariant Comics

How To Make A Comic Strip

What Is A Script?

Animation

Creative Character Creator: Ingenious Idea Generator

Posted by Jo Murphy

Making a label can be very effective if you use all of the visual elements of the label in a strong, bold way. How To Write Simple Display Copy is a blog entry that talkes about keeping it simple.

I will tell you how I made this example with tips about making strong visual statements

• Labels often have a strong focal point.
• For this Mango Chutney I drew a simple bunch of mangos on a twig
• I reduced it to a bold line drawing.
• They became cartoons with character and charm.
• I wanted to convey the idea that there are lots of mangos in the jar
• I placed a second bunch replicated but smaller to the side so as not to clutter the visual plane.
• Why did I draw the mangos looking surprised? The Product Range is called Froots Preserve Us! The phrase “Saints Preserve Us.” is one that Irish people say when someone receives a shock. It fits well with the surprised look on the face of the mangos. They are shocked because there is chili in the bottle with them! The chutney is a little hot and I have shown this by the illustration. (No need for a beware sign on the bottle as the ingredients are spelled out beneath.)
• I cut and paste the images into a sized label in Photoshop
• I placed the reduce line drawing into the rectangle
• copied and placed the second copy to the side.
• on a new layer I used Comic Sans script as this is clear and easy to read. It is the script most of us use when writing comics
• I have kept the label simple. The purchaser needs to be able to read and choose at a glance – it is better if the label is not confusing
• Because the chutney is a rich, earthy, orangey, chunky, brown colour and because the bottle range is clear with black lids we have chosen orange raffia to tie the labels
• I set this colour scheme off by introducing a complimentary colour
• lime green cardboard for the label was (although not quite complimentary) a high contrasting match that would set off the display
• After placing the labels into an InDesign layout I set the printer to black and white. (Greyscale)
• the photo was taken with the jar sitting on an analogous background
• the cost of each label turned out to be 2c AU
• the cost would have been much higher had I used full colour stickers

The volume of product required can influence the choice of packaging. These jars of chutney have a hand made local feel about them. If however, I was exporting them by the thousands, I may have choosen coloured stickers instead of hand tied labels. Ease of manufacture and lowered costs of printing high volumes would influence the decision.

On the other hand, the homely quality may be the selling point of the chutney .

The manufacturer might go to great pains to keep this packaging exactly the way it is!

If your Middle School class group is engaged by marketing projects and you would like to display their Graphic Art - please post to the discussion boards or email the .jpg images and I will post them for you.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Ouch! Poor Lil Mango!

Look at these lil' mangos

in their chutney jar

Hottest lil' mangos

I have seen this far?

Nippy lil' mangos

you'll go

hah hah hah hah hah

When you chomp

on mangos

from the chutney jar

You will find this poem set out with illustrations here.

And more about its function here How To Make A Label For A Product

When students are engaged in an Arts Marketing Unit they will be required to use simple art and poetry

For this marketing example I have focused on the idea that this Mango chutney is hot. I have kept the idea central and the artwork and poetry feed from this idea.

The reason we keep our work so simple is that

• We want to convey a strong message
• We do not want to confuse this message by adding other little pieces in on top such as

Cheep cheep lil’ mango

you should sell real well

Your the cheapest chutney

I have seen the sellers sell.

• To add another concept like this would be to confuse the message.

The style of advertising has been sleek simple and attractive. This sleekness of message usually goes along with ‘designer’ brands. Purchasers usually spend a little more on designer brands. So I am not going to cross advertise

Originally, we had a darker green dot on the bottle with the price heavily felted on. This served to take away from the simplicity of design. It became just "one more thing" the purchaser would need to do before giving the gift - take it off! And so we omitted this for the sake of simplicity.

Students who are setting up displays as a ssessment for this unit are trying to get the best grades they can for the project. They might well ask.......

"Well what can I do to make my product stand out against the rest?"

• When labeling they could place a small jingle on the back of the card.
• It could also be matched on an attractively printed card beside the product.
• They could make a PodCast of this jingle and have it play on your MP3 beside the product.
• If they create a rap it could be burnt to DVD and play in a loop beside the display
• This could be fun and take the purchaser by surprise
• They could paint a large mango tree on board and have pine cases propped against it with jars arranged in straw
• They could make a large paper mache mango matching their label
• Gift wrap some jars so that the extra decoration added to the display

All of these ideas are simple so that they do not clutter up the visual plane. This allows the purchaser to see one clear simple message with no distractions. Some times these kinds of distractions are called visual noise or airwave pollution!

Students could have a class discussion about advertising and its annoying aspects.

This is a part of a unit based around this article Marketing Art Why Do We Teach Art? The Middle Schooling concept embraces the idea of real world experiencing. The students grow food, prepare it and take it to the table or the market more...

If you would like to comment please post to the discussion boards.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Materials You Will Need.

• Enough A4 paper so that the pile is not too thick to fold in half. Example
• A piece of strong coloured or black cardboard.
• A sturdy stapler.

How To Put It Together.

• Be very careful to shuffle and line up the paper so that the edges are firmly and neatly together.
• Fold corner to corner and slide your thumbs from the centre to the outer edges of the pages.
• When they are neatly folded in half, staple down in the centre.

That's all there is to it! You have made your book.

The Scrappy Journal is a different kind of drawing space to the Visual Journal.

• Keeping the two separate encourages the idea that the visual journal is a special place to draw and that it is meant to be kept for when the ideas are fairly well planned out.
• The Scrappy Journal on the other hand is for capturing quick ideas and lots of them!
• In the Scrappy Journal the students will use whisper lines and lots of quickly drawn ideas that capture fresh images on the spot.
• It doesn't matter how messy this journal gets
• The more it is used the better.

What To Draw In Your Scrappy Journal.

• This is your 'brain storming journal.'
• It is where you can jot down your scrappy ideas.
• You don't have to be the slightest bit careful in this place and everything is welcome.
• Don't lose the book though, as it is valuable.
• When brain storming be as free with it as you can.
• Work quickly as this will free up the creative juices.
• If students think too hard sometimes they can't think of anything at all
• By working quickly in an engaged manner students it easier to think up all kinds of exciting things to draw.

Try It Now.

Think of a word and get the kids to draw everything they can think of that is associated with it.

For FIVE MINUTES jot down a little picture of every thing you can think of - nothing is silly just have fun.

You can work up one of the drawings in your Visual Journal when it seems appropriate.

Posted by Jo Murphy

This picture shows two kinds of clay finishes.

• The first is a glazed portrait head.
• The second is a coil pot penguin made to these instructions.
• These are the reasons why I chose different finishes.

The clay head was

• made with older students who could be trusted with glazes
• made over several class sessions which gave them time to plan and prepare as well as handle materials carefully
• was bigger and heavier than the penguin
• was meant to be an exhibition piece

The penguin was

• made by younger children
• made in much shorter sessions
• had to be done with materials that were not toxic
• had to be suitable for the length of time little children take to paint
• able to be painted over if mistakes were made
• able to be touched and handled without danger

The advantages of glaze are

• brighter glossier finish
• much more durable
• very attractive to the older students
• water proof
• specific to the material and therefore authentic in look and feel

The advantages of hand painted clay pottery

• much cheaper
• no need for firing
• quick and easy
• easier to get hold of materials
• bright and attractive

Disadvantages of Glazing

• takes longer
• more expensive
• more teaching involved
• cannot be replicated at home because of the need for specialist equipment which can be frustrating for the student - it can mean that students who have the equipment are advantaged - students who do not feel disadvantaged
• there will be a waiting time before the student can have their work returned

Disadvantages of Hand Painting

• the sculpture may chip and crack more easily (two pack might help here)
• doesn't look as slick and classy (although I like the painted effect)

I think both of these ways of finishing clay sculpture gives great results. Teachers and parents need to be sure that they have the time, space, equipment and funds available for the effect they choose.

Involve the children in the descision making process and they will learn about issues such as purchase of equipment, budgeting and organisation of projects. This is how they learn how to learn.

Read this Blog Post when talking with the students about recycling and water restrictions.

Posted by Jo Murphy

In the article beyond Decontextualisation and Cynicism, Stanton.E. F. Wortham explores the possibility of truthfully and blatantly addressing the complexities of the power politics of schooling.

Wortham argues for a “more complex account of schooling that reimagines the intertwining of academic learning and social identification without privileging one over the other.

As I explore his reasoning, I will be showing cases where at Mary MacKillop we are preparing the children to be discerning members of democaracy.

In my article Creative Arts Teachers In Year One I have shown how I use the context of communal visioning and the MIECAT Process to companion young children as we co create images for their wall. In the article, I talk about preferring the use of the word Conversation to the use of the word Therapy when describing what I do.

The Visioning Wall was motivated by the desire for Transformational Change. I companion the children while they reflect, evaluate and image forward. Their work truly reflects their own ideas about the world, as they know it now and can imagine it into the future. I also challenge their notions of stereotypic roles within society and draw their attention to the wealth of role models we have available to us within our tradition. As well, we look to traditions of children in our midst who come from other communities.

Vygotsky talked of (1934/1987) “Scientific Concepts” ...that “start from the abstract and grow toward making sense of experience, whether these concepts come from the humanities , the social sciences, or the natural sciences – they enrich human life. They are crucial for maintaining the disposition toward reflective thought and for passing it on to future generations.” Stanton.E. F. Wortham p15

The Visioning Wall was a part of a much larger process that sought to encourage middle schooling children to steer the curriculum for a day. They worked for many weeks to arrange and prepare the day. This gave them the opportunity to take responsibility and to experience roles, rights and responsibilities. Cooperatively they scripted a rap titled “You Can Be What You Want To Be.”

During the process,

• the conversation reflected upon why some people might not end up being what they might want to be.
• They looked at whether some people are so locked into stereotypical and xenophobic thinking that they can never even imagine being certain kinds of things.
• They were encouraged to act out and to devise scenario
• and to be reflexive if blocked by preconceived thinking.

To read about another example of Authentic Scripting A Word About Scripting Comics

Acknowledgement:

Jenni Proctor Career Clarity the Careers Officer and Librarian utilised a sum of money that had been awarded to the school for the Careers Programme . She wanted to exemplify the spirit of Programme Achieve by creating what we later called a Visioning Wall.

Posted by Jo Murphy

The comic was called “After the Party” If you mess with drugs you are messing with your mind. Initiated by Child and Youth Mental Health Qld the comic book scripting process serves as an illuminating example of Decontextualisation. (See Image) The aim of the process was to engage three young people in a process where they

• told their story
• reflected upon their story
• shared insights gained from the reflection upon their story
• scripted a representational story board
• scripted possibilities and scenarios
• analyzed ways young people could reach out for help
• speculated with parents (audience) about what would be useful behaviour when addressing the topic of drug and alcohol problems
• gave insight into what they mental health system may be like

I was commissioned to illustrate this script.

• I facilitated the process by companioning the young people in the style of MIECAT and or using the MIECAT Process.
• I companioned myself by attending to every aspect of Programme Achieve and by companioning myself. This is called The Self As Therapist, Self Parenting or Self Soothing.
• By going through this process, I became more aware of the frustrations and setbacks others experience when attempting very long marathon projects.
• I feel I can talk to the children on an equal level when we enter aspects of Programme Achieve.
• I depthed my own issues as I reflected the sentiments of the young people, their mentors and the women who worked with me. Linda Leatherbarrow and Kristy Mammon.

I journaled the process

• It was a difficult script because it was the synthesis of three stories
• They were told separately but left with tension and anticipation at the end.
• At the end of each two-page script there was a note that read “turn to page eight to find out what happens”.
• This made it difficult to keep the continuity of time and place
• we had to pay particular attention to devices such as clocks and headings intended to give visual clues.
• The comic took eighteen months to prepare
• by the end of the eighteen-month project the illustrating style had changed immensely
• and there needed to be a final blending to rework the depiction so that it was synthesized.

If you are starting out creating comics for the first time,

1. I suggest you begin very simply.
2. keep the plot straight forward
3. and the illustration style an easy one.

There is no doubt that the more complex the story line and the techniques the more quality will be created – however – learning about scripting and layout and presentation in incremental stages would be advised. To read about other Authentic Scripting Authentic Authorship (For copies or information Sophie Morson. Institute of Child and Youth Mental Health. P.O.Box 1507. Fortitude Valley.4006. Ph: 38351444 Email: mailto:sophie_morson@health.qld.gov.au)

Posted by Jo Murphy

Art Area:

You will find it easier if you have

1. Bench space.
2. Running Water.
3. Plenty of light.
4. Plenty of containers buckets and rags available
5. Recycling Set Up

Materials:

1. A block of hand building clay
2. Modelling Tools and Sponge
3. Skewers and Probes, Hooks and Paddle Pop Sticks
4. Metal Scrapers and Shapers
5. Cutting wire
6. A stand for the pot or the sculpture
7. Plastic to cover table
8. Access to a kiln for firing
9. A box for storage
10. Plastic wrap to wrap the drying sculpture in

Technique:

1. Cut a small ammount of clay from the block.
2. Make an egg shape with the clay by rolling it gently in the palm of your hand.
3. Don’t over handle clay (do as quickly as possible. )
4. Roll backwards and forwards very, very gently
5. As you do this it will stretch outwards from the middle so that the coil evenly gets longer and thinner.
6. Don't roll the coil any thinner than your little finger.
7. Roll a small ammount around into a snail and then drag lightly across the coils so that they weld into a flat surface.
8. Roll a coil around so that the coils start to form upward to make half an egg.
9. Make very sure that you weld each coil together before travelling upwards.
10. Keep building the shape upwards one coil at a time into the from you are wanting.
11. Cut wings out of a small piece of clay rolled out to the desired thickness.
12. Make another smaller coil pot for the head and join both the wings and the head on to the body.
13. From here you have the raw creature with hollow inside so that it is not too thick for firing.
14. The next step is to fashion the penguin to be the gross shape you want.
15. Cut a triangle out of the egg shaped body at the feet and bend back the feet so that the penguin has a tripod like stand and a gaping hole in the bottom underneath.
16. The gross shape is then put aside.
17. A few hours will allow it to become leather hard and easier to carve.
18. Now firmer it will be able to hold shape more easily.
19. It will be easier to handle when leather dry and won't bend with any slight touch.
20. Example Example

Posted by Jo Murphy

At Mary MacKillop Primary Birkdale we decided on the purpose of our mural. From the purpose we moved to how the process would develop and worked out the content from there.

Jenni Proctor Career Clarity the Careers Officer and Librarian utilised a sum of money that had been awarded to the school for the Careers Programme . She wanted to exemplify the spirit of Programme Achieve by creating what we later called a Visioning Wall.

One of the Key Phrases quoted from Programme Achieve was “You can do it” In a rap song prepared by the Year 6 students and presented on the day they rapped ....."You Can Be What You Want To BE!"

"Empowering Learners of all Ages To Shape and Enrich Our Changing World by Living the Gospel of Jesus Christ." Brisbane Catholic Education Framework. was another of the slogans.

"Never See A Need Without Doing Something About It" was also quoted from Mary MacKillop our Patron Saint. (Sculpture in the forground by Mardy Kearny a Qld Sculptor.)

We had set out to consciously encapsulate the ethos of the school through words and images. Our moto is Reach Out... Embrace ...Achieve

We collaborated to find out how the children viewed the world that we want to be so free and empowering for them. We invited each and every one of them to do a drawing of how they see their world in 10 years time. We ask them to image forward.

As the Creative Arts Teacher I coordinated the project. I either facilitated the workshop process for the children myself or devised a workshop sheet for other teachers and children to follow. This was so that the process followed the same, consistent theme. From there I worked with Jenni Proctor and David West a Graphic Artist and parent of two children in the school to choose a representative sample of the work. We wanted to glean across all age groups to come up with a representation of the whole.

The selection was difficult because the quality of the work was high and breadth was wider than we were able to assemble into the wall space. However after much processing the selection was finalised.

A professional photographer was then hired to come into the school for a day to photograph the children in the course of their normal activities. He was also paid to photograph the artwork. We had decided that photographing the work would be much quicker than scanning it.

The Photographer suggested the rainforest image for the background. It was enhanced with a golden glow and this created the ambiance carrying forward into every photograph of the kids. it had a unifying effect.

The raw images were then taken by David to another technician and they blended the images into a collage. By the time the Photoshop file was created it weighed 2gbs!

Posted by Jo Murphy

Australian Government Quality Teacher Programme (AGQTP) is a $300 million flagship initiative for supporting quality teaching and school leadership. Its primary function is to “fund professional learning activities for teachers under agreements with state and territory government and non-government education authorities.”

I was fortunate to be a presenter at the National Forum: Teachers Making a Difference in Melbourne on 28 November.

This gave me the opportunity to showcase research conducted throughout 2006. I presented as a compliment to Jenni Proctor another teacher from Mary MacKillop Primary Birkdale. We were a part of the Building an Inquiry Culture team from Catholic Education Queensland. AGQTP funded this professional learning activity for teachers.

Both Jenni and I conducted Appreciative Inquiries.

Jenni undertook to “ascertain the impact that middle schooling practices have on the engagement of students and the effectiveness of their organising the school’s annual career awareness day.”

I explored the empowering relationship Visual Literacy has to Literacy and Numeracy. “The school has a history of successful Career Education so both projects used the context of the day and worked together to create a Visioning Wall. (Picture)

Throughout 2007 I will be exploring many aspects of this presentation and further explaining the context, the process and findings. This is an ongoing inquiry.

Teacher inquiry is also known as reflective practice. It is hoped that professional development programs will encourage teachers to be more reflective and research oriented in their work. I found the approach beneficial.

The Inquiry opened up the professional world for me because I was publicly encouraged to explore the potential of the Creative Arts to “Power Up The Curriculum.” The process enabled me to establish links and working partnerships with other teachers such as Jenni and this encouraged the creative potential of our students to be unleashed. You can see this reflected in the beautiful Visioning Wall.

Partnerships with the parents also flourished in this fertile environment of collaboration. David West a Graphic Artist and a parent of two of our students coordinated much of the artistic side of the Visioning Wall project. Many parents came forward to talk with the children about the Literacies and Competencies that are a part of their chosen career pathways. The children themselves scripted and choreographed their dramatic contribution at the opening of the day.

It will be a challenge to keep this creative momentum going and to record the effect it has on all aspects of the curriculum.

Posted by Jo Murphy

1. Furniture from a bulk warehouse is ideal for the creation of a puppet arena!
2. Shelving is sold ready to assemble.
3. The stage designer only needs readily accessible tools such as a spanner and electric screw driver with a reverse cycle. For bolts a spanner head will be a necessary accessory for the screw driver.
4. The cost is affordable. Use simple, cheap but bulky shelving purchased from a ready to assemble warehouse.
5. Perhaps you may need to bolt it to the floor to provide stability and safety.
6. If the stage is for finger puppets you will only need one set of shelves. Larger puppets will require a more creative approach. Be versatile and think outside the box!
7. Combined sets of shelves to provide sufficient performance space. it will be possible to combine shelves to create spaces located at different heights. This could even allow for puppets to walk up stairs or inclines.
8. Erect the shelves and paint them black or a simple colour. Don't allow the stage to become the focus. It is the puppets rather than the stage you wish to feature.
9. Measure sufficient matching or contrasting cloth to fit from the back.
10. Drape it around the entire shelving system.
11. Split the fabric from the floor to an appropriate place at the top of the shelving and remove from the shelves.
12. Hem the entire piece of fabric on a sewing machine and return it to the shelves.
13. Use a staple gun and tack the fabric to the shelves if you are in a hurry.
14. If you would like to be able to collapse the stage later create tapes and tack those to the stage.
15. Create a backdrop and tack this to the shelves at the back of the performance space. Do not tack the bottom edge as hands will need to be able to operate the puppets in front of the back drop.
16. Furniture purchased from this kind of bulk warehouse is readily collapsible. Simply put the screw driver on reverse cycle and undo the bolts.
17. The stage can then be stored between performances. The furniture is quite stable and bulky. This is important when there will be considerable movement in and around the stage.
18. For another play renew background by taking off the backdrop and replacing.
19. Props can be made by carving polystyrene and painting.
20. Lights can be hung from the shelf above
21. Endless combinations of shelving allow heights to change during the performance

Posted by Jo Murphy

Once the students have learnt this technique and understand the process they may want to push it further.

The two oval formulae is adaptable.

1. Turn the character on its side by shifting the line that shows the centre of the face
2. arrange the arms and legs accordingly.
3. overlap the shapes so that the arm and leg farest away are blocked out by what is nearer.
4. here is an example of a character turned on its side
5. add character traits,
6. clothing
7. and other props so that they act as visual cues
8. add words if they help create a meaningful scene
9. here is an example of the figure developed further
10. So that the techniques do not become clouded keep the image simple when starting.
11. Once the students have constructed a scenario for the character they can begin to script from the ideas that have been stimulated.
12. This example lends itself to a conversation about "why a baby would be sitting up in its sleep?"

I moulded this simple line character in Photoshop.

It is really handy if all classrooms have Photoshop installed. If you have access to Photoshop it can fit neatly, spontaneously and adaptively into creative arts lessons. Because it is such a versatile programme and if you have the Internet connected the students can try ways of creating collage characters.

• The can try a range of colours until they settle for a scheme that suites the character.
• From the internet they can pick and choose all kinds of Clip Art add ons. They can try on hats clothes, hair styles and other attributes.
• As the personality of the character develops the students can try bits and pieces they find from around the Internet until they hit on something that completes the story.

The completion of the baby sleeping story is that this baby has had a brain reader applied to its head. Whilst it is on reading his mind the baby sits quietly dreaming. The students called the character Crainoh!

The idea evolved very simply but the potential as a story writing stimulous is very wide.

There is also potential for the students to evolve their stories in a multi variant way which allows them to push their creativity to the limits.

Have fun! Please let us know if you come up with good stories.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Here is one way to encourage a sense of rhythm naturally using it as a springboard to other creative innovations.

Take the students out to different spaces and facilitate their appreciation of the rhythms they hear. Amplify useful variations.

Ideal places will allow musical reptiton to be highlighted

• The library
• The creek
• The fountain
• Nature
• On a train
• The shore

Wait until they are sitting very quietly and investigate what they hear.

• In the library they might hear the fans squeak.
• The creek might offer the gurgle of the stream.
• A fountain offers the sound of running water
• Nature may just burst with the sound of singing birds.

1. What ever the auditory stimuli ask the kids to softly clap along, or hum, click or tap
2. Make sure this is done as quietly as possible.
3. Break them into groups
4. Get some to clap and others to click on the off beat.
5. Get one group to say pop! See what eventuates.
6. If possible have a recorder - a tape recorder or a scribe.
7. Have the kids go clap, click pop word.
8. Rotate and see whether a sing song develops.

“Squeak, clip, pop, slap

All of us kids go

clap, clap, clap.

Don’t get bogged down

don’t fall into the trap

Of an old humdrum

way of thinking!

Walk, skip, run along

Where are we

when we sing our song?

Running together

we can’t go wrong

as we

create our art together.”

1. When rhythm and verse is happening allow the children to draw with whatever materials are available.
2. This might be a stick in the wet sand if you are on the shore.
3. Encourage them to put pencil to paper if you are in the library.
4. If the students feel comfortable allow them to express in the modality that comes naturally to them. They might begin to dance, mime or act out their creations.
5. Use what ever you have to record the innovation of the day.
6. Perhaps they will respond to each others' work.
7. They might start to offer suggestions for further exploration. Can the idea become a sculpture, animation or short PowerPoint presentation?
8. Let them list suggestions and then move to the reality checking stage of your creative session. What eventuates from the lesson may depend on time.

I would be interested to hear from teachers who try these kinds of improvisations in the classroom.

Posted by Jo Murphy

• Plenty of room – but not too much!. Visual Arts Students may require the option to spread out, layout their materials and experiment. Similarly dance students may need space to practice and stretch. However sometimes too much space can take away from the feeling of closeness and the teacher may need to gather the students together quickly and with ease. Teachers can create boundaries and areas for appropriate use within the context of the space and the lesson.
• Plenty of resources – with easy access – but perhaps not too easy! The teacher wants the students to be able to gather up needed materials without asking for every item. Conversely too much free access can mean that the budget becomes over taxed and that the students are expected to make choices too early in their creative development. Teachers think this through and layout what is needed, locking away what is rationed. Wet hands can ruin some materials so lay a towel out for the students to use.
• Ability to make noise – and yet insulated. Artists may need quiet times to experience serenity, to think and to plan and yet they may need to talk, laugh, sing and practice dance routines. Designated times and spaces within which different kinds of creative activity can happen make it clear how the space will be used.
• Space within which to get messy – and a place where the environment is attractive and clean. . Again different types of activity require alternate kinds of space. It pays to have both available.
• Storage Space. So that materials can be found quickly without frustration.
• Good lighting and acoustics.
• A space for writing and demonstrating. I like to have the availability of a whiteboard as well as a chalkboard and a data projector. No doubt you will develop these resources and a style of presentation that suits you over time.
• Good seating. Comfortable students are good listeners. Sometimes a blanket on the ground with cushions will do the trick.
• Proximity. Sometimes it is good to be near others so that one can call up a quick audience. However it may pay not to be too close so that others don’t drop in and disturb the ambience of engagement.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Posted by Jo Murphy

Amanda from E Europe/Russia Travel wrote ……”My husband's an artist and assures me that everyone can learn to draw (but not necessarily to paint). What do you think? Can I really draw one day or do I have to confine my expression to words and music?????”

“I believe drawing is a language like any other.”

Young students can indeed learn to draw as a class. The process will be less difficult if approached as though drawing is a language like any other. Learning this mode of expression is the same explorative (submergence) and repetitive (consolidation) process to be mastered in the same way as speaking and reading.

Drawing becomes a part of the fabric of the communicative process. It will be an integrated aspect of the culture of the class. Eventually the school will find that drawing is ‘normalized’ if all children pass through this learning process. So the kids might say, “I need to draw you what I mean!” and I may even draw my reply for them.

So yes the children can learn to draw. But they must be reminded not to compare themselves to others. I think professional and inspired artists are passionate, focused and draw daily. Not every body wants to be that devoted. Kids will get from the drawing process the results that match the effort poured into it. Some children are more naturally inclined towards visual literacy and therefore are more motivated by this form of self expression.

If your school favours the idea of “A Community Of Learners” those that draw well can be of great benefit to those who struggle with the visual elements of design.

If a child is being ‘held back’ or struggling with drawing as language it may be because they or their teachers have an over conflated expectation of what drawing is about.

They might be attached to the outcome rather than delighting in the process. If drawing is seen as a natural aspect of the art of communicating then less framing and privileging would occur. This means that fewer students would be frightened of not being good enough. I like to call this a process of ‘normalization.’

If you want your children to lose their fear of drawing; start out drawing very simple line drawings everyday. If you do this daily for just five minutes you will be cheered by the results I think.

I would be happy to walk with you through my Drawing 101 - free Suite101.com course class if you ever feel like getting creative.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Posted by Jo Murphy

Robert Masters makes the following distinctions between affect, feeling and emotion: "As I define them, affect is an innately structured, non-cognitive evaluative sensation that may or may not register in consciousness; feeling is affect made conscious, possessing an evaluative capacity that is not only physiologically based, but that is often also psychologically (and sometimes relationally) oriented; and emotion is psychosocially constructed, dramatized feeling."

Masters, Robert (2000), Compassionate Wrath: Transpersonal Approaches to Anger

One of the beauties of Arts Education is that depiction, enactment and dramatization help the participants 'get in touch' with how they feel about a topic, issue, or internal state.

Here is an example.

Sometimes in class I ask the kids to make a collage in Photoshop. They can gather their resources from any where on the internet or take digital photos. Perhaps they can scan parts of their own drawings or even flowers they have found. They don't have to know what the emotion is they are expressing at the time. After they are finished we talk about the composition. Once we have chatted the students write a short (or sometimes quite long) poem as an intrapersonal response. A brief Haiku is enough. It gives them something to bight into - emotionally speaking I mean.

Sometimes these kinds of experiences can create entry points. Students might want to create a story. What was this collage about? Who was the stone talking to? If the children set about to answer questions about their pictures a whole world of emotional/artistic material can be encouraged.

Educare means to draw forth or "to lead forth". When we start a pathway of inspiration like this one we need not always draw the students forward - sometimes it is enough to companion them while the create their script.

Often the Educator thinks that at some stage he or she should be interpreting the work of the student. We can intersubjectively respond but it is always better to be tentative. This allows the student to define and own his or her own world. The student is allowed a sense of authenticity.

These kinds of exercises can be great discussion starters and a great jumping off point from which to impart technique. No doubt at some stage someone will put up there hand and say "How do I?"

If you have work you would like to share email and I will post it for you. Or alternatively post it at your Blog and invite my readers over.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Mentors often advise teachers and writers to practice their craft daily. Some find it hard to remain motivated when so many other distractions and demands cry out for their attention. Others find they are motivated and eager but for some reason their muse is blocked.

If interaction with others and certainty of friendly constructive feedback sounds appealing please join in. Inspiration comes when people construct areas of serendipity. Synergetic spaces in the hypersphere can be fertile inspirational wells of energy. Images and word pictures begin to flow.

Enter the game!

Today I have revisited and old friend down on the shoreline where I take my Visual Journal for my daily poetic meanderings. As the slow old wandering Brisbane River carves its way through the South Bank Parklands my silent companion sits quietly watching. Everyday the scaly, thorny, horny silhouette remains erect and alert while joggers jog and runners pantingly plod past.

There has been a friendship of sorts develop between us. A kind of teasing game we both willingly play. I sneak towards my mate who waits. I approach as my friend tenses and as I ease forward ????

Enter the game!

If you have a relationship like this one (as bizarre as it may seem.) I invite you to depict it in your favourite medium. Email it to me and I will post it here for you. Or if you have a blog of your own perhaps you could post the poem or drawing there and invite us over. We can arrange Track backs as a way for readers to stay in touch.

Yours in anticipation!

Posted by Jo Murphy

Surprise your students with an unusual photograph and kick start their writing by placing a time limit on their response. This will encourage free form association. Allow freedom of creative style. Example

Students might appear a little taken aback at first if they are not used to this kind of scenario. Sometimes newness can jolt us out of a safe artistic mode and open up insightful doorways of exploration.

Visual Journals are a great space to keep exercises like this together. Students can glue the photo into their journal and perhaps they will be inspired to further the imagery by drawing as an extension.

If this mode of expression seems to suite your class the exercises can be made more challenging by asking them to take turns with a camera. Each lesson a different student could provide a photograph that they see to be fresh, innovative and imaginative. The variety of response will speak to students about the way each individual sees the world.

Arts Education works best when it is steered by the students. Ask them would they like to find other creative ways to extend this modality. Perhaps they would like to form groups and create masked freeze frames or statue silhouettes. Perhaps they would like to create their own PodCast Album from the variety of responses to their stimulous material.

Be sure to support them in their risk taking when they offer their ideas. Talk them through if things don't seem to work out at first. This will help them persist until the art emerges from the scruffiness that often arises when students are being truly authentic. At the realisation stage invite an audience and record spectator response.

If you have artistry you would like to share. drop me a line I like to hear how art projects and ideas work out for others.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Often I am asked to explain how to be explicit when talking with students about how to develop resiliency through art projects. Here is an example.

I took the original black and white drawing and cut it into five parts and enlarged them to A4 size. Colouring Page

I placed them on the floor and told the kids to take the tree that best represented how they feel about art at the moment. We then took the trees outside and painted them.

It was a good lesson and the kids got the point about commitment being a process not just a noun. Their trees were beautiful and they got to share their feelings about how much work it takes to really get into art and do a job of it.

The kids worked out for themselves that if they tracked where they were up to in the feelings emotionscape - maybe they would be able to empower themselves to keep going until they finally realise their projects.

Some of the parents who were present were quite impressed by the kid's ability to understand and dialogue about commitment. Helping children develop the ability to keep commitments is part of empowering children to become resilient.

The page posted above is called Uninformed Optimism and it is about the honey moon phase at the beginning of any commitment. The kids all seemed to want to paint this one with lots of colour. Once it was dry they rescued the outlines with oil pastels. Next they really went to town with the glitter and sequins!

Experience more of this dialogue as I post more colouring pages in Blogs to come. If you subscribe to the RSS feed you will be alerted when the next one is posted.

Posted by Jo Murphy

In my course Visual Literacy a Course in Drawing I wrote an essay about 14 Reasons to Keep Visual Journals.

A diary has value and is relevant to any creative process.

In the past it hasn't been as easy for some of the areas within the creative arts to keep journals as it has been for writers or artists. With the invention of affordable digital video cameras, Webcaming and Podcasting came the opportunity for the note takers of the other sections of the Creative Arts to spontaneously record their thoughts, intuitions, and impressions with out the loss of valuable material.

These valuable recordings can be kept online in an electronic journal or online as a web log. Blog. Some of the reasons Creative Artists would take journaling up as a discipline include.

Personal process.

Posted by Jo Murphy

"We dance for laughter, we dance for tears, we dance for madness, we dance for fears, we dance for hopes, we dance for screams, we are the dancers, we create the dreams." Kathleen Academy.

I have come to the conclusion that dance can, but, need not be seen in the context of therapy.

Dance can be the pre-existent freedom that comes before feelings of entrapment by society.

If a child experiences a safe environment within which to express emotions she is likely to become more resilient. Dance is a safe way for children to express emotions.

Attributes are

Ritualistically the parent or teacher could schedule time to dance away conflict and tension. Processes allow space for the child to work through emotions. This ensures that emotions are acknowledged. Perhaps the kids can resolve them. It is likely this resolution will become a part of the emotional memory.

We see evidence in our school for the idea that children are much more settled and quiet after liturgy and other communal sharing sessions.

Maybe teachers or parents have become disconnected from this type of expression due to societal repression. The teacher may just not feel comfortable around this kind of activity. It is in this situation that we start to use the word therapy. Experiential Creative Arts Therapists can help people work through issues in safe situations using a variety of tools, one of which may be dance or movement.

Music/sound /silence too can be a part of this tapestry. Some kids may want to start off in silence trying to scream their dance in mime? Others may use music to match how they feel. After feelings become comfortable they may turn to silent, gentle movement to close the session.

Teachers often turn their classes to writing at this stage. Perhaps the children are now relaxed and in creative flow. Others may teach mathematical pattern or explore space and time.

If you have experience in this area I would love to hear from you.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Karen Carpenter is an example of an artist who lost her life due to the stressful nature of fame and fortune. Fame Management is a type of personal vigilance where the teacher looks for opportunity to dialogue with students.

Teachers model ways to nurture esteem from within rather than by looking to boost ego from outside. Addiction to adulation will develop a need to follow and court the tastes and wants of audiences. This can be odious and soul stealing. Artists who are drawn into competitive and comparative cycles of addiction suffer. It is better that they be eased into cultures of support and collaboration more pure in motive.

Prep School is the time to commence dialogue with students about their 'life's career.' An artist's life requires a balance of work, fun and play. Students will be encouraged to think about the role of exercise, meditation, numeracy, literacy and the like. Aspects of everyday life such as love, value and esteem are essential if the artist is to be resilient Art students should be encouraged not to put all of their eggs into one basket and allow this "cache" to be the sole source of their self esteem.

Resilience will be encouraged when

At the low time after a performance when all the accolades have subsided; students may be asked to brainstorm how to deal with the deflation. Perhaps they will settle to writing about the experience, meditation, or be content to lose themselves to exercise or some other creative pursuit such as photography.

I welcome feedback.

Posted by Jo Murphy

The book Presence. 2005 (Diagram of Concept) had a profound effect on the way I view teaching and experiencing art. Rather than stun me with new and exciting knowledge about the teaching of the Creative Arts it reinforced my way of seeing the subject as 'reflexive.' I understood that a Creative Arts teacher has to be ever developing a strong sense of self.

The idea of 'Letting Come' swirls around nurturing ideas, projects and collaborations without temptation to force. A 'hands off' attitude to another artist's learning is essential. The teacher becomes a companion of the student rather than a container of knowledge. Not a guru or a sage but a co-learner in a process of co-creation.

I see the Creative Arts as channelling, presencing and realising community ecologies. Together we dream, together we design, together we realise and direction our being. Optimal cooperation requires suspension of personal belief, so that 'we' can see the whole from within the organisation.

An organisation can be any group of two or more beings that come together to share and experience. So a Theatre Company for example comes together to dream about a production. A couple can dream about an animation.

No one part of any collaboration can be allowed to monopolise the creative process. Indeed sometimes the less featured parts can influence the whole very profoundly. Simple presence can be powerful due to its subtlety. Set design is one example of an artistic presence that can influence with little conscious awareness on the part of the audience. Even when the stage is left bare the very starkness itself can influence 'seeing' and thus the experience.

The authors of the book encourage us to suspend prior belief and to 'look consciously at our looking' so that we can become aware of influences and triggers sufficiently to be released from them in an attempt to step back and take in the whole.

Posted by Jo Murphy

Animania began in NSW in 2002. It is now an annual event and is held in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. AU It is a festival that brings together young people from local, interstate and overseas to celebrate and participate in the popular culture that surrounds Anime and the Japanese Culture. 2006 has seen the first time this Festival has made its way to Brisbane and it is certainly attracting popular attention.

The Festival has been designed to create an environment where young people can explore the phenomena of Manga and Animation in an exciting and vibrant atmosphere. As an Arts Educator I will be going along to see for myself how young people explore the Manga drawing style I am also interested to see their interaction in the making of multi media.

Attractions will include

2006 also marks the 30th anniversary for cultural exchange between Australia and Japan. The event is endorsed by both the Australian and Japanese Governments.

The benefits of staging this festival in Brisbane will be not only to the Arts, to the understanding of animation as a medium but to our understanding of Japanese culture.