Jo Murphy's Blog
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
- explored simple perspective - The Basics of Perspective
- explored how to Set The Scene When Telling A Story
- discovered how to create characters to people a tabletop.
- 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
- Draw a scene
- 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
- Keep your storyboard short and simple. Have only three or four frames.
- Make sure you have a short pithy punch line.
- 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.
- It might be appropriate to have a caption below each frame that spells out what is happening in the story.
- 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.”
- Read these pages from this drawing course about the idea of simple perspective.
- 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.
- 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.”
- Three dimensionality is important for cartooning. Experiment with the concept of vanishing points and of “Point Perspective.”
- Explore why “points of view” are important when creating a background scene.
- On Andrew Diec’s Website browse the different types of perspective. Show these samples to the class.
- It would not be wise to encourage beginners to try to draw more than one or two point perspective.
- On the first day keep the exercises simple and ask only that the participants draw a fun coke can or cat in a can.
- 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
- 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. .
- 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.
- 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
- 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
- prepare a rectangle (usually11 inch by 8 inch)
- fold it is half or select the right half
- paste the 4 inch by 4 inch image on the right hand side of the rectangle
- paste Santa’s hat on to the cat after sizing to an exact fit
- paste the bell around the neck of the portrait
- cut the centre from the border and place and paste over the top
- create the card greeting in a computer art programme or Word
- cut and paste them into place
- fold the card in half
- place in an envelope of the appropriate size when dry
- 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.
- I scanned the photo
- Cropped the hand
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- draw an under water scene
- draw a sea creature such as a crab.
- save the MSPaint drawings
- open both in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements
- downsize pictures so that they be seen at the same time.
- use the Move Tool to drag the sea creature across onto the underwater painting.
- activate Freetransform Tool and the Move Tool until you have positioned it
- with the Background Eraser to take out blue sea so that one merges to the other.
- 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.)
- 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
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. ....
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. ....
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
- selected and categorised appropriate work
- trimmed and cleaned each piece setting it aside with the name and writing of each participant
- placed tape around the edge of each side of the back of the work
- trimmed off excess tape protruding over the edge of the work as this could cause pages of the book to stick together
- peeled the backing of the tape from the artwork
- stood directly in front of the black card to which it was to be adhered
- lined it up and positioned it
- once positioned - ran across the surface of the work with a flat piece of card to press down firmly and release any air bubbles
- the next step was to trim the card so that only a slim black edge were showing
- 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
- Draw up a cartoon image with light whisper lines.
- Rescue the whisper lines with felt tipped pens.
- Colour with colour pencils or crayons.
- Scan and erase so that the background is transparent.
- Resize to the desired dimensions.
- Upload to discussion space.
Hand draw and scan the work in black and white.
- Finish the avatar by colouring it in a computer art programme such as Photoshop Elements.
Draw in MSPaint
- colour, embellish, resize and save.
- erase the background in another computer art programme.
Draw in MSPaint
- transfer to another computer Art programme such as Photoshop.
- complete as suggested above.
Draw with a Wacom
- or with the mouse directly into a Computer Art Package such as Paint Photoshop or Free Source where computer art programme of your choosing.
- finish in the ways suggested above
Photograph a painting.
- Digitally if possible or a scanned image otherwise
- clean it in Photoshop (et al)
- erase the back ground.
- you will find the colours intense.
Make a collage
- 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
- scan the collage into a computer art programme.
- Manipulate and process the image as described above.
Create an avatar at an online site.
- 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
- Weave the frame from coloured paper.
- Take two sheets of coloured paper either analogous, complimentary or black and white
- Cut them in thin strips
- Weave them
- Wrap the woven paper around a cut card board frame
- Glue the ends of the weaving to the back of the frame
- Glue a matching cardboard frame to the back of the covered frame so that no end of paper is showing
- Glue a sheet of over head project plastic inside
- Place the portrait of mum inside the frame
- Glue ribbon around the edges with a hot glue gun
- Take some of the same ribbon and make a loop
- 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
- What does the marrying of images suggest to you?
- What emotions does viewing this work evoke for you?
- The students might dialogue in “Think Pair Share” style about the compositional qualities and lyricism of the artwork.
- Invite them to visit each of the seven elements of design together.
- The students might be asked to express their interpretation of the meaning of the work
- Alternatively, if they find the idea of interpretation interferes with their enjoyment of the work they could describe its gentle suggestive aura
- Invite the students to write a poetic response to the piece
- Invite them to find or write a piece of music that reflects the theme
- 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,
- is point a dominant designal element of this composition?
- explain how the shapes are arranged?
- tell the story of how the lines lead the eye through the picture composition
- how did the artist use colour to convey emotion?
- talk about the use of texture within the picture plane and how was it created
- in what way is contrast an important feature of this depiction?
- 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
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.
- On a sheet of A4 paper draw a circle six inches in diameter.
- Divide the circle into six equal parts - like a pie graph.
- Colour each part in this order. yellow orange red purple blue green
- 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.
- Go back over the outlines with a black felt tipped pen so that the colour wheel is neat.
- When you are satisfied that this is as neat as possible have it laminated
- 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.
- 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.
- Once they have some kind of story or description nutted out they might be able to put it into poetic forming.
- 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.
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.