Art and Identity in Mexico, from Olmec Times to the Present

Lessons

Rationale/Objective: The lessons that follow will require several steps to complete a section. There will be two to three sections per lesson.

Students will need to process information for this unit; they will take notes, plan and practice new skills by themselves, and also collaborate with others in gaining more insight, thereby accomplishing tasks and completing each of the lessons in a satisfactory manner.

Pre-Lesson- A Power-Point Presentation of the Olmec, Maya or Aztec

Groups of 2 will spend 1-2 weeks to take from notes and conduct research from books and on the internet, in order to create a power point presentation that depicts one of these civilizations. They are to answer these questions:

1. Using the vocabulary they've learned, tell me about the lives and times of these indigenous culture. Tell me about their intelligence, language, architecture, art forms, cuisine, sports, and anything else you feel that is important to know about this culture.

2. Show me evidence in our culture and civilization today that this particular culture you studied has influenced us. Give details. Make sure that your presentation is clear and read-able. Your group will be presenting it to the class for an assessment grade in material knowledge and use of computer technology.

Materials:

Teacher will benefit from previously obtaining pictures to present in a power-point that include Olmec, Maya, Aztec, Benin, and perhaps some contemporary pictures of people of our culture today (tattoos, hip, zoot-suited, motorcycle garb, etc.)

Students will benefit by going to a library or computer lab in order to complete their power-point presentations. Computer and projector combination required. If not available, it can be created in Poster-format. Students may also learn how to scan images in a computer lab and add to the computer presentations.

Lesson 1 - Mesoamerican Origins: The Olmec Head

Students will explore 2 dimensional compositions by shaping paper, cutting and pasting, an Olmec head, will be the subject matter. From observing the contours and planes of their own faces, the students will produce a 2 dimensional plan for an Olmec head using their own self portraits from digital photographs. They will review the idea of the Golden Ratio and/or known as the 8 to 3 measurement or as we know it now, as PI and proceed to measure out the photograph in order to find the planes and contours. Once measured and marked on the photo, the student will cut and construct the Olmec features.

Student will mold, carve and develop a 3 dimensional sculpture of the Olmec head in clay, from the previous 2 dimensional composition. From the studied planes of their own faces, the student will produce a sculptured Olmec style head. A headdress will be optional or additional variation.

Materials: For each phase

1. Digital camera, printer, computer, photo processing software and copy paper
2. 2 Prints, pencil, eraser and ruler
3. Varied multi-cultural colored construction paper, scissors, glue, graphite paper, pencil, eraser and photo print of their face

Vocabulary:

Mesoamerica, ominous, glaring, somber, sober, Benin, symmetry, Pi or Golden Mean, civilization, culture, plane, contour, acropolis, colossal, celts, Benin sculptures

STEP 1: MAKES AN OLMEC OUT OF ME!

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1. Using a digital camera, take a picture of your classmate and have your classmate take a picture of you. Make sure that it is a real "zoom close-up" of each other's face. Try to look very serious, ominous or somber like an Olmec Sculptured head.
2. Download the pictures onto the computer, using the cable cord. (look for separate instructions from the teacher or a prepared instruction sheet about the digital camera's use)
3. Pull up your picture, save it into the class file. Save it with your complete name. Pull up your picture and start to adjust it through Microsoft photo editor or the computer's photographic options.
4. Once you are in Photo editor, or Adobe Photoshop or other available photo corrective software, practice with the tools available.
1. Change your picture from color to black and white.
2. Experiment with the tool bar to see how you can change your face to look more like rock or stone. Change as often as you like but remember not to save unless you are satisfied with the change.
5. Once you are looking like an Olmec Head, save it and print 2 copies. You have completed all of step #1. Put your name on the back of your printed copies and hand them in.

STEP #2: MAKES AN OLMEC OUT OF ME!

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The Golden Ration of 8 to 3 or just call it PI…Learning about proportions and symmetry

Let's learn about how the Olmec used measurement to proportion the colossal carved heads of the San Lorenzo region.

1. Explore the 3:8 ratio by determining a unit of measurement. You can use an inch, your thumbnail or your pencil. Take one of the prints of your face to start this project. Get your supplies, ruler, pencil, eraser, and marker.
2. Now make a rectangle that is eight such units on one side and three on the other. This is the ratio of phi! This is also the rectangle within which and Olmec head can be drawn. Try fitting YOUR head to this rectangle. Do you fit? Can you find an Olmec head that does fit? (See example: use a Olmec Head from San Lorenzo)

To see how else the proportion is used, tick (a tick is one unit of measurement) off eight units on one side and place the eyes at the level of 3 ticks down from the top.

For extra credit: To learn more about the Golden Ratio of PI look up Fibonacci, the Golden Rectangle, Greek architecture or Luca Pacioli's "Divine Proportions" on the internet. Write notes in your journal about what you've learned..

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STEP #3: MAKES AN OLMEC OUT OF ME!

Learning about the contours, planes of your face

1. You are going to create from construction paper a copy of your face. It will be broken up into shapes. You are going to choose at least 4 colors of construction paper. Choose a variation from dark to light.
2. Measure and mark with pen, horizontally, your 2nd face print into 3rds. Mark your face in half vertically.
3. Look at your facial features. Think of your face as land. If you looked at the tip of your nose, that would be the highest plane or top of a mountain. If you looked around the edges of your face, I would see the lowest plane or the valley. You will also see contours, think of the dips and curves of your face as hills and valleys. Separate and draw the shapes you see in your face as high, medium and low shapes. Number them on the paper.
4. Now, choose the darkest color to be the lowest plane and the next highest to be a lighter shade, the next highest away from the face to be another lighter shade and then using the lightest construction color to be your most highest from the face. The breakdown of your face into contours and planes will make this look much like a mask, but if you take your time…it can look a bit like you too!
5. Number your construction paper according to your plan from dark to light 1-4 and trace these shapes onto the construction paper using graphite tracing paper. Cut and glue your pieces onto a sheet of drawing paper. Note that each shape should be glued one on top of another or overlapped so that the face does not turn out to become too chopped up and have too much space in between shapes. It should end up looking unified, constructed to fit on top of each other and look balanced in the end product.

Lesson 2- Civilizations: Past and Present come together

Rationale/ Objective: Student will mold, carve and develop a 3 dimensional sculpture of the Olmec head in clay, from the previous 2 dimensional composition. From the studied planes of their own faces, the student will produce a sculptured Olmec style head. A headdress will be optional or additional variation.

Students will plan; consult with peers and teacher to resolve their idea for the Olmec head to become the honored subject in their niche for the Day of the Dead celebration. The idea must be agreed upon from a consensus of their peers and teacher.

Part I

Introduction to the "Day of the Dead" celebration -Carving an Olmec

Head from a clay block

Part I1

Conversion of Ancient head into the idea of an ancestor honored —

Choosing a concept- what will the Homage to the head be? Designing

and planning what the final product will look like

Part I1I

Putting it all together- Niche is created, the props are found and

the Olmec head is placed in its altar.

A power-point presentation will be shown to introduce the "Day of the Dead" celebration, ritual and concept. The idea is to convert a modern celebration that has its roots in Maya, Aztec and colonial practice, update and transform it to have some new meaning in our times.

The word homage is reviewed at many stages of the lessons. Students will draw and plan in their journal, reviewed by classmates and teacher to make feasible plans that can be executed with good results. Emphasis in the honoring and remembering something or someone important, the portraying of their idea in their art piece /niche that can be somber or humorous as well will be critiqued during the planning stages. The student must have the head become the ancestor gone, famous person, a dead idea or pet that is deceased. For example; "Disco Fever is Dead," "Ode to lost Hair," or in all seriousness, "Homage to a Jaguar Warrior." The student must be certain that the items needed for their niche can be obtained by them or accessible to the teacher.

In creating the niche a sturdy shoe box must be brought from home. The box will go through several steps in order to make the box sturdy and ready for hanging. First it should be covered in papier-mâché, and left to dry completely. A hook for hanging should be attached with strong tape to the back of the box. Plaster strips (like that of creating a cast for a broken bone) be applied carefully to the hook's tape. Let dry. Continue to cover (one layer at a time) the box with plaster strips, smoothing them out as it covers the box

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Additional architectural features such as pillars, columns, roof or floor extensions can be done gradually letting each dry respectively. Once dry, the box may be ready for painting and decorating. Additional adornment, lace, beads, pictures, candles, miscellaneous items are attached with glue gun. The Olmec head converted can be then painted adorned and transformed during the last part of the lesson. Once placed inside the altar a title can be attached to the niche/box and then placed on a wall perfect for showing.

Materials:

Drawing paper, eraser, Ebony pencils, art journal, clay, modeling tools, water and containers (for smoothing out facial features)

Papier-mâché (wheat or cellulose paste), newspaper, Elmer's glue, hanging joints or some wall hanging hooks, plaster strips (found in most art stores), tempera or acrylic paint, a variety of miscellaneous beads, candles, lace, pictures, construction paper, scissors, glue sticks and glue gun.

Vocabulary:

Niche, column, icon, variety of size and shape, color, clutter, emphasis, repetition,

Homage, form, Olmec, ritual, ceremony, celebration, glyphs, shrine, recite, scribe

Variations of the Lesson:

Day of the Dead project may not be applicable depending on the time of the year. It is perfect to have for Spanish Heritage Month, but if that is not feasible, creating a ball park would be another way that students can develop other building skills like that of constructing with cardboard, using perimeter formulas, working with geometric shapes, or creating a trivia card game about the Olmec, Maya and Aztec….or creating their own board game, with perhaps, the Olmec heads as the moving playing pieces.

Lesson 3 -"Viva La Raza"

Rationale/Objective: After exposure to modern Mexican artist and seeing how one uses the past to make new art…. using the principles of design the student will render a hub cap drawing that has been altered to look reminiscent of any of the iconography that has been studied from previous lessons. Students will show reflection, knowledge, critical thinking, sophistication and skill in constructing and rendering this drawing.

Part I

Introduction to Modern Mexican Artist and how they have

incorporated their past into their art expression.

Part II

Practice drawing a hubcap

Part III

Conversion of the hubcap to a personal design that reflects

Olmec, Maya or Aztec influence

A power-point or slide presentation will be shown to introduce modern and well known Mexican Artists. Artists like Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, Guadalupe Posada, Carlos Merida, and many contemporary graphic artists of today have utilized familiar icons from their ancestry. In showing pride, teaching others about Mexico or to utilize it for various political reasons, these artists took their ancestry, incorporated it into their style and identity.

From preparations, practice and success in executing the drawing of a hub cap, the student will design a composition that derives from the hubcap shape but becomes a unique design in itself. Students will do this by choosing, adding and using symbols from representations of Olmec, Maya, or Aztec gods, maybe something from their architecture or from their calendar, their drawing style or some other pertinent symbolic icon that they've enjoyed would like to combine. The students will be reminded that the objective is to design it to reflect ancient Mexican style while having symmetry, balance, and unity present in their work. Particular attention will paid to round symbols including the calendar stone, carved snakes, ball game markers, and so forth. Many of these can be located on Mexican coinage.