Lessons
1. Portrait studies from Aesop's Fables.
Objectives:
Student will be introduced to Aesop and his 5 th century fables through a brief historical introduction.
Students will review and practice basic line drawing techniques using either ebony pencil, markers, charcoal, or conte sticks.
Students will interpret a character's identity in literature through a series of readings and identify/interpret the physical characteristics (particularly the face and its expressive gestures) of that character based on this understanding.
Students will create final 18"x24" (contour, continuous line, or gesture) drawing using any of the materials listed above.
Students will explain their choice of media and technique as to how that choice best communicates their idea of the character.
Activity:
Day one: A famous portrait statue of Aesop will be projected as I introduce the history of the stories we will be reading in class. Students will be given a handout that will have printed selected fables along with a series of question and room for sketches and note taking. Volunteers will be asked to read the fables aloud as the rest of the class takes notes using the guided questions provided for 'understanding the character'. Students will then select one of the characters to study more closely. Expanding on their notes, they will be asked to create a series of practice drawings that explore the various physical characteristics of the selected character (reference LeBrun and daVinci drawings here). They will be asked to experiment with all the drawing materials offered and consider the potential each has to best communicate the nature of the chosen character; individual critiques and discussions with teacher regarding these choices occur as students work. Day two: Students will select one of their practice drawings to share with the class. Critique will be guided towards the material selection and its potential to communicate. Students will have a full studio day to complete this drawing.
Selected Fables:
The Bald Man and the Fly
The Milkmaid and her Pail
The Miser and his Gold
The Young Thief and his Mother
The Old Man and Death
Understanding the character
'Who am I?'
What is physical and psychological description of the character? What is his or her personality and traits? The next thing we have to look for is the environment in which the character lives. What is the setting? How is the character related to the environment and other people around him or her. Is there any comparison or contrast between the character and the environment? Does the character have any motive? Find out what drives the character or if he or she has any motivations. Are there any flaws to the character? What is the psychological makeup of the character? Who is speaking – from what point of view is the story written? What are the clues or indicators that lead you to that conclusion? How did the characters express themselves that may have lead to that conclusion?
Extensions:
Create a series of illustrations using the portrait of the character developed in this lesson that sequentially tells the story of the fable as it unfolds.
Or
Create an illustration that would serve as a book cover for the fables.
Assessment
Students will present their portrait in a gallery crawl setting. Provided with two 'post-it' cards, students will stick note on other portraits answering the questions: what is successful and what could be improved. A formal written critique on their own work will also be submitted. This writing will include a character analysis, an explanation of materials chosen, and the justification for their choice of technique and composition.
2. "Where I'm from" A poem by George Ella Lyon. Collage self-portrait.
Objectives:
Identify the unique characteristics of the poetry genre.
Students will experience the creative writing process by developing two pieces of writing using the writing skills of rhythm, rhyming, and descriptive vocabulary.
Understand the vocabulary used in the selected poem.
Learn about the collage techniques of the Harlem Renaissance artist, Romare Bearden.
Activity
Ask: How are poems different from stories? Together we will read the poem, Where I'm from. A guided discussion will follow. We will start with what it is they now know about the author of the poem, based on what they have read. Who is speaking - from whose point of view is the poem written? Ask volunteers to contribute their ideas to a mind-map on the board. What is the rhythm of this particular poem? How does the character incorporate place, setting, and mood into the poem? How is the character related to the environment and other people around him or her? Is there any comparison or contrast between the character and the environment? Following the format of this poem, student will write their own Where I'm from poem and create an accompanying self portrait using collage materials and techniques similar to that of Romare Bearden. (see lesson number three for more details on suggested techniques and materials)
After completing the work with the Langston Hughes poem, "Mother to Son" (from the middle sections of Strategies), which includes a character study and an accompanying portrait; students will be asked to complete a Where I'm from poem as the voice the person in the portrait. This poem will accompany the final portrait in the gallery exhibition that culminates at the end of this unit.
3. Collage portraits. Techniques and materials.
A collage may include newspaper clippings, ribbons, bits of colored or hand-made papers, portions of other artwork, photographs and other found objects, glued to a piece of paper or canvas. The origins of collage can be traced back hundreds of years, but this technique made a dramatic reappearance in the early 20th century as an art form of novelty. The term collage derives from the French "colle" meaning "glue". This term was coined by both Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso in the beginning of the 20th century when collage became a distinctive part of modern art. 1 1
For this project, I am suggesting that a photomontage, or collage made from photographs, is taught. It is particularly important to discuss the topic of copy right when making photomontages. As a general rule, I tell my students that any image made by someone else, must be altered seventy-five percent or more. This is not too difficult when the process of creating a photomontage is cutting and joining a number of other photographs to create the final work.
I will be showing the work of Romare Bearden to my students when introducing this technique to them. In the late 1960's, Bearden began to experiment with the clippings from magazines (which in and of itself was a new medium as glossy magazines were fairly new 1 2) as scraps to incorporate images of modernity in his works. His exhibition in 1964 called Projections was where he formally introduced his new collage style. These are generally considered his best works.
On a masonite board (prevents warping when wet), lay a clear acrylic gel and squeegee across the surface. Lay collage images on top, put more gel over the images and then squeegee it perfectly flat from the center outwards. A wet squeegee will have less friction and reduce the risk of tearing the media. If you make use of printed material that may smear (toner copies or Xerox), use a spray fixative (hairspray works well!) before applying the top layer of gel medium.
Comments: