http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/RSS.ashxArts & Activities PagesWed, 09 Sep 2009 21:58:36 +0200http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=1http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=12009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=2http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=2YOUR FAVORITE KILN COMPANY IS NOW MAKING FREE CATALOG! Send your name and address to wheels@skutt.com for a copy. EASY TO CLEAN The removable wheel head allows you to lift off the one-piece splash pan for easy cleaning. EASY TO OPERATE The industrial grade motor controller provides constant torque through all speed ranges, making it perfect for all skill levels. LONG LASTING Skutt wheels have one of the strongest motors in the industry. Their high torque reduces strain, allowing them to last a long time. 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For more information on wheels and kilns, visit us at www.skutt.com, email skutt@skutt.com, or call 503-774-6000 (Circle No. 234 on A&A Reader Service Card)2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=3http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=3(Circle No. 225 on A&A Reader Service Card)2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=4http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=4CONTENTS V O L U ME 1 4 6 , No . 2 OCTOBER 2009 THE PARTICULARS OF PAPER 29 CARP COLLAGE David Laux 30 COVER STORY—UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL: PHOTOREALISTIC SELF32 CELEBRATING DIVERSITY WITH KINDERGARTEN AND GRADE 1 SELF-PORTRAITS PORTRAITS Calvin Banks Mered “Pidgie” Lawson HAPPY BIRTHDAY WITH HANDMADE PAPER Karen Skophammer GETTING “INTO” FANTASY April Mahon INTEGRATING THE CURRICULUM: HAUNTED BY HOUSES Molly McNeece INTEGRATING THE CURRICULUM: THE MAGIC OF ONE-HALF Cathy Pedro TRIED & TRUE TIPS FOR ART TEACHERS: PAPER PARTICULARS Laurel Winters 41 34 36 38 40 50 SPECIAL FEATURES AND COLUMNS 16 ART WORKS . WITH SHARPENED PERCEPTION Barbara Herberholz 18 ALPHA ART . THE ABCS OF ART: “A” ~ ALL ABOUT ME Debi West 19 ART ELEMENTS FOR MIDDLE- AND HIGH-SCHOOLERS: SHAPE 21 YOUNG ARTIST, GARET BOHUSLAVSKY Kim Yonker 22 LEARNING FROM EXHIBITIONS . LOST IN FORM, FOUND IN LINE: 41 CHILDREN’S ART DIARY: SCHOOL-SUPPLY ARTISTS George Székely Robert S. Hunter AN EXHIBITION OF WORKS BY ROBERT MOTHERWELL Mark M. Johnson 21 CLIP & SAVE PRINT: FUN & RECREATION IN ART 25 CLIP & SAVE ART NOTES Colleen Carroll 26 ART PRINT: CHILDREN’S GAMES Pieter Bruegel the Elder 28 CLASSROOM USE OF THE ART PRINT Colleen Carroll A&A AT YOUR SERVICE 45 READER SERVICE/AD INDEX 46 CLAY CORNER DEPARTMENTS 6 EDITOR’S NOTE MEDIA REVIEWS 11 12 EXPANDED SHOP TALK ON THE COVER SELF-PORTRAIT Collage and mixed-media; 28" x 22". By Tiffany, Ralston High School, Ralston, Nebraska. See “Up Close and Personal: Photorealistic Self-Portraits,” page 30. SUBSCRIPTIONS: (858) 605-0251; subs@artsandactivities.com. AD SALES: (800) 826-2216; ads@artsandactivities.com. AD PRODUCTION: production@artsandactivities.com. EDITORIAL: (858) 605-0242; ed@artsandactivities.com. FAX: (858) 605-0247. WEB SITE: www.artsandactivities.com. ADDRESS: 12345 World Trade Dr., San Diego, CA 92128. Arts & Activities® (ISSN 0004-3931) is published monthly, except July and August, by Publishers’ Development Corp., 12345 World Trade Dr., San Diego, CA 92128. Subscriptions: one year, $24.95; two years, $39.95; three years, $49.95. Foreign subscriptions, add $20 per year for postage. Single copy, $4. Title to this magazine passes to subscriber only on delivery to his or her address. Change of address requires at least four weeks’ notice. Send old address and new address. Periodical postage paid at San Diego, Calif., and at additional mailing offices. Printing by Democrat Printing, Little Rock, Ark. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Arts & Activities®, 12345 World Trade Drive, San Diego, CA 92128. 34 4 october 2009 x www.artsandactivities.com2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=5http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=5R O E M H A T NS K S A S Get an Arched Roof not a Flat Roof Prevent Roof Collapse! Plus a few more things Roman engineers would have appreciated: Hard Element Holders, Elements on the Door, Zone Control, Welded Heavy Gauge Steel Case All this plus a THREE YEAR limited warranty for only $7975! Visit: hotkilns.com/renaissance L&L Kiln’s patented hard ceramic element holders protect your kiln. 505 Sharptown Rd, Swedesboro NJ 08085 Toll Free: 888.909.5456 Fax: 856.294.0070 sales@hotkilns.com (Circle No. 215 on A&A Reader Service Card)2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=6http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=6editor’s note When it comes to art materials, paper is particularly pertinent. So, let us ponder “The Particulars of Paper” with a small sampling of this month’s projects . In our Cover Story, “Up Close And Personal: Photorealistic Self-Portraits” (page 30), high-school students focus on shape—the larger elements and not the small details—as they create Chuck Close-inspired collages of themselves from unorthodox media. Unusual media are also used in “Carp Collage” (page 29), where stamps, scrolls, handmade paper and more are used in concert with metal-tooled relief sculptures of fish by upper-elementary artists to create Asian-inspired compositions. president editor and publisher art director editorial assistant Thomas von Rosen Maryellen Bridge Niki Ackermann Roxanne Smith EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Eugene Grigsby, Jr. Cris E. Guenter Professor Emeritus, Arizona State University, Tempe Professor of Arts Education/ Curriculum & Instruction California State University, Chico Visiting Professor, Art Dept, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Art Education Consultant, Sacramento, California Director, Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Montgomery, Alabama Senior Professor of Art Education, University of Kentucky, Lexington Primary students learn about the components of a self-portrait, the parts and placement of facial features, and employ collage techniques and drawing to create wonderfully charming mixed-media portraits of themselves in “Celebrating Diversity with Kindergarten and Grade 1 SelfPortraits” (page 32). Writes the author, “When displayed, they are a delightful representation of our American schools and multicultural society. All students follow what I call my ‘steps to success’—all steps are the same for all students— and yet the results are as diverse as our young artists.” Then, in “Happy Birthday with Handmade Paper” (page 34), middle-school students learn a bit about the history of paper, Eric Carle and the collage work he uses to create his illustrations . all leading up to a studio activity wherein they each create their own handmade color paper, and together create a unified design celebrating the 80-year-old artist and his work. Jerome J. Hausman Barbara Herberholz Mark M. Johnson George Székely CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Charl Anne Brew Colleen Carroll Adjunct, Art Institute of Washington Arlington, Virginia Curriculum Writer and Author of Children’s Art-Appreciation Books, Sleepy Hollow, New York Art Dept. Head (Retired), Willowbrook High School, Villa Park, Illinois Art Teacher (Retired), Central High School, Aberdeen, South Dakota Art Teacher (grades 1–8), All Saints’ Episcopal Day School, Carmel, California Lead Visual Art Teacher, North Gwinnett High School, Suwanee, Georgia Geri Greenman Paula Guhin Peter Hiller Imagination abounds and “anything can happen” in “Getting ‘Into’ Fantasy” (page 36), a great activity for elementary students. With literature and the work of such artists as Dalí and Magritte serving as examples, children plan and create their own fantasy-place collages, incorporating digital photos of themselves. And, if time permits, there is a perfect opportunity to ask students to do some writing as they describe what is going on in their artworks. Writing is also involved in “Integrating the Curriculum: Haunted by Houses” (page 38), a 3-D project that uses cardboard, toothpicks, straws and more, which is perfect for the Halloween season. Through this activity, upper-elementary kids connect their writing with the visual arts, reflect on how their artwork affects themselves and others, and create architectural structures that evoke feelings. And, primary students review basic shapes, divide paper shapes into halves and quarters, arrange them, and then draw a formal symmetrical composition in “Integrating the Curriculum: The Magic of One-Half” (page 40)—an activity that helps children experience the act of creating in left- and right-brain modes. Debi West ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT advertising manager accoun2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=7http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=7(Circle No. 229 on A&A Reader Service Card)2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=8http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=8Classroom-Tested Art Lessons All Year Long Art teachers of all grade levels from all over the country have assembled on the pages of Arts & Activities with a single purpose: To share with you their best art-teaching experiences. Tap into this invaluable, time-saving resource . subscribe to Arts & Activities today! call toll free: 866.278.7678 www.artsandactivities.com2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=9http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=9media reviews AUDIOVISUAL Paula Guhin Peter Hiller BOOK/PRINT Jerome J. Hausman COLLABORATIVE ART JOURNALS AND SHARED VISIONS IN MIXED MEDIA (2009; $24.99), by L.K. Ludwig. Quarry Books. The “romantic” image of the artist as a lonely, sometimes eccentric, but talented individual, has long held sway in our thoughts about art education. Unfortunately, this image is different from the facts. Artists have long worked in a collaborative fashion and been active community participants. This book explores many possibilities for how artists’ ideas and experience can be realized through collaboration. Examples given include the development of collaborative art journals, altered books, mail art and exchanging virtual images. The author offers an insightful analysis of “deciding on a collaborative structure”: round robins, direct collaborations and swaps/exchanges. Very practical suggestions are given as to the selection of a project and the necessary communications between individuals. Very specific instructions are offered (for example, labyrinth books, book cover portfolio box and sewn paper portfolios). Interviews with participants in specific projects are included. The book’s illustrations (actual projects done by students) provide colorful demonstrations of the work being advocated. Readers are invited to share developments in their classrooms through online collaboration.–J.J.H. Simple and obvious points are made: “you can make the most wonderful pictures with shapes;” “letters are made out of shapes;” “and so are faces.” Other shapes are illustrated: sphere, cone, cylinder, cube and pyramid. This is a book with few words, but very exciting images. It is imaginative and fun to experience. Teachers and their young students can develop simple and playful classroom activities “playing with shapes.” Stories can be told, poems can be written, creative movements can be developed. The shapes we may not have noticed can take on new meanings and significance.–J.J.H. www.tatepublishing.com x circle # 391 MAKING BOOKS. DVD/25 min./ $29.95. Level: All. Crystal Productions. Making books is a wonderful and very satisfying experience for students of all ages. There are many different types of books to be made, including journals, diaries, sketchbooks and storybooks, over the course of a student’s school years, each appropriate in tech- nique for different age levels. Peggy Flores packs a lot of information into this very detailed and complete presentation that is ready for any teacher to practice and present to students. Ms. Flores’ examples range from a basic yet colorful papier-mâché, singlesheet cover book with blank pages. Also included are instructions for double-sheet book covers, an accordionstyle book and a more complicated, multi-technique pop-up book. In each case, the book-making skills are clearly explained and demonstrated, and the explanations thoroughly cover the materials required, which in all cases, are inexpensive and probably readily available to classroom teachers. Several different binding techniques are shown, which include using yarn or pipe cleaners as the fasteners. Demonstrations about measuring and setting the paper and pages are provided, and different sizes and shapes of books are explained as well. This is a very effective introduction to bookmaking techniques.–P.H. www.crystalproductions.com x circle # 399 www.quarrybooks.com x circle # 393 SHAPE (2009; $22.50), by David Goodman and Zoe Miller. Tate Publishing Company. This is a book designed for primary grades. It starts with a simple assumption: everything has a shape! It’s all so pervasive that we are not aware of the shapes in our visual experience. This is a book that helps children make note of shapes: circle, oval, triangle, square, rectangle, etc. The book is beautifully illustrated. www.artsandactivities.com (Circle No. 208 on A&A Reader Service Card) x october 2009 112009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=10http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=10shop talk Nasco Arts &CONTINENTAL Crafts Division CLAY Explore the ancient art of wood-fired Arts & Activities pottery in The Sleeping Pot. Observe the Oct 2009 loading and five days of round-the-clock AA910 stoking and firing of over 1,000 ceramic pieces in an Anagama kiln. View a workshop presented by five world-renowned artists who, in addition to participating in the firing, show and explain their artistic process and work. DOVER PUBLICATIONS In Rodin On Art and Artists, the great sculptor offers candid comments on a diverse range of topics. Auguste Rodin discusses the meaning of art; other famed artists; the relation of sculpture to poetry, painting and music; his philosophy of life; and more. Seventy-six black-andwhite illustrations of Rodin’s sculptures, drawings and prints are included. www.continentalclay.com x circle # 400 www.doverpublications.com x circle # 398 AA910 JONTI-CRAFT, INC. The Script-n-Skills Station – Mobile is a literacy center on wheels. The station has a one Magnetic Write-n-Wipe easel, one flannel board, two adjustable shelves and four slots for big books. It also comes with three cubbie trays and measures 29.5" wide x 15.5" deep x 51" high. www.jonti-craft.com x circle # 395 JACQUARD PRODUCTS TeeJuice Fabric Markers can be used to create a masterpiece from any ordinary piece of fabric—including cotton, synthetic fibers, canvas and leather. The largest markers are perfect for splashes of background color, the medium-sized pens can be used to draw details, and the smallest pens are ideal for highlighting and fine lines. Designs are washable, if the color is set with an iron for 2–3 minutes. (Circle No. 218 on A&A Reader Service Card) www.teejuice.com october 2009 x circle # 396 12 x www.artsandactivities.com2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=11http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=11(Circle No. 217 on A&A Reader Service Card)2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=12http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=12shop talk WATSON-GUPTILL What’s the Big Idea? Activities and Adventures in Abstract Art is part of the “Art Explorers” series, which explores various art movements and includes activities aimed elementary- and middle-school children. What’s the Big Idea? looks at six artists from the abstract art movement and includes over 100 full-color pictures of art. PCF STUDIOS, INC. Sculptor Philippe Faraut has created new anatomical reference models for teachers and students including torsos, hands and feet. This life-size foot cast in high-quality plaster helps the artist visualize and understand the concept, as well as the importance, of developing the major planes of a 3-D model. One half of the foot is represented in planes and the other is finished. www.watsonguptill.com x circle # 390 www.pcfstudios.com x circle # 394 FABER-CASTELL Faber-Castell’s newest Creative Studio kit—Getting Started: Mixed Media & Collage—includes fully illustrated instruction cards and 2 Art GRIP Aquarelle Pencils, 1 PITT artist brush pen, 20 sheets of paper in original designs and prints, gesso, lace, stamps and a stamp pad. Greyboard surfaces of varying sizes are included to use as a background. www.faber-castell.us x circle # 397 New 2010 Art Materials Catalog Discover 100's of exciting, NEW art and craft supplies in the new United Art and Education Art Materials Catalog! It doesn't matter if you shop with our catalog or online, our goal is to make shopping fun and efficient for every customer. We want to offer you creative inspiration while saving you both time and money! We offer a volume discount program and free shipping for extra savings! Reserve your FREE 2010 Art Materials Catalog online at UnitedNow.com, or call 1 (800)322-3247. 1960-2010 Celebrating 50 Years 14 P .O. Box 9219, Fort Wayne, IN 46899 STAEDTLER USA Staedtler announces a new feature in its Noris Club colored pencil line, the AntiBreak-System (A•B•S) for stronger, longer-lasting pencil lead. The richly colored, high-quality lead core in each A•B•S pencil is surrounded by a white protective coating encompassing the entire length of the lead, strengthening the bond between the lead and the wood in the pencil. With A•B•S, pencils do not break as quickly, don’t have to be re-sharpened as often and have a longer lifespan. Pencils are available in the following categories: Colored Pencils, Watercolor Pencils, Triplus Colored Pencils with triangular barrels and Erasable Colored Pencils. (Circle No. 237 on A&A Reader Service Card) www.staedtler.us october 2009 x circle # 392 x www.artsandactivities.com2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=13http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=13when choosing art materials 3 Key Details 1. Easy Smoothly blend & mix color Captures true expression Color packs for schools 2. Safe AP Seal certi ed non-toxic ASTM & ACMI standards 3. Quality Vivid color Premier ingredients Consistent performance NEW Multi-Cultural Color Assortment! XEPL- C 28 8 Ne w 510 01 XLP12(SA) www.sakuraofamerica.com (Circle No. 232 on A&A Reader Service Card) Ne w CRYSTAL Art Vocabulary CARDS (back) site colors oppo e any two be orange ry colors ar d ta ul en co e em es Th Compl lor wheel. c. r on the co d green, et each othe olet, red an vi d an w llo ye , ue bl and art display cards Vocabula ry7_07.in dd 20 Complementary Colors 8/7/09 12:39:12 PM © 2009 Crystal Productions Co. al dimension (back) ng a threerepresenti surface. of al ay on si w a en ve is two-dim Perspecti space on a volume of object or a Vocabul ary Cards art display cards Vocabulary7_07.ind d 1 7/10/09 2:31:50 PM Fa ll Sp e c ia art display cards Vocabula ry7_07.in dd 66 l! 8/7/09 12:49:41 PM ed with rders Plac 2FSH On All O de AA09 Catalog Co FS&YQJSF 0ò T art display cards Vocabulary7_07.indd 5 F R EE Sh i pp i ng! Perspective Vocabulary Cards © 2009 Crystal Productions Co. 7/10/09 3:20:42 PM THIS NEW SET of 48DBSETGSPN $SZTUBMJOUSPEVDFTJNQPSUBOU BSUWPDBCVMBSZXJUIEFö OJUJPOT QSJOUFEPOUIFCBDLPGFBDIDBSE 5IFDBSETDPWFSXPSETJODMVEFE JOUIFTVCKFDUTPGDPMPSQBJOUJOH QSJOUNBLJOHDPMPSDPNQPTJUJPO BOENPSF1SJOUFEPOEVSBCMF DPBUFEDBSETUPDLUIFY ⁄ JO DBSETBSFBIBOEZTJ[FGPSIBOHJOH BTBCPSEFSJOZPVSDMBTTSPPNGPS JOEJWJEVBMVTFPSBTø BTIDBSETBOE GPSUFTUJOH $1;Set of 48 Cardsy Order from CrystalProductions t(MFOWJFX*-ttXXXDSZTUBMQSPEVDUJPOTDPN (Circle No. 210 on A&A Reader Service Card) vocab cards half page ad.indd 2 www.ar tsandactivities.com x october 2009 8/19/09 11:10:17 AM 152009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=14http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=14“Art Works” is a monthly column that provides bits of know-how and reminders of ways to assure the success of your art program. In the coming year, look for advice and suggestions related to learning about, responding to and making art, integrating art into the curriculum, displaying student work, reaching out to the community, and more.–B.H. . with Sharpened Perception by Barbara Herberholz “ ear n to see,” advised 19th-centur y physician William Osler who, without the aid of advanced medical technology such as MRI, could diagnose a disease simply by seeing subtle signs. Unlike humans and animals, the objects in a still life don’t move, making it easier to observe, draw and paint them. So, let’s give our students the advantage of being able to take a careful look at subject matter for their artworks. Providing your students experiences in seeing is an important skill and the foundation of discovery in many endeavors. A little historical background concerning still life, as well as an explanation of the term, is helpful. A few still-life reproductions by artists such as Matisse, van Huysum, Cézanne, Harnett, Braque and Picasso will provide a variety of examples, since still life has been a popular subject for artists for many years. The term “still life” appeared in about 1650 in Holland, where artists used vivid accuracy and presented symbolic values in their works, reminding the viewer to remember death and the passage of time, but to also celebrate life. Dutch citizens at this time delighted in hanging beautiful still-life paintings in their homes, paintings that reflected their own possessions. Later, in the 19th century, a group of artists used still life to “trick the eye” (trompe l’oeil) and make the viewer believe the objects in the composition were actually there—and not on the two-dimensional surface of the painting. In the 19th century, Paul Cézanne used still life in his search for ways to show solid forms. Then, the Cubists took still life apart and reconstructed it in the form of geometric shapes. When 20th-century artists used common, popular objects for their subject matter, Pop art was born. So when you are ready to introduce still life to your class, you will need to gather a variety of “props.” A resource box of items already collected will make it quick and easy to arrange several still-life setups, since every student needs to be sitting close to a frontal view of an arrangement. WHAT TO COLLECT? L Some objects will overlap; some should provide different textures, patterns and colors. Group or isolate one or two items. Contrast and variety are needed. A spotlight or floodlight may be placed at one side of the setup to emphasize cast shadows, which will assist older students (middle and high school) to show three-dimensional form through shading and shadows. Preparatory instruction should encourage students to first take time for a visual analysis, carefully examining all aspects of the still life. Which object is the tallest and will nearly reach the top of the paper? Which objects overlap? Which object is the smallest? A viewfinder may be introduced at this time to assist students in visual perception. This is a piece of card stock with a small rectangle cut in the center. The student holds this up, looks through it and “frames” his composition. Some parts of the composition may be touching the top or sides, creating negative spaces. Students may be instructed in how to “measure” objects and their placement by holding a pencil up while using their eye to check comparative lengths and widths. DIRECT STUDENTS’ ATTENTION TO: • Fruit and vegetables (real or artificial, whole or cut) • Flowers, plants, leaves, cacti • Containers: bowls, bottles, baskets, teapots, pitchers, bottles • Tools: implements, utensils, hammers, pliers, wrenches • Other items: toys, dolls, hats, shoes, musical instruments, large feathers, plastic butterflies, bones, shells, driftwood, mounted birds and animals. A backdrop is important.2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=15http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=15(Circle No. 202 on A&A Reader Service Card)2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=16http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=16by Debi West Picture-Perfect Self-Portraits be transformed into ceramic tiles. Our PTA moms then installed the final wall—with over 1,100 tiles! The students were placed in the center, and staff and parents became the frame, metaphorically holding the students together. It is a lasting testament to the amazing first year of our school and the people who made it so special. WHO ARE YOU? My objective for this lesson was to have students really think about who they are. I wanted their portraits to be well drawn, but I also wanted fun images of their hobbies to go around the border. I wanted my students to learn different ways to appropriately measure their faces to create proportionately accurate portraits. I brought in the importance of thinking about the elements of art by also having students use line and shape to create their self-portrait. And when it came to skin tone, I wanted my kiddos to think about each of their unique and beautiful skin tones, and use multicultural crayons to blend skin tones to color in their faces. Finally, I love to teach my students to paint evenly and smoothly with markers for their background and other details. This is a great technique to teach them early in the school year as I use markers quite a bit for embellishment and final touches. MAKE IT BRIGHT There are many ways to teach self-portraiture and various media that can be used, but, because our portraits were to be transferred onto tiles for the world to see for decades to come, we wanted bright colors. So, we used Sharpie® pens to outline our designs, multicultural crayons for skin tones and Mr. Sketch markers with chiseled tips, which work the best for painting on bright, fun colors. Our tiles were going to be square, so I found it best to use the paper sent to us from Square 1 Art, measuring 8.5" x 8.5". A CLOSER LOOK We began with my students thinking about what they look like. Once they did this for a minute, I passed out mirrors and had them look at themselves. After lots laughs, we looked at samples of portraiture art through time to see that, except in rare cases, portraits are consistently proportionate. This is when I began to teach my children how to use their fingers as rulers to measure their faces. This is the key to the success of this lesson; they love it when they realize that there is “A” ~ All About Me LEARNING OBJECTIVES K–5 students will . • think about who they really are, including their hobbies and interests. • create proportionally accurate portraits. • learn new art vocabulary. MATERIALS • • • • • Permanent markers Multicultural crayons Mirrors Markers with chisel tips White paper The following lesson plan is available on www.artsandactivities.com Grades K–5: A ~ What is Art? t’s great to start each year with a self-portrait unit for all grade levels. I do this to introduce my students to proportionate drawing—having them begin to think about what they “see”— and to assess where each of them are in terms of their drawing skills, modeling skills and attention skills. Displaying portraits in the hallways also introduces each class to the school. The kids and staff love it, the administrators love it . it’s a “win-win” lesson! The year I did my “Alpha Art” curriculum I actually was opening a new school—the third I’d opened in the county over the past decade. I was honored to again start an exciting and educational art program, and wanted a way to document the charter students and staff. A tile mural to commemorate our first year was just the thing! Students, staff, faculty, paraprofessionals, PTA moms and administrators each created a self-portrait. Once complete, they were sent to Square 1 Art to Go to artsandactivities.com for a link to another K–5 “Alpha Art . The ABCs of ART” lesson featuring the letter “A.” 18 I Transformed into colorful ceramic tiles, selfportrait drawings became part of a mural. an eye between their eyes (size wise)! They love it when they really look at their eyes and see all the parts—the pu2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=17http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=17ART ELEMENTS for middle- and high-schoolers henever an area is enclosed by a line, a potential shape is created. After the area is filled in with color, value, texture or lines, an actual shape is created and it is perceived as defining either positive or negative space. In this, the second lesson in our five-part unit, the element letter S is created by multiple shapes of two contrasting colors filling the picture plane, and each shape contributes to defining the final letter S. DAY 1 Begin by showing students examples of Op Art and W by Robert S. Hunter explaining that a shaded shape should have no shaded shapes Lesson 2 in a series of 5 next to it that share a common edge. Have students begin shading their own S designs so the sequence of shaded/plain paper/shaded develops. DAY 2 Students should continue shading in their S designs on SHAPE Cubism, and discuss how positive and negative shapes contribute to the success of each style. Also examine the principle of contrast and its importance. Next, have students trace the provided letter S so it is centered within the given photocopied letter block. The letter block with the centered S is then divided using the following fragmentation formulas. Using one straight line, connect the top edge to the left edge of the letter block, then the left edge to the right edge, then the right edge to the bottom, then the bottom to the left edge, then the left edge to the right edge, and finally the right edge to the top edge. Then, using a straight line, connect the bottom to the left edge, and using another straight line, connect the bottom to the right edge. Using a straight line, connect the right edge to the top. Demonstrate the above procedure on the chalkboard and begin shading the shapes in an odd, even (A/B) fashion, the second day. Once completed, all shapes should either be shaded or be plain paper in an A/B sequence so the edges of the S are clearly visible within all the fragmented shapes. The completed work should look like a black-and-white puzzle that needs all the shapes in their proper place to reveal the letter S within a background of dark and light pieces. Some students will not be successful on their first try and will have to re-sequence their shading to find the correct solution. For those who are finished (many students will finish halfway through the period), they should transfer the design from the photocopied rough draft to final copy drawing paper. Students may use a light table, or cover the back of the photocopied rough draft with graphite and trace over all lines on the front side with the drawing paper underneath. Some students may need to take their rough draft home as homework. DAY 3 On the third day, have students select two colored pencil hues that have strong contrast, and assign one to the shaded area and the other to plain paper. Then, using their successful rough draft as a map, students should add color to the final copy S on white drawing paper so it reproduces the odd, even (A/B) sequence of the rough draft, with one color for the shaded shapes and one color for the plain, unshaded shapes. Heavy pencil pressure should be used to achieve rich, vibrant color. DAY 4 Have students continue to add color to the final ele- ment letter S design. DAY 5 On the last day, students should complete all color work on their S. Some may need to complete coloring for homework. When all shapes are finally colored, the element letter S is complete. n Robert Hunter teaches art at Colonial Beach (Va.) High School. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Middle- and high-school students will . • • • • create a letter block and within the block, draw the element letter S so it is centered. divide the space within the letter block following the fragmentation procedure. establish, on a rough draft, an A/B, A/B color sequence of contrasting hues. color the fragmented S design with heavy pencil pressure using two contrasting colored pencil hues. MATERIALS • • Go to artsandactivities.com and clic2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=18http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=186gi^hiIgVY^c\8VgYEVX`h 9Zh^\cHXgViX]"6gi® b^c^"bVhiZge^ZXZh HXgViX]idgZkZVahijcc^c\Z[[ZXih HXgViX]ÇZb IgVYZ ÇZb 8daaZXiÇZb Students immediately want to color in their hair with solid colors, but I teach them that when we use Sharpie pens we “never ever color in with a Sharpie pen.” Sharpies are for lines and shapes only, so they are usually not comfortable when it comes time to put in our hair. Once they see me explain that hair is merely many, many lines, they breathe a bit easier and consider the line quality of their own hair—wavy, curvy, straight, wiry and so on. ALPHA continued from page 18 IT #1411 <gZVi <gdje Egd_ZXi #1412 #1427 #1428 Scratch-Art Co., Inc. P.O. Box 303 Avon, MA 02322 Ph: 508-583-8085 800-377-9003 Fx: 508-583-8091 scratchart.com (Circle No. 233 on A&A Reader Service Card) (Circle No. 205 on A&A Reader Service Card) (Circle No. 213 on A&A Reader Service Card) ALL COMES TOGETHER Another important aspect to drawing self-portraits at the K–5 level is to remind students that their images are the foreground of the picture. I teach them to add a horizon line to create the illusion of background and foreground. Once the face has been sketched out, I always use permanent pen to do these portraits instead of a pencil. Due to time constraints, I don’t have time for kids to erase all day. With a Sharpie, kids can’t erase, which also reminds them that if they create a line they don’t like, they can change it by adding another line. In all my years teaching this way, I’ve never had a student unhappy with their final piece! I then teach my students how to mix color shades by color layering with crayon to create skin tones that match their skin. Students put their hands together at each table to see that no skin is exactly the same color; we are all unique and beautiful. And finally, students are taught to paint with their markers to fill their art with color. When all of the art is complete, we hang it in class exhibits so students and community members can see each of our classes. And I put their new vocabulary words onto our art room Word Wall: portraiture, proportion, pupil, iris, sclera, tear duct, eyelashes, eyelid, multicultural, color layering and collaborative. Our students are our most priceless assets. Having them create All About Me portraits just reminds us how truly special and magical they are! n (Circle No. 214 on A&A Reader Service Card) (Circle No. 239 on A&A Reader Service Card) Debi West, Ed.S., NBCT, is the Lead Art Educator at North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, Ga., and is a Contributing Editor for Arts & Activities. x www.ar tsandactivities.com 20 october 20092009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=19http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=19really enjoy art because I can mentally let go of thoughts and not worr y about other things. It is satisfying to be involved in the process of creating something from nothing. It makes me feel good when other people enjoy my art, even though I see the imperfections in it. I have realized those flaws are all a part of originality. When I was young, I liked to color more than draw. My art teacher, Mrs. Yonker, taught me how to draw pictures I didn’t think I could. Then I realized I had a talent for drawing and shading and that’s what I enjoy most. When the students were drawing and painting the mural in the seventh-grade hallway, I felt honored to be chosen to be a part of it. It’s fun to look at the mural hanging on the wall and know I helped make it. The experiences I have had in middleschool art have made me want to continue learning and creating more in high school. I Silk painting. Silk, black gutta, silk dyes; 18" x 12". Garet Bohuslavsky, grade 8 Jenkins Middle School Colorado Springs, Colorado Kim Yonker, Art Teacher Mask. Plaster gauze; 14" x 12". Box. Red clay and matte glaze; 6" x 6". “Gees Bend Self-Portrait.” Ebony pencil, black tempera, gray paper collage; 12" x 12". Pre-Columbian radial design. Linoleum print and oil pastel; 18" x 18". www.ar tsandactivities.com “Greek Urns.” Watercolor; 18" x 24". 21 x october 20092009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=20http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=20LEARNING from EXHIBITIONS by Mark M. Johnson An exhibition of Works by robert motherwell Lost in Form, Found in Line: R obert Motherwell (1915–1991) is universally regarded as one of the most important painters and printmakers of the mid-20th century, and was a prominent figure in the movement known as Abstract Expressionism. Born and raised on the West Coast, he studied at the Otis Art Institute and the California School of Fine Arts, before receiving his degree from Stanford University. In his early 20s he continued his studies in philosophy, esthetics and art history at Harvard University and Columbia University. These studies, along with his travels in Europe, allowed Motherwell to develop associations with numerous contemporary abstract and surrealist artists through which he gained a European perspective on art. Motherwell wanted to link American abstractionism to 20th-century European ideas and traditions. He was one of the founders of the Abstract Expessionist movement, and he was strongly influenced by surrealist theories, especially the principle of automatism, an artistic approach in which the artist allows the unconscious to direct the work. By 1942 the artist settled in New York City, and began his professional career in painting. As an abstract painter, he was the youngest member of the New York School that also included such renowned artists as Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Mark Rothko, among others. Interestingly, Motherwell was unique among most of his colleagues as he started his career as an abstractionist and remained so all of his life. From early in his career this pro- Robert Motherwell. Bastos, 1975. Lithograph; 62.375" x 40". Courtesy Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, N.C. © 1975 Dedalus Foundation, Inc./Licensed by VAGA, N.Y. october 2009 22 x www.ar tsandactivities.com2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=21http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=21lific painter was also interested in the use of paper for drawings, monotypes, collages and prints. At first, he produced an occasional print, but by the 1960s, with the establishment of several important print workshops in New York City, Motherwell began a collaboration with all the major workshops. For the next 30 years, Motherwell’s painting style found a new mode of expression in a variety of printmaking techniques. The prints very successfully complement the subjects and compositions of the paintings, and are able to convey the same sense of gesture and immediacy that are the hallmarks of his best paintings. Most people who view an artist’s work have no visual image of the artist’s studio life, thereby missing an often-critical reference to his or her creative development. The exhibition, Lost in Form, Found in Line, documents Motherwell’s use of paper, particularly for prints, and explores the artist’s working process and the spirit that existed in the environs of his studio and in the print workshops. According to exhibition curator Michael Mahnke, “For Mother well, Robert Motherwell. America – La France, Variations V, 1984. Lithograph and collage; 46" x 31.5". Courtesy Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, N.C. © 1984 Dedalus Foundation, Inc./Licensed by VAGA, N.Y. ITINERARY Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville Jacksonville, Florida Sept. 18, 2009 - Jan. 3, 2010 The Clay Center Charleston, West Virginia Jan. 15 - March 31, 2010 Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts Montgomery, Alabama April 3 - June 27, 2010 Art Museum of Southeast Texas Beaumont, Texas Oct. 10, 2010 - Jan. 1, 2011 Robert Motherwell. The 40’s, 1983. Aquatint and lift-ground etching; 6" x 7.75". Courtesy Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, N.C. © 1983 Dedalus Foundation, Inc./Licensed by VAGA, N.Y. www.ar tsandactivities.com x october 2009 232009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=22http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=22“Motherwell wanted to link American abstractionism to 20th-century European ideas and traditions. He was one of the founders of the Abstract Expessionist movement, and he was strongly influenced by surrealist theories, especially the principle of automatism, an artistic approach in which the artist allows the unconscious to direct the work.” his working environment was a sanctuar y, which was self-sustaining at times: continually expansive, pregnant with the possibilities of how a word, a phrase or a poem provided a whole language of movements and reactions for the artist.” The nearly 60 artworks in this exhibition attempt to create that feeling. Line and form are the motifs of this presentation. The viewer of the exhibition is continually engaged in a visual journey through line and form, the same process used by the artist. “Getting lost in the process of the evolution of form, then finding the resultant manifestation of his use of shape, color and line elicits a direction to the artist.” Robert Mother well’s career as an artist and theorist was remarkable. He was the recipient of numerous honors and awards. His art has been presented in hundreds of exhibitions and just as many publications. Examples of his work can be found in most art museums. Lost in Form, Found in Line: An Exhibition of Works by Robert Motherwell was organized by the Jerald Melberg Gallery, Inc. The exhibition was curated by Michael Mahnke of the Dedalus Foundation (dedalusfoundation.org), an organization created by Motherwell to foster an understanding of Modern Art and modernism through research, education, publications and exhibitions in the field. n Mark M. Johnson is Director of the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Montgomery, Ala., and a Contributing Editor for Arts & Activities. 24 Robert Motherwell. In White with Green Stripe, 1987. Lithograph, relief print, embossing and collage; 34" x 24". Courtesy Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, N.C. © 1987 Dedalus Foundation, Inc./Licensed by VAGA, N.Y. october 2009 x www.ar tsandactivities.com2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=23http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=23in Art Recreation in Art clip & save art notes by Colleen Carroll ABOUT THE ARTIST Pieter Bruegel the Elder is widely considered to be the most important 16th-centur y Flemish painter of the Northern Renaissance. Born around 1525 in Breda (a town that is now part of Holland), Bruegel (also spelled Brueghel) came from a family of artists that spanned four generations. At age 26 he became an apprentice to Master Coecke, a necessary step in the career of any young artist, and one that allowed him to become a member of the painter’s guild. Shortly thereafter he traveled to Italy, during which time he focused primarily on drawing and painting landscapes. In 1555 he returned to Antwerp, then the center of publishing in the Netherlands, and began working for a company that produced prints for commercial distribution. The publishing house hired artists to produce both original compositions and works inspired by popular paintings by such artists as Hieronymus Bosch (c. 1450–1516). Designing graphic works kept the young Bruegel busy and allowed him to make a name for himself, as his drawing skills were unequaled and his ability to depict people and scenes from everyday life appealed to the masses. In the introduction of his 2003 essay, Looking for Pieter Bruegel, Perez Zagorin writes, “His oeuvre is broad, consisting of moral allegories and satires, panoramic landscapes, religious and biblical themes, and a variety of genre and secular scenes. Anyone who looks attentively at his forty-odd paintings, his drawings, and the prints made after the latter is likely to notice not only their strong formal structure and outstanding skill in organizing pictorial space, their command of the complex disposition of large masses of figures, and their masterly sureness and economy of figural draftsmanship in the depiction of human beings in every kind of posture and action, but also that many of them seem to be animated by some idea. “Gazing at such engrossing and intensely vital images of human life and nature as his paintings of proverbs and children’s games, festive peasants, the seasons, and religious subjects like the tower of Babel, Christ on the road to Calvary, and the triumph of death, the viewer is bound to recognize that the painter, in the words of Edward Snow, quoting Cézanne, was a ‘thinker in images.’” (Source: Journal of the History of Ideas, vol. 64, no. 1. January 2003, page 73.) One of Bruegel’s well-known series depicts the seasons. The winter scene from this group, Hunters in the Snow (1565), is perhaps the artist’s most enduring painting, and includes in it all of the characteristics that he is famous for: panoramic vistas, realism and strong use of detail, the ability to depict atmospheric conditions, and an unsentimental portrayal of peasant life. (See our Dec. 2005 issue for a Clip & Save Art Print of Hunters in the Snow with Bird Trap.–Ed.) Although he was described by his first biographer as “Pieter the Droll” or “Pieter the Peasant,” Bruegel himself was not part of the peasantry. In 1563, he married Maria Coecke van Aiest, who was the daughter of Master Coecke. They had two sons, Pieter (the Younger) and Jan. Both sons became painters of some acclaim, yet art historians agree that it was their father, Bruegel the Elder, who exerted an enormous influence on subsequent painters of Northern Europe. www.ar tsandactivities.com Fun & Recreation in Art ABOUT THE PAINTING No look at fun and recreation in art would be complete without the 16th-centur y painting, Children’s Games (1560), by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Bruegel was one of the first genre painters to emerge during the Northern Renaissance, and although he painted biblical scenes, his strength was in depicting “slice of life” images of the Flemish peasantr y. According to encarta.msn.com, “Bruegel’s art is often seen as the last phase in the development of a long tradition of Netherlandish painting that began with Jan van Eyck in the 15th century. This tradition transforme2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=24http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=242009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=25http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=25Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1525–1569). Children’s Games (Kinderspiele), 1560. Oil on oak panel; 118 x 161 cm. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria/The Bridgeman Art Library.2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=26http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=26Fun & Recreation Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1525–1569). Children’s Games (Kinderspiele), 1560. Oil on oak panel; 118 x 161 cm. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria. Art Recreation inthe Art classroom use of art print Fun & THINGS TO KNOW Pieter Bruegel the Elder, also known as Peasant Bruegel or Pieter the Droll, worked in the period known as the Northern Renaissance, and is widely considered to be the preeminent Flemish painter of this time. Bruegel (also commonly spelled Breughel) apprenticed in the workshop of a master who eventually became his father-in-law. He traveled briefly in Italy, as many Northern European artists did as a course of study. After returning to Belgium, he worked in both Brussels and Antwerp. Many of Bruegel’s early works were inspired by the bizarre paintings of Hieronymus Bosch. In Bruegel’s early career, people often mistook his work for that of Bosch. The public’s desire for graphic works of art combined with the popularity of Bosch greatly benefited Bruegel, whose works were commercially successful. As Bruegel built a name for himself, engravings based on his paintings were mass produced and contributed to his success. Breugel is credited with being the first Northern European painter to create genre scenes. His affinity for peasant life is clearly seen in many of his greatest paintings, such as The Peasant Wedding (1568) and Harvesters (1565). Because of his penchant for depicting the peasantry, he was often mistaken for a member of this class, although Bruegel was a learned man who associated with many of Belgium’s greatest thinkers. Bruegel was part of a long line of artists. His two sons, Pieter (the Younger) and Jan went on to successful careers as painters. Pieter the Younger’s work closely resembles that of his father’s, while Jan’s subject matter was confined primarily to still life. THINGS TO DO • Primar y. Young children love to play games like “I Spy” and “Where’s Waldo?”. Trying to find the “needle in a haystack” is fun and challenging, but also rewarding when the thing being sought is ultimately found. Children’s Games, by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, is a perfect image to use for such a visual activity. out nearly all of the figures included in the composition are in motion. Use the print as a springboard into an action drawing lesson that culminates in a finished work of art. (An excellent introduction and simple instructions for teaching action drawing can be found at: www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/Arts/drawings/ DrawingMaterials/Gesture/gesture.htm.) Choose a volunteer to get into simple sport or play poses while students quickly sketch the basic shapes of the model. Sketches should be done quickly and loosely. After giving students many opportunities to practice action drawing, challenge them to create an original work depicting one or more figures in action. • Middle School. Pieter Bruegel the Elder was a master of using minute details in his works. In Children’s Games, there are hundreds of details throughout the composition, each contributing to the overall dynamism of the painting. Share with students the following page from Columbia University’s Arts and Humanities Department Web site: www.learn.columbia. edu/arthumanities/websites/bruegel/children/, showing students the examples of figure groups that Breugel included in Children’s Games. Give students time to point out other details they notice in the work. After enough time is spent absorbing the visual information contained in the Art Print, give students time to make sketches of their own favorite playtime activities. Inform students that the sketches will become part of a large-scale mural based on Bruegel’s Children’s Games. To construct the mural, first choose a neutral color of butcher paper as a background. Give students pieces of this same paper on which to make a small sketch (a final version of one of the sketches made after viewing the Art Print). Have students use colored pencils to lay color onto their sket2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=27http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=27have always liked the idea of doing a metal-tooling project with my kids, but the quality of the results always ranged greatly, as there are so many potential pitfalls with this medium. Finally I have found some solutions to the problems I frequently experienced. For example, students’ techniques in tooling need to be as unique and as varied as their individual images, which makes it difficult to teach towards the “middle of the road.” Some of the students will make their image too small and detailed, while others will lack texture on larger, but otherwise bland, forms. Even my oldest groups have Zach had problems establishing a Erika > figure-ground relationship in Haley relief work. And, finally, costs—forget about class sets or kits! And although the 36-gauge aluminum in the roll costs a fraction of its copper and brass alternatives, no school-grade paints/ inks ever seem to stick to it, thus leaving it with about as much dimension or contrast as a crinkled-up gum wrapper. Giving the students a specific subject with specific features and textures enabled me to guide them step-by-step in the metal-tooling process. Now, I can teach toward classes of 30 students since there are less variables and pitfalls. The students are better equipped to help a neighbor as they all have similar issues. And I can successfully break the project into smaller steps, which the students can easily apply directly to their own work without complex variations. I did provide my fourth-graders with outlines of fish as a “quick start.” This helped to manage time and the size of their work as some students will forever draw something that would fit on a silver dollar. That will never do. I was able to give the illusion of greater variety in fish by taking ten initial drawings and reversing some, while enlarging or shrinking others by 10 percent with a copy machine. We used magazines as a cushy backer. (The magazines did double duty as early finishers read while they awaited further instruction.) The tools were cut from quarter-inch dowel rods into 4-inch pieces. One end was left at a 45-degree cut angle and the other was rounded. One can round the end with a sander or by rubbing it on see CARP on page 49 www.ar tsandactivities.com I LEARNING OBJECTIVES Upper-elementary students will . • • • demonstrate proper use of tools to create a relief sculpture. implement an understanding of pattern and surface design. be able to “organize” a collage into an Asian-inspired composition. MATERIALS • • • • • • Magazines 12-inch bulk roll aluminum tooling (36 gauge) Quarter-inch dowel rods Steel wool Spray paint Decorative paper, stamps, raffia, etc. (optional) > > Collage by David Laux 29 x october 20092009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=28http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=28COVER story small details, instead looking for the larger necessary elements, the students could improve their own realism through having reemphasized the importance of shape in their work. I had a constant supply of newspaper from other teachers within the school. With some experimenting, I found that the newspapers were filled with parts that could be collaged to show value through hatching or density and texture, to show direction, and to show the planes of the surface of the subject. A t the beginning of the school year, I began with an ordinary icebreaking activity for my advanced art students, a survey that asked the question: What would you like to get from our art class this year? Without fail, the majority of students responded that they wanted to make their artwork more realistic. I teach techniques to focus students on shape and value, but wanted to challenge these advanced art students with an activity that would be difficult yet equally rewarding. I had taught units on photorealism in the past using traditional media, and noticed the attention students had given to one artist example in particular that had been put up as a visual reference: Fanny, created by Chuck Close, using fingerprints. The students had a hard time believing that photorealism could be made without the use of a pencil or paintbrush. It became apparent that bad habits, already ingrained in the students’ artwork, were holding them back from gaining the new skills I was trying to teach. They needed to try something new. A combination of ideas began to merge into a lesson to break them out of their comfort zones and give them success in the realm of photorealism. I have long been fascinated by the artwork made from small photos of text to create a larger representational image. Many magazine covers and advertisements have used this technique that, at a distance, appears to be a realistic image. By not focusing on the Amanda Jon > > Photorealistic Self-Portraits by Calvin Banks x 30 october 2009 www.ar tsandactivities.com UP CLOSE and PERSONAL:2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=29http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=29LEARNING OBJECTIVES High-school students will . GETTING THE IMAGES READY • • • • • learn about and discuss the artwork of Chuck Close, and become aware of photorealists within art history. solve the problem of creating a selfportrait with an unorthodox media. use technology in the process of making art. be able to identify shapes of value to make their artwork representational. find a relationship among printed text and value by font type, intensity, density and size. MATERIALS • • • • • • • • • 22" x 28" oak-tag paper Scissors Glue or glue sticks Newspaper Drawing pencils Black markers Yardstick Digital camera Computer with photo-editing software The lesson began with getting the images needed for the students to use for their self-portraits. I set up a tripod and digital camera with a short surface behind where the students would sit for their pictures. I allowed the students to use the digital camera, taking turns snapping pictures of their classmates. When everyone had taken their turn in front of the camera, we downloaded the images to a computer. The students cropped them to focus on a close-up of their face in a central composition that would fill the page, similar to the composition of the artistic examples of Chuck Close. The students printed their picture from the computer and used a grid to transfer the image to the large 22" x 28" oak-tag paper, allowing a 1-inch border on the outside of the drawing surface. To help get the necessary information for the drawing, the Anna students used a black marker to > Tiffany outline the shapes of large value areas on their face and in their hair. I had my students try to identify a minimum of five different value areas. The drawing should not focus on any details, instead just on transferring these basic shapes. NEWSPAPER COLLAGE Once the students have their drawing > transferred and ready to go, they should begin looking through the newspaper to identify the different types of fonts, sizes and density of text, colors and textures that can be found. Teacherled demonstrations with different pieces of the newspaper will help students develop a plan. Perfection is often what students try to achieve, but on a project such as this, they will have to suspend what they know and experiment with new ideas. Thinking ahead and cutting out the elements of the paper they believe are needed, before the gluing begins, will make certain there is enough of a particular texture, text type or color for the students’ use. The best results occur when similar small parts, but not necessarily missing pieces, are used together to create overlapping textures. Focusing on higher contrast areas will allow the features needed to make a realistic image pop out of the newspaper text. A balance must be met by the students between text, color and solid areas found in the newspaper for their self-portraits to appear successful with a great degree of depth in the artwork. Other ideas can motivate students to make their artwork not just realistic, but highly personalized. Students may choose to use words or images to tell something about themselves, so careful selection prior to gluing will be important for this see CLOSE on page 42 www.ar tsandactivities.com x october 2009 312009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=30http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=30Celebrating LEARNING OBJECTIVES Primary students will . • • • understand the components of a self-portrait. use assorted artistic techniques including collage, background design and drawing. learn the parts and placement of facial features. MATERIALS • • • Watercolors Oil pastels 18" x 24" construction paper in various skin-tone shades • • • • Thin black markers Final glimmer coat acrylic wash Glue Scissors > > Ansley Antonio D iversity . how fortunate we are to live in a countr y inhabited by citizens originating from so many different cultures. Diversity is a concept we share with our students ever y day, teaching them to respect, admire and celebrate the uniqueness that makes each of us special. These early elementary multimedia self-portraits are a wonderful way to visually exhibit the diversity of each school. When displayed, they are a delightful representation of our American schools and multicultural society. All students follow what I call my “steps to success”—all steps are the same for all students—and yet the results are as diverse as our young artists. As a huge fan and experienced teacher of kindergarten and first-grade art, I saved this four-period lesson for the second half of the school year, when the kindergarten classes were more acclimated and had already learned a variety of new art skills. I prepared my supplies, including watercolors, oil pastels, construction paper, scissors, glue, thin black markers and a glimmer y final coat acr ylic wash to make the portraits shimmer. To ensure the results were individualistic, I collected many different shades of construction paper suitable for a variety of skin tones. All of the skills we were to use had previously been taught and utilized by the students. In this october 2009 32 x www.ar tsandactivities.com2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=31http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=31Diversity with Kindergarten and Grade 1 Self- Portraits by Mered “Pidgie” Lawson way, they were familiar with the methods and gained additional expertise in reviewing and combining them to create their multimedia masterpieces. The first step in the process for students was to create a background for their self-por traits on 18" x 24" paper— either a watercolor wash of blended color, or lines and shapes drawn with oil pastels. The children then chose the color of paper they felt represented their skin type, and used a tracer to trace an oval head onto it. The children spent an art period practicing facial feature shapes and placement, and then applied those details to their faces with thin markers. Cheeks were created by folding, drawing Desmon and cutting Timothy once to produce two shapes. Hair was styled by controlled ripping, and part of a torso was created with additional construction paper. Many students added details such as teeth, ears, earrings and barrettes. With their remaining skin-tone paper, the children traced their hands and cut. Some were able to cut once with the paper folded to create the two hands, however, tracing and cutting twice for the two hands was fine as > > Briona LITERARY CONNECTION well. To highlight their achievements, the students painted a translucent glitter glaze over whatever parts they chose. This is a highly successful lesson because it produces an expressive piece of artwork—no matter what skills each child has. The varying abilities of my kindergarten and first-grade students were actually very positive factors in emphasizing their diverse uniqueness. n At the time of this lesson, Ms. Lawson taught art at Bay Point Elementary School in St. Petersburg, Fla. She is currently living and teaching in Japan. • • Damon, Emma, All Kinds of People. Tango Books, 1995. Kates, Bobbi, We’re Different, We’re the Same. Random House Books for Young Readers, 1992. www.ar tsandactivities.com x october 2009 332009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=32http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=32M aking paper in the blender is always exciting for students. When you couple that with using the paper to make a mural for a birthday celebration, the excitement swells. Eric Carle is a great inspiration to children with the books he has written and illustrated, such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Philomel, 1981) and The Very Busy Spider (Philomel, 1989). So, using Carle’s books and his 80th birthday (June 25, 2009) as inspiration, my students planned out a mural to send to him in celebration of his birthday. Our mural measured over 5' x 8' when completed and was a real celebration in color and shapes. We used the same technique Carle uses, except instead of using tissue paper for our illustrations, we made our paper by hand in the blender. We started by learning that the ancient Egyptians invented the first substance that was similar to what we today call papyrus. The papyrus papers were made using some of the inner parts of the papyrus stem, pounding them until they were flattened into a hard, thin sheet. The paper we use today was invented by Ts’ai Lun in 105 A.D. He mixed rags, hemp and bark with water, mashed it into a pulp, then pressed out the liquid and hung it to dry. From that time on, paper was improved upon. I explained that we’d make paper with various colors, but first we had to plan out the mural. 34 appy Birthday H * with Handmade Paper * * * by Karen Skophammer The students got busy drawing ideas on 9" x 11" paper that were based on Carle’s works and incorporated a birthday theme. The final mural was the result of a combination of ideas. A large gorilla, flamingo and elephant are in the woods on a beautiful day celebrating a birthday, with the grass acting as birthday cakes. Our final drawing on small paper was made into a transparency and transferred in pieces to the large mural paper. I’ve been making paper with my junior-high students in small quantities for years. However, for this project, we made large quantities of paper using larger screens, and hand-tinted and colored all of it for the mural. The recipe we used was really quite simple. We used paper towels, toilet paper, paper bags, old office paper, typing paper, napkins and construction paper. You also need an old window or door screen still in the frame, liquid starch, a sponge, a plastic tub that’s large enough to immerse the screen in, flannel fabric, a blender and water. After selecting the paper, we ripped it into small bits and put all the bits into the blender. We only filled the blender about half full each time. Then we filled the rest of the blender with warm water and put in drops of food coloring and tempera paint. The blender is turned on slowly at first and then turned up gradually until the paper october 2009 x www.ar tsandactivities.com * *2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=33http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=33LEARNING OBJECTIVES Middle-school students will . • • • learn about the collage work Eric Carle used to create his illustrations. create handmade color paper. collaborate to create a unified design celebrating Eric Carle’s work. MATERIALS • • • • • Paper towels, toilet paper, paper bags, old office paper, typing paper, napkins and construction paper Liquid starch Gel gloss medium Food coloring Tempera paint • • • • • • • Old window or door screen still in frame Sponge Large plastic tub Flannel fabric Blender Water Books by Eric Carle is a smooth, pulpy consistency. We used old window screens as a mold, so our next step was to fill our tub about halfway up with water and add about three blender loads of pulp mixture. Then we stirred the mixture. A little liquid starch, about three teaspoons, was added for sizing and to make the paper stronger and hold the color better. The mold was placed into the pulp and leveled out while submerged. Make sure to jostle it side to side until the pulp on top of the screen looks fairly even. Next, the mold is lifted up until it’s above the water. The water is drained. When the mold stops dripping, it is laid on top of the flannel, or whatever fabric you have available to soak up the excess water. We used sponges to press out the water. Then lift the edge of the mold so the wet sheet of paper remains on the fabric. Do this carefully! These papers can be laid out to dry on a paper drying rack or hung on a line when they are slightly dry. When we had oodles of paper textures and colors made and dried, the mural was ready for colorization. The students got down on the floor and tore the handmade paper into small chunks, using gel gloss medium to affix the paper in collagetype fashion to the entire collage. It was gorgeous! The cakes at the bottom were individual tiles made by the younger students. Each cake was drawn and individually decorated on handmade paper and then affixed with the gel gloss also. I hated to part with this mural, but we made it for Eric Carle’s birthday, so off to Mr. Carle it went. What a wonderful learning experience and collaboration by students! n Karen Skophammer is an art instructor for Manson Northwest Webster School in Barnum and Manson, Iowa. Student excitement swells when making paper is coupled with the making of a mural for a birthday celebration. 352009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=34http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=34LEARNING OBJECTIVES Elementary students will . • • • • understand and identify fantasy in works of art. plan and create their own fantasy collage. reflect characteristics of their fantasy in a pose. embellish a self-portrait photo to fit into their fantasy collage. MATERIALS • • • • • • • • 9" x 12" construction paper in a variety of colors Variety of papers for collage Scissors Glue Colored pencils/crayons Adobe Photoshop Elements or similar photo-editing software Digital camera Printer was thrilled when my art department got a digital camera and Adobe® Photoshop® Elements. The problem was: How do you include technology in a lesson when you’ve only got one computer and roomful of eager artists? This project, written for first-graders, was exciting because students got to put themselves into their art using the camera and just one computer. I began by asking what fantasy is and where they might have seen it. After it was defined, students had no trouble telling me about The Chronicles of Narnia, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, etc. Then I showed them fantasy in art by artists like Dalí, Magritte, Kahlo and Sandy Skoglund. In each case I asked them, what about this is a fantasy? The students were then challenged to invent their own fantasy place where anything could happen. I called out ideas like “A world where everything is square!” “A forest of trees made of popcorn,” emphasizing that this must be an original place, not one that’s already been made up. I also helped to organize their ideas by asking them to think about how the animals, plants, buildings I > and people would look there. They used the remainder of the first class to draw a rough sketch for their collage. Next period, we defined and I demonstrated basic collage techniques. They chose a background color of 9" x 12" construction paper and started making their fantasy place. They especially liked using magazine images to create bizarre juxtapositions. Smaller details were added using colored pencils and crayons. On the third day, I told the students they would soon be “in” their fantasy world. To practice, I had them stand up and show me a pose of how they would look in different situations. Some of these were, “How would you look if you woke up in the sky and you could fly? Or in a cave where bats are flying at you? Or on a stage where you are a rock star?” Then I told them to think about how they would look and feel if they woke up in their fantasy place. I called each student up individually and took their picture in their chosen pose. This could be done behind a door or easel for shy students and the rest of the class can finish their collages while they wait to be called. “Monkey Jungle.” Between the third and fourth period I opened each student’s photo in Photoshop and put it through the “Photocopy” or “Stamp” filter. This makes the photo look like a coloring-book image. I print them out at 100 dpi, 4" x 5", in black and white. If you use the “Contact Sheet” option under “Print Layout,” you can print two to a page to save paper. At the start of the next class, I showed students how I changed their photos. Then I demonstrated on my own photo how they could change their 36 FantasY Getting “Into” by April Mahon “The Unknown World.” october 2009 x www.ar tsandactivities.com2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=35http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=35picture. I added color using colored pencils, but told them to color lightly over their face so we could still see who it was. I showed them how they could draw on fantasy ideas, like a crown or wings or a tail. After carefully cutting out my picture, I found a good place for it, overlapping to show depth. The energy and excitement was off the charts! One student cut off one of his arms and replaced it with a robotic arm. Another gave herself butterfly wings matching the colors and patterns in her collage. Some students made themselves three-dimensional with their self-portrait jumping off the paper! As always, they came up with more creative ideas than I could ever dream up. This technique could be used with different grade levels and themes. For instance, students could make a habitat and change their photo to “adapt” to the environment by adding scales, fins, etc. They could also make a scene from a period in history and add an appropriate costume to their photo. When time permitted, I had my students reflect on their work by naming their fantasy place and writing a sentence about it. For example: “In BubbleWorld everything is round!” It was a wonderful experience to watch them create their fantastic visions and then literally become a part of them! n April Mahon is an art teacher at Shirley Lanham Elementary, U.S. Naval Air Facility, Atsugi, Japan. “Scaryland.” “Flyworld.” www.ar tsandactivities.com x october 2009 372009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=36http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=36INTEGRATING the curriculum W hen the two fourth-grade teachers, Mrs. Carlis Gaddis and Mrs. Donna Ponzo-Vance, came into my room together smiling ear to ear, I knew I was in trouble. “We had an idea,” they slowly began to harmonize. When you hear these words as an art teacher, you just have to take a deep breath, lean back and smile. But, this time was different. The idea was to use art class to inspire the students to write creatively. The theme of scary stories needed an art project to match. I immediately had a favorite lesson in mind. By putting a small twist on one of my standard “Frank Lloyd Wright House” projects, scary plans began to take root. We allotted four, one-hour sessions for the houses. At the beginning of all of our sessions, I turned off the lights and all 50 students gathered on my reading rug under the glow of the fish tank to hear selections from Truly Scary Stories for Fearless Kids (Key Porter Books, 1998). The class loved it. They ooohed, screamed, cringed and waited for the resolution to the stories. The teachers and I kept remarking, “What an awesome phrase!” or “Isn’t that a great way to stretch out a scary moment!” by Molly McNeece THE FEAR BEGINS The day came to begin the lesson. We piled both classes into the art room and packed each table with students, cardboard, glue and scissors. Next, I gave each student a precut 8-inch-square cardboard base. I use pre-printed computer labels in my art studio to affix students’ names to the underside of the base. For 38 october 2009 x www.ar tsandactivities.com2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=37http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=37Building their haunted houses, the students engaged in destruction for construction—it was marvelous! LEARNING OBJECTIVES Upper-elementary students will . • • • • • connect their writing with the visual arts. reflect upon how their artwork affects themselves and others. create architectural structures that evoke feelings. understand there are different responses to artwork. use their art as an inspiration for writing. MATERIALS • • • • • • Reproductions of Victorian houses and haunted houses Plastic straws Toothpicks Cotton spider webs Halloween stickers Wire • • • • • • Cardboard cut into various sizes White glue Bank pins Spray paint Wooden craft sticks Paper hole-punch reinforcers The variety of structures was astounding—with each of the students achieving a very scary structure. the first two sessions, we used various shapes and sizes of cardboard squares, white glue and bank pins. (These are the short metal pins hiding in your desk drawer that you don’t know what to do with!) The students built corners, walls and ceilings. If a student wasn’t patient, we used a pin like a giant nail to hold the walls together or to hold onto the apex of the rooftops while the glue set. Be brave. The more glue, the better the walls held, and added to the “spooky look.” For visual aids, Mrs. Gaddis brought in a few plastic haunted house models from the dollar store, and Mrs. Vance found a few examples of Victorian architecture and haunted houses on the Internet. IT LIVES! After two days of building walls and roofs, it was time to add the extras. We placed small cardboard squares for the windows, plus cut straws, broken toothpicks, craft sticks and wooden ice-cream spoons. For all of these extra additions, it see HOUSES on page 49 www.ar tsandactivities.com x october 2009 392009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=38http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=38INTEGRATING the curriculum > Brenton Alyssa Tusdae The Magic of One-Half by Cathy Pedro eachers love to find lessons that teach art concepts while connecting with classroom learning—students experiencing the joy of creating in left- and right-brain modes. And, when I teach my first-graders about the magic of one half, the results are fabulously colorful! First, I introduce an ordinary square that I make into two rectangles that are exactly the same. With some drama, I can evoke the air of a magician (drumroll, please) as I turn my back and cut the shape in half. Ta-da! I hold my magic shapes high (applause accepted). This is the magic of half. I follow that trick by cutting another square into two triangles and the circle into two equal half-moons. Now it’s time to show the trick up close. Many have figured out that I used scissors to cut the shapes behind my back. I tell them scissors are my magic wand! I warn them that everything we do today is going to be in half. I insist students fold each shape before cutting so they are exact. What would happen if I divided the shapes in half a second time? Four smaller shapes! Introducing one quarter gives them smaller shapes to overlap with the bigger ones. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Primary students will . T • • • review basic shapes. divide shapes into halves and quarters. arrange shapes and draw a formal symmetrical composition. MATERIALS • • 40 Precut circles and squares in assorted colors and sizes 1" x 6" strips of construction paper • • • • 9" x 12" construction paper Glue Gel markers Scissors Now I glue the shapes down on 9" x 12" construction paper, first folding the paper in half, of course! In the center, on the fold, we glue a 1" x 6" strip of paper, our magic mirror. Every shape I put on my paper must now look at its reflection in the mirror. By balancing shapes from the middle, a formally balanced, symmetrical design is naturally created. Now students are eager to start their own symmetrical composition. As we arrange shapes, students notice recognizable imagery emerging, perhaps a butterfly or a face. After students finish gluing, we use gel markers to add the finishing touches. We keep balance and symmetry by repeating each drawing detail on both sides of the “mirror.” To close the lesson, I point to a diagram of half. We made one shape into two equal shapes. I ask students to point to a shape they cut in half on their paper. Did anyone cut a shape into quarters? I point to a diagram of one-quarter. One shape is cut into four. This lesson is a great springboard for more learning. The cut-up shapes are reminiscent of cubism. Classes may paint on their finishing touches, making a reflection painting or ink blot to reinforce symmetry. And each student leaves with an artistic, colorful reminder of basic math concepts! n Cathy Pedro teaches at Johnson City Elementary School in Johnson City, New York. october 2009 > > x www.ar tsandactivities.com2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=39http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=39CHILDREN’S art diary still have my childhood brown leather book bag, and inside is a brown pencil case. On the surface, they are both like everyone else’s. But, beneath the flaps, hidden inside its compartments, I secretly displayed my soccer team buttons. Pencil cases in school had to be neat and unmarked on the outside, but everyone tended to a secret garden of miniature pictures and collections inside. In school, I sat next to Sandor the sculptor—when he was still undiscovered. He could take a pencil and, while seemingly listening in class, completely reshape the pencil by biting it. To detail his best pieces, Sandor would highlight the dents and gnashes with colored pens. Imagine my surprise the first time I borrowed an eraser from Sandor. He handed over a pockmarked cube whose crevices and valleys were filled with colorful doodles. While I used the eraser, he continued making art on his hands. Yes, the unofficial art surfaces open to experimental artists were far more exciting than the standard issue. I SCHOOL-SUPPLY ARTISTS by George Székely The unofficial art surfaces open to experimental artists are far more exciting than the standard issue. NOTEBOOKS, BINDERS AND MEMO PADS PENCILS, CASES, RULERS AND ERASERS Little did Sandor realize that his early efforts would be an inspiration to my art classes working on reshaping pencils, not with their teeth, but with simple woodworking tools and home finds. Kids like the term “mummy wrap” for taping white stickers on pencils. They whitewash a pencil, preparing fresh canvases for pencil paintings. Children operate a fantastic pencil store for which they create pencils with wraparound nail-polished rubber bands, pencils with rings of springs and beads, and pencils quilted with the latest Band-Aids. Children wrap pencils in soft Sculpey pancakes, then bake their new creations. Special art pencils in our store allow users to explore new gripping and line-making methods using extensions, such as pencils taped to TV antennas, horseshoes or the tip of an umbrella. A new grip and balance is tried in drawings with pencils squeezed into refrigerator tubing, and inserted into sponges and pieces of foam. Students in art classes are constantly testing fresh pencil ideas. Children are proud to create special pencil cases for their pencil designs. After a search for unusual containers, children create unlikely conversions from an empty chocolate box, a disposable camera body, a hard plastic toothbrush case or a mini-cooler. They craft soft cases from a jeweled opera glove or a denim jean pocket. In our art class, experienced ruler and eraser artists continue with new commissions. Working on paint stirrers, insulation boards and used rulers, children carve, paint, sticker and redecorate rulers and erasers. In our art-class publication, “The Ruler and Eraser Art Catalogue,” students sketch and describe the experimental models they created. www.ar tsandactivities.com Notebook covers in the 1950s were typically hardcover, ochre and plain. When redecorated and carried to class, however, these notebooks were portable display boards featuring sports, movie tickets, valentines, stickers, family photos and other decorations. Like home corkboards, notebook covers were works in progress throughout the school year. Notebooks today wear ready-made art and children’s designing has moved to the back cover and spilled over to the inside. Canvas-bound, blue, loose-leaf binders were a unique American invention. Steadily enriched, they now sport myriad pockets, inserts, pencil holders, display windows and accessories. The many indexing and tabbing devices available for a three-ring binder can be transformed into fabulous visual frames. Plastic binder inserts for photos, computer disks, CDs, slides and negatives are useful art cases that children fill with miniature collections, paintings, postcards and photos. In our art class, children’s finds such as bubble wrap, giftwrap, interesting shopping bags, priority e2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=40http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=40CLOSE continued from page 31 (Circle No. 206 on A&A Reader Service Card) purpose. A student who enjoys sports may cut from the sports page and only use parts that are found there. Perhaps specific words put together to say something unique about the student could be hidden in the artwork or made to be an obvious part of the portrait. Putting these ideas together can be a tedious process, so enough time should be allowed for students to succeed. Watching to see that everyone makes good use of their time will keep the students on track. It is important, though, not to expect immediate results, as this is an unusual process. Allow students a chance to learn from their failures and successes. I have found that a slow beginning is easily countered by a much faster ending as students become comfortable with the process. As a follow-up to the art-making process, a written or oral critique is crucial This ice-breaking activity for advanced students starts by asking them: What would you like to get from art class this year? to show understanding by the student. I have students write an artist’s note explaining the process of discovery they took and the symbols used specific to their work of art. They should use the art vocabulary we have defined in class. I believe that this reflective process helps students articulate their ideas and improves any oral critique they may be asked to participate in. FINAL NOTES It may be important to note that newspaper is not archival and browns quickly when exposed to air and light, as it will when put on display. I have found that painting a gel medium on top of the collage may help to seal the newspaper and keep small pieces from peeling up when moved and stored. The gel medium does make the work more brittle, however, and if not put on carefully, it will cause parts of the newspaper to wave and bubble. n (Circle No. 216 on A&A Reader Service Card) CLAY TOOLS & REFERENCE MATERIALS NEW BOOK Mastering Portraiture: Advanced Analyses of the Face Sculpted in Clay $54.95 + S/H www.pcfstudios.com PO Box 722 Honeoye, NY 14471 585-229-2976 (Circle No. 228 on A&A Reader Service Card) (Circle No. 224 on A&A Reader Service Card) Click this icon on the Arts & Activities Web site for our Writer’s Guidelines and how to nominate a student for our Young Artist feature. www.artsandactivities.com 42 Calvin Banks is an art teacher at Ralston High School in Ralston, Nebraska. october 2009 x www.ar tsandactivities.com2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=41http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=41To receive FREE product news, catalogs and samples from our Advertisers, locate the number under the ad in which you are interested, circle that number on the postage-paid card found next to this page, fill the card out completely, then drop it in the mail. 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Affordable, less mess, P’Clay® is the classroom clay with chances to repair or change when dried, plus glaze www.paperclayart.com (Circle No. 220 on A&A Reader Service Card) www.ar tsandactivities.com (Circle No. 223 on A&A Reader Service Card) october 2009 x 472009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=44http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=44Vent-A-Kiln Ad 284-0902R:Vent-A-Kiln Ad 284-0902R 7/23/09 8:52 AM Page 1 Kiln Safety 1-2-3 Portable Safety Screen Adjustable Overhead Kiln Vent • Captures fumes at their source and lowers kiln room temperature by 10˚ to 25˚F • Protects kiln and controls from corrosive fumes • Proven results thru thousands of kiln installations since 1982 backpacks, coaxing them back to style with new exhibits and decorations. Illuminated by flashlights, our art-class runways feature chic refurbished backpacks and new styles created from potato sacks, vintage kids’ sleeping bags or bubble wrap. Our models wear backpacks converted from gift boxes, automobile sunshades and old pocketbooks with new straps. The show may not interest adult couturiers, but it is a path for kids to find interest in the latest design trends and look toward the “runways” of art in the future. DIARY continued from page 41 ENDING In American stores “Back to 3 Year Warranty Toll Free: 877-876-8368 Fax: 716-876-4383 E-mail: info@ventakiln.com Visit us at www.ventakiln.com (Circle No. 211 on A&A Reader Service Card) (Circle No. 238 on A&A Reader Service Card) (Circle No. 212 on A&A Reader Service Card) School” sale signs are posted in July. As a child, I quickly learned that this was the best time to shop, before teachers send home the class supply list. After all, how could anyone tell which supplies might inspire a young artist? As a parent, I did not have to be convinced that school supplies are exciting toys and design forms. I lead my kids to early browsing and gather samples for my art teaching. My antique collecting started with rulers, with a fascination for the poetry of life and signs of childhood art carved into the old wood. (Collecting rulers was also more practical than collecting old school desks.) Today, pencils are no longer yellow, and they match elaborately illustrated notebook covers. There are few empty canvases left in our designer world. Shopping selections abound, but children have to work hard to add their own marks to objects. How do you graffiti over a busy Lisa Frank folder? Is there room for children’s traditional art of decorating their school supplies? With Bob the Builder sheets, Spiderman pillowcases, Barbie slippers, Polly sleeping bags and Lisa Frank pencil cases, kids are covered by readymade art. Young artists need to feel the power of art residing in themselves, a world that still accepts their contributions. A young artist needs the confidence to change what he or she finds, to redesign and improve the visual world one object at a time. n Professor George Székely is Area Head and Senior Professor of Art Education at the University of Kentucky, Lexington, and serves on the Arts & Activities Editorial Advisory Board. (Circle No. 221 on A&A Reader Service Card) 48 october 2009 x www.ar tsandactivities.com2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=45http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=45CARP continued from page 29 concrete. I used a grinding wheel at a neighboring ju- nior high shop. The rounded end served to stretch the metal from both front and back without breaking through the metal, while the cut end was used to flatten out unwanted ridges. Scales and eyes were raised from behind with a swirling motion, while the gills and other details were incised. The fins and tail were worked from both sides to increase the depth of their ridges. Once school was over, I laid the work out and spray-painted them all completely. A 97-cent can of spray paint covered over 60 pieces. Using clear and blue paint together gave the fish a more luminescent look. After the paint dried overnight, the students used steel wool to buf f the raised surfaces clean. This gave to their work the contrast that I have always wanted to see in a metal-tooling project. The carp looked so great that they could have stood alone as a finished product. But to add interest, they were cut out and used in a collage with some stamps, scrolls, handmade paper and other joss-like materials. The scrolls were made from pieces of Chinese newspaper, which I found at a local market. I chopped it into squares with my paper cutter and the pieces were simply wrapped around a pencil and glued. The handmade paper was made earlier as an “experience,” using a traditional blenderto-bath-to-screen technique. The stamps, coins, stones and decorative papers came from stations I set up. The students took a checklist and an envelope with them to each station in order to stay organized. I believe this project would be a great practice project for even highschool students before doing other relief work. After completion, a class could discuss what worked to create contrast and how surface design adds interest. These techniques could then be transferred to other work. n David Laux teaches art to fourth- through sixth-graders at Wilson Intermediate School in Pekin, Illinois. CRIZMAC Curriculum Resource for grades 4-12 Teach the wonders of art while promoting teambuilding and intercultural understanding with this innovative new program Featured on page 58 of CRIZMAC’s 2009 catalog: Curriculum, item 5200PC or 5200MAC Companion Poster Set, item 5201 To order, or request a catalog call 1-800-913-8555, or visit www. crizmac.com for our online marketplace. CRIZMAC Art & Cultural Education Materials, Inc. P.O. Box 65928, Tucson, AZ 85728 (Circle No. 209 on A&A Reader Service Card) is great to dig into your recycled and saved materials. The older the better—broken and dusty junk becomes a great treasure. The students happily tore and snapped—the destruction for construction was marvelous. The cute, happy houses that I usually saw in the spring emerged as crooked, abandoned derelicts. The students were ecstatic. HOUSES continued from page 39 AND YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD SEEN SCARY . Finally, on the fourth day, we ON A WINDLESS AFTERNOON . On the third day, our haunted houses were ready for a creepy coat of paint. I lined the students up outside on the grass and we spray-painted the houses black with a “whisper” of brown. I love using this medium with my students. It is quick, relatively cheap and dries extremely fast. Now don’t be frightened! They love getting the chance to use one of the forbidden fruits of the art world. I purchased four cans of black spray paint and two cans of brown, which was enough to paint 50 houses. www.ar tsandactivities.com added the haunted house details. After our daily story, we had a great talk about the word kitsch. With 50 fourth-graders, my colleagues and I had tears in our eyes listening to the ideas about cool-ugly, really ugly and UGLY! We were shooting for cool-ugly on our haunted houses. We added spiderwebs, stickers, wire and metallic paint. In their homerooms during the construction, the students wrote about their scary houses. We wanted them to stretch out the moment, develop characters and also use the house as a character, to create plot and to d2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=46http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=46am pleased to be sharing the “Tried & True Tips for Art Teachers” column this year with fellow teacher, Glenda Lubiner—this is a true “telecommuting” collaboration! Because the column is all about tips from art teachers that will help other teachers, please share your tips with us by sending your ideas to triedandtrue@artsandactivities.com. This month’s topics are paper and collage—lots of ideas about techniques for creating papers to use in making collages and some lesson ideas. I classified ads (she said The New York Times ads were great for this because they have so many different levels of gray). The focus of the project could be a self-portrait, still life or landscape— any subject with an emphasis on value. An extension of this would be to create the initial project using newspapers, and then have the students draw and add color directly over these newspaper values. tip #1 tip #4 by Laurel Winters MAKE YOUR OWN Several tips this month come from Susan Yingling, who teaches art at Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts in Akron, Ohio. She suggests having students “make their own papers to use for collages; they can be marbelized, spattered with paints using a toothbrush, or printed with stamps to create textures. They can be rubbings to create texture using crayons, and even torn-up old artwork.” tip #2 MEOW Susan also suggests using new kitty-litter boxes to store these and other kinds of papers to use for collages: gift wrap, brown paper bags, shopping bags, tissue papers, newsprint, magazine pages, window screens, DIMENSION 2.5 This tip for transferring interesting shapes for use in collages is from Gretchen Bierbaum of Hudson, Ohio, founder of the National Collage Society (www.nationalcollage. com). Her book, Collage in All Dimensions, covers the history of collage, assemblage and collages hanging on the wall that have objects projecting out, which she dubs “two-and-a-half dimensional.” The book also includes contemporary artists who have won awards in the NCS’s national exhibits. Gretchen recently exhibited a body of work in which each collage contained a rusty bottle cap. The title of the show was “Ode to the Bottle Cap.” During workshops, she sent her students out to a dumpster to look for small pieces on the ground. When they found rusty, flat pieces of metal, they soaked tissue paper in vinegar and laid the metal to the project, such as having the students draw self-portraits that are abstracted or drawn with their opposite hand. The students used current trendy colors and brand names they liked, or they just depicted themselves as a Nike shoe on legs, for example. Geri felt the students enjoyed this and always did a great job because they weren’t intimidated by making it actually look like themselves. Instead, they represented themselves through colors and objects. tip #6 OF NONE SOME YOUR BEESWAX Mar y T. Boll of Valley Elementar y School in Lucasville, Ohio, sent in this tip for working with all those tiny pieces of paper for construct- Paper Particulars corrugated light-bulb packaging, textiles, photographs, labels, pages from old books, origami papers, candy wrappers, even things from the recycling bin. One could make an entire collage project focused on recycling. tip #3 parts on top of the tissue in the sun. The rust shapes transfer to the paper. The paper can be torn and glued into a collage. Because the tissue paper is so thin, the transfer element is somewhat transparent and other collage elements will show through underneath it. WE’RE TALKING VALUES Extending the tip #5 ing paper mosaics or collages. She suggests using “beeswax-tipped craft sticks to pick up and adjust those tiny bits of paper.” Many thanks to Susan, Gretchen, Geri and Mary for their input to this month’s column. Finally, I ask you to please share your top tips for teachers with others. We can all benefit from our wisdom and shared “artspertise”! n Laurel Winters is an artist from Akron, Ohio, and teaches art at Canton C2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=47http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=47(Circle No. 236 on A&A Reader Service Card)2009-09-09T21:58:36+02:00http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=48http://pubdev.ipaperus.com/ArtsandActivities/AAOctober2009/?Page=48The best-laid plans begin with BLICK products. r u o y t a ce! s u r n o e f r k e f o Lo te Con Sta . and Blick® Lesson Plans! At Blick, we love those “light bulb” moments when an idea inspires and the creative juices start to flow. That’s why we have more than 200 lesson plans posted on our website. Geared for a wide variety of ages and skill levels, they’re designed to meet the National Standards for Visual Art Education. Be sure to check out our exciting new VIDEO workshops, too. 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