Slab Ceramic Designs with Photo TransfersSummary: Students create their own slab pot designs out of clay. These vessels will serve as the base for photographic transfers using Lazertran. They will shoot original photographs based around the concept of meaningful imagery- imagery that is taken with a purpose and represents something that is meaningful to them in their lives. The basis of lesson is that it focuses on original and meaningful art-making based around the student's interests and own creativity, rather than simply learning a technique. This is the final project in the unit that applies the skills learned in previous lessons, including how to create paper patterns and build a slab box.
• Click here to view examples of student work • Click here to view the lesson plan Perspective Unit with Board GamesSummary: Students will learn that most two-dimensional drawings can be rendered to look three-dimensional through the use of perspective and value drawing. Choosing an interesting composition from a still life set up of game boards, they will shoot original photographs from a one point-perspective or two-point perspective angle. Students will use one of their photographs to sketch from while applying rules of perspective drawing they learned from several warm-up exercises. After projecting their sketch and tracing it at a larger size, they will add value with graphite.
• Click here to view examples of student work • Click here to view the lesson plan Textured Pirate Ship SeascapesSummary: Students will learn about exploration and discuss the reasons why people would want to go to other countries that they have never been to before. After being introduced to the concept of fantasy, students discover that they will not be imagining themselves as just any type of explorer over the next few weeks. In this unit, students will design their own unique pirate ships and collage elements from each lesson to form a final mixed-media seascape.
• Click here to view examples of student work • Click here to view the lesson plan Identity CollagesSummary: Students created digital collages using Photoshop to reflect three different aspects of their identity (their cultural history, gender, personal experiences, etc). At least one of the collages had to include original photographs they took for the assignment. I designed this lesson for the Computer Technology in Art Education course I taught for a year at VCU. However, it can be modified to use with any secondary grade level.
• Click here to view examples of student work • Click here to view the lesson plan 6th Grade Tessellation ProjectSummary: I taught this lesson to sixth graders in Guatemala. Students drew their own face and an important male and female figure in their lives into a rhombus, which were put together to form a hexagon. As a final step, each student put their hexagon designs on the wall together so that the half faces on the outside matched up with other students. The collage represented how we are all unique as individuals, yet we share basic fundamental traits that relate us as human beings on a larger scale- within our own communities and the world.
• Click here to view examples of student work • Click here to view the lesson plan Imagined SpacesSummary: Students examined the work of Sandy Skoglund and contemplated the use of both real and imagined elements in a given space. They sketched out their own imaginary spaces that transformed a real place (a room, a park, outer space) into an imaginative space and created mini-installations based on their sketches.
• Click here to view examples of student work • Click here to view the lesson plan Imaginary CreaturesSummary: Students brainstormed ideas about what traits can make something an imaginary creature compared to living things that they had seen in their own lives. After creating initial sketches of what they wanted their imaginary creatures to look like, students sculpted their creatures using Crayola Model Magic and found objects.
• Click here to view examples of student work • Click here to view the lesson plans Animal TexturesSummary: As an introduction, I read "The Mixed-Up Chameleon" by Eric Carle, who uses a variety of textures in his painted collages that depict animals and nature. Students were given two pictures of a certain animal and used different textured painting techniques (sponge painting, scratching the surface, layers and dots) to mimic the colors and textures they saw in their animal.
• Click here to view examples of student work • Click here to view the lesson plan Southerland ProjectsSummary: This includes projects designed for the assisted living home's art and crafts class. Projects include printmaking, acrylic, watercolor (of their own flower arrangement and pot designs!), decopodge, snow globes from scratch and more!!!
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