Think back to the studio work you did on Thursday. Suggest a concentration topic for a student other than "Opposites" and one artist for the student to look at for ideas.
I am a firm believer in the "KISS" Philosophy. KISS stands for Keep It Simple Student. In the short time I taught AP Art prior to my deployment, the tried to tackle topics that I felt were very complex for limited experience. I wish there was a published guide with examples to help the AP Art teachers out. The CD we received will defininatley help in the future. The key, I feel is to keep the kids sketching in the altered book or sketch book to generate ideas.
The project we worked on in the studio has stimulate a great number of ideas for me to complete a piece of work for our show.
In keeping with the KISS philosphy, I would recommend a concentration topic of line. While Line is the simples form of art, it still allows the student the opportunity to explore elements in a working relationship through their compositions. The artist I would have them look at for inspiration would my hero M.C. Esher. Escher's ability to manipulate lines through perspective, thickness, and position opens doors of possibility. The three pictures I would begin with for the journey would be Escher's: "Knots" "Belvedere" "Drawing Hands" These examples illustrate the craful thought and union of line with elements to develop a creative and intreguing piece of work.
A possibility for a concentration could be "first impressions" or the way in which one recalls certain memories. The subject matter, as well as the time of day/lighting would be important. Therefore I would have students look at noteworthy Impressionist painters such as Claude Monet. Monet's ability to capture weather conditions, time of day, and lighting was so impressive. Add in the fact that he was breaking the mold for what was accepted for the time period and he's all the more impressive (getting out of the studio and painting from life). My students can't get over what was "expected" in the studio of "properly" trained artist during Monet's early years. I have students (in their sketchbooks-in small scale) copy one of his paintings, in his Impressionistic style-using only his color palette...in order to have them experience the limitations of a different type of painting technique. Then they must come up with their own imagery using the same technique and color limitations. I've found students appreciate learning about his life and work but just as importantly enjoy painting in his style.
One way to get students to look beyond the obvious is to train the eye to look at negative form and areas. I recall one of the drawing from our class - a beautful bone dry shape filled the right edge of the paper while w peered through a "hole" that was also a vista of light to the left. One artist who does this with mastery is Georgia O'Keefe.
What about a lesson on "the hole (or whole) in the donut? You could bring in a box of donut holes and share them to start the lesson off on a light note. Then provide a still life with lots of holes, and have students develop a drawing that elaborates the negative spaces while leaving the positive space empty. Students could look at O'Keefe's later work to see how she contrasted the positive and negative areas. Ideally students could find still-life objects, dpending on the group. You could have suitable materials handy - cow skulls are not too hard to find,but after O'Keefe it might be best to try something different. Dried leaves, shells, machine parts, etc. would work.
I would try to get students to begin to look at the quality of the material being used in a still-life. Do the objects work off eachother? Are they elements that are similar or different? What characteristics can be derived from simple objects?
I would show examples of Janet Fish and her work with reflective surfaces and transparent surfaces with the color of everyday objects. Her work also lends itself easily to painting, prismacolor and watercolor.
Good example --- http://faculty.indy.cc.ks.us/jnull/colorfishjars.jpg
When observing the still life from multiple views I noticed some wonderful light patterns on the chair and other places. I think light patterns would be an interesting theme. One could use a myiad of subject matter if patterns of light were the theme. This might appeal to a student who didn't want to be tied down to one subject. I immediatley thought of Rembrandt, Jan Vermeer and Janet Fish but I know there are other great contemporary artists. I found books on painting light by Kevin McPherson, William B. Lawrence and Patrick Howe. Personally I am intriged by light and shadow in works of art. Color families, perspectives, and geometric design also appealed to me as inspiration form the still life.
Some good ideas here... Jeff, thought you were referring to Gene, Paul, Ace, and Peter for a minute (ha, just kidding)! Anyway, I like the suggestion of line to explore. Also texture and patterned were mentioned. This is breaking down a complex still-life into the simplicity of the elements and principles- excellent. If a student is "stuck" push them in that direction. An artist I might suggest in relation to line and pattern (and I'll ad shape), would be Phillip Pearlstein. His work appears figurative but he is really more interested in using the figures and objects around them to depict formal concerns such as the elements and principles.
How about "nature" as a concentration? So many of the objects in the still life were organic, or started out as something in nature.
A student could look at Cezanne's work to do a still life of natural objects. The product would be recognizable, but not perfectly representational. To really push things, a student could look to Cubist still life paintings by Braque or Picasso.
It would really be a challenge to set up a much more simple still life than the one provided in our class on Thursday and render it in twelve completely different 'styles'. Just think of all the famous artists who could be used as inspiration! Janet Fish (reflection), Picasso (cubist or collage), Monet...Rembrandt...Escher...you could hit them all. It would definitely be interesting to try.
Carlee, I like the idea of having the students copy a master work directly into their sketchbooks. Anna - I love your idea to introduce negative space with donuts. Cute. Robert - KISS. Funny. :)
I had set up a still life a few months ago for my students with various materials in my room. Some were current things that we use everyday in our current time and some were from 40 or 50 years ago and the students started calling it the "then and now" still life. One of the objects was an old "rotary" style phone and the kids simply loved looking at it. One students put her cell phone opened out beside it and then took a photo of it - just for fun - thinking it hilarious.
We also did a lesson with Pop Art (Andy Warhol) and I explained that this style was one of the last in the Modern Art time frame. To this they replied "how can this be modern...everything in these pictures are ancient looking!"
So I am thinking that this might be a fun assignment that they could use for a concentration. My students seem to really enjoy looking at objects that we still use, but had a much simplier look or less technology from years ago. We could look at artworks from many different artist throughout history and locate objects that we use today and that were also used back then. Also, different generations in their own families could fit into this category.
Movement is one for a concentration that could be handled in multiple ways. Creating an illusion of motion in 2-D/3-D work or kinetic 3-D work. Depending on the student and their chosen portfolio you would tailor the artist you introduce them to. Examples: Vincent van Gogh - The Starry Night Henri Matisse - Dance Marcel Duchamp - Nude Descending a Staircase Umberto Boccioni - Unique Forms of Continuity in Space Alexander Calder - Calder's Circus, 1926-31 Alexander Calder - The Orange Fish
I agree with you concerning training the student's eye to look at negative space as well as past the normal. There was a project I completed in high school and have used in my classes, which has the student look at the negative space of plants and draw the negative space. By concentrating on the negative space it helps stuedents create a very unique and interesting design.
Some absolutely fantastic ideas here, that's what's great about this dialogue. I like the idea of simplifying the still-life and having students render it in the style of twelve different artists. Would this be for a concentration? You could tie this into a segment on art history by having students copy the masters after you have presented a time-line in art history that might span several decades.
Amanda, Your "now and then" idea is something I would love to try. You bring up so many possibilities with just one still life. Bridging the generations is fantastic, even if our students make a little fun of the way we used to live in "ancient" times. :)
Anna - Love what you mentioned about negative space. Most objects that have an interesting form have an amazing negative space. Gears, plants, and almost anything else. And this is a great way to have students begin to train their eyes to see what an object looks like, rather than what they would prefer it to look like. And by breaking objects down by using negative space, students are left with a product that can easily be manipulated by most design elements for something that has a lot of visual impact.
The combination of natural and manufactured objects in the still life brings to mind for me the notion of transformation - altering natural objects to fulfill a purpose. A step further and transformation can take the form of a physical, psychological, or spiritual progression - illness/injury, addiction, rites of passage, loss, etc. Considering the catalyst for the transformation as well as the internal and external effects of the transformation can lead a student to developing sophisticated symbology. There are quite a few sad sorts and triumphant artists to study for inspiration, so looking at style, palette, medium, etc. could become the focus of the next round in finding one's direction.
Heather - I love your idea of movement as a concentration. I haven't thought of that possibility. I have worked with younger children for many years where kinetic art is wonderful for this never- sit-still group. But not until now have I realized that the highschool students also still enjoy making things with motion, even if it is implied motion in a 2-D composition. I think giving this broad subject would also stretch their imaginations with unlimited possibilities.
It is so nice to Bash-Brains with other art teachers. You guys are giving me wonderful ideas to take back to my students. Wouldn't it be nice to meet this way more often?
Amanda, I agree with Jennifer...I really like the idea of mixing the "then & now." I've added it to my list of Concentration ideas for students. This is a great phrase to consider for numerous reasons...there are so many possibilities and the students are exposed to objects that would otherwise be "foreign." Great, thanks!
Amanda, it has been nice tossing around ideas with other art teachers and especially with art teachers from other areas in the state. I'm excited to share with my students what I've learned from our sharing. I've spent most of the year reading and not really communicating with other art teachers out of my own determination to be independent and out of not wanting to be a pest.
CindyL, please call me in the morning. I may have to reschedule tomorrow. I'll share my dilemma with you and you decide what will work best.
Anna, I love the idea of concentrating on the negative space and leaving the positive alone. I've read so many wonderful ideas and I'm taking notes as I read. Creating the still life with interestng negative spaces will be challenging but fun. I can just imagine the initial moaning when I first tell the kids. I'm really not a cruel art teacher, it just sounds like I am. Yarbi
Alicia, I think that Janet Fish is a great artist to introduce in connection with the still life.
Yarbi: I really like your idea of focusing on light and shadow, too. Thanks for the list of artists. Some are new to me. I can't wait to look up their work.
Robert: I'll add Phillip Pearlstein to my list of artists to look up.
KT:-): I will call you in the morning. I think that I will need to reschedule, too.
I just scanned through the posts - and feel a lot of energy as we move toward solutions to the problems identified day one.
Its interesting that the artists you referred to often work in series - is a series a concentration - and a concentration a series. Monet's waterlillies and haystacks might be considered the ultimate concentration...
Anna - Love the negative space focus and have always found it a great way to improve drawing skills. KT - The still life had me thinking of transformation too. A concentration in metamorphasis could be very exciting. Yarbi - The play of light and shadow for me gives life to a work always. Alicia - I have this great Janet Fish lesson I've used in the past where you use bottles full of colored water and focus the light so they cast colorful shadows across other objects in a still life. I'll try to dig that out - it also works with reflection. Amanda - thanks
25 comments:
I am a firm believer in the "KISS" Philosophy. KISS stands for Keep It Simple Student. In the short time I taught AP Art prior to my deployment, the tried to tackle topics that I felt were very complex for limited experience. I wish there was a published guide with examples to help the AP Art teachers out. The CD we received will defininatley help in the future. The key, I feel is to keep the kids sketching in the altered book or sketch book to generate ideas.
The project we worked on in the studio has stimulate a great number of ideas for me to complete a piece of work for our show.
In keeping with the KISS philosphy, I would recommend a concentration topic of line. While Line is the simples form of art, it still allows the student the opportunity to explore elements in a working relationship through their compositions. The artist I would have them look at for inspiration would my hero M.C. Esher. Escher's ability to manipulate lines through perspective, thickness, and position opens doors of possibility. The three pictures I would begin with for the journey would be Escher's:
"Knots"
"Belvedere"
"Drawing Hands"
These examples illustrate the craful thought and union of line with elements to develop a creative and intreguing piece of work.
A possibility for a concentration could be "first impressions" or the way in which one recalls certain memories. The subject matter, as well as the time of day/lighting would be important. Therefore I would have students look at noteworthy Impressionist painters such as Claude Monet. Monet's ability to capture weather conditions, time of day, and lighting was so impressive. Add in the fact that he was breaking the mold for what was accepted for the time period and he's all the more impressive (getting out of the studio and painting from life). My students can't get over what was "expected" in the studio of "properly" trained artist during Monet's early years. I have students (in their sketchbooks-in small scale) copy one of his paintings, in his Impressionistic style-using only his color palette...in order to have them experience the limitations of a different type of painting technique. Then they must come up with their own imagery using the same technique and color limitations. I've found students appreciate learning about his life and work but just as importantly enjoy painting in his style.
One way to get students to look beyond the obvious is to train the eye to look at negative form and areas. I recall one of the drawing from our class - a beautful bone dry shape filled the right edge of the paper while w peered through a "hole" that was also a vista of light to the left. One artist who does this with mastery is Georgia O'Keefe.
What about a lesson on "the hole (or whole) in the donut? You could bring in a box of donut holes and share them to start the lesson off on a light note. Then provide a still life with lots of holes, and have students develop a drawing that elaborates the negative spaces while leaving the positive space empty. Students could look at O'Keefe's later work to see how she contrasted the positive and negative areas. Ideally students could find still-life objects, dpending on the group. You could have suitable materials handy - cow skulls are not too hard to find,but after O'Keefe it might be best to try something different. Dried leaves, shells, machine parts, etc. would work.
I would try to get students to begin to look at the quality of the material being used in a still-life. Do the objects work off eachother? Are they elements that are similar or different? What characteristics can be derived from simple objects?
I would show examples of Janet Fish and her work with reflective surfaces and transparent surfaces with the color of everyday objects. Her work also lends itself easily to painting, prismacolor and watercolor.
Good example ---
http://faculty.indy.cc.ks.us/jnull/colorfishjars.jpg
Another theme could be texture. You could introduce Abraham Hendricksz Van Beyeren and use Still Life with Lobster as an example.
I also like Hobbies/Past times and/or Mementos as themes, but I can't think of the artists that I would use. Any ideas?
When observing the still life from multiple views I noticed some wonderful light patterns on the chair and other places. I think light patterns would be an interesting theme. One could use a myiad of subject matter if patterns of light were the theme. This might appeal to a student who didn't want to be tied down to one subject. I immediatley thought of Rembrandt, Jan Vermeer and Janet Fish but I know there are other great contemporary artists. I found books on painting light by Kevin McPherson, William B. Lawrence and Patrick Howe. Personally I am intriged by light and shadow in works of art. Color families, perspectives, and geometric design also appealed to me as inspiration form the still life.
Yarbi
Some good ideas here... Jeff, thought you were referring to Gene, Paul, Ace, and Peter for a minute (ha, just kidding)! Anyway, I like the suggestion of line to explore. Also texture and patterned were mentioned. This is breaking down a complex still-life into the simplicity of the elements and principles- excellent. If a student is "stuck" push them in that direction. An artist I might suggest in relation to line and pattern (and I'll ad shape), would be Phillip Pearlstein. His work appears figurative but he is really more interested in using the figures and objects around them to depict formal concerns such as the elements and principles.
How about "nature" as a concentration? So many of the objects in the still life were organic, or started out as something in nature.
A student could look at Cezanne's work to do a still life of natural objects. The product would be recognizable, but not perfectly representational. To really push things, a student could look to Cubist still life paintings by Braque or Picasso.
It would really be a challenge to set up a much more simple still life than the one provided in our class on Thursday and render it in twelve completely different 'styles'. Just think of all the famous artists who could be used as inspiration! Janet Fish (reflection), Picasso (cubist or collage), Monet...Rembrandt...Escher...you could hit them all. It would definitely be interesting to try.
Carlee, I like the idea of having the students copy a master work directly into their sketchbooks.
Anna - I love your idea to introduce negative space with donuts. Cute.
Robert - KISS. Funny. :)
I had set up a still life a few months ago for my students with various materials in my room. Some were current things that we use everyday in our current time and some were from 40 or 50 years ago and the students started calling it the "then and now" still life. One of the objects was an old "rotary" style phone and the kids simply loved looking at it. One students put her cell phone opened out beside it and then took a photo of it - just for fun - thinking it hilarious.
We also did a lesson with Pop Art (Andy Warhol) and I explained that this style was one of the last in the Modern Art time frame. To this they replied "how can this be modern...everything in these pictures are ancient looking!"
So I am thinking that this might be a fun assignment that they could use for a concentration. My students seem to really enjoy looking at objects that we still use, but had a much simplier look or less technology from years ago. We could look at artworks from many different artist throughout history and locate objects that we use today and that were also used back then. Also, different generations in their own families could fit into this category.
Movement is one for a concentration that could be handled in multiple ways. Creating an illusion of motion in 2-D/3-D work or kinetic 3-D work. Depending on the student and their chosen portfolio you would tailor the artist you introduce them to. Examples:
Vincent van Gogh - The Starry Night
Henri Matisse - Dance
Marcel Duchamp - Nude Descending a Staircase
Umberto Boccioni - Unique Forms of Continuity in Space
Alexander Calder - Calder's Circus, 1926-31
Alexander Calder - The Orange Fish
Anna,
I agree with you concerning training the student's eye to look at negative space as well as past the normal. There was a project I completed in high school and have used in my classes, which has the student look at the negative space of plants and draw the negative space. By concentrating on the negative space it helps stuedents create a very unique and interesting design.
Some absolutely fantastic ideas here, that's what's great about this dialogue. I like the idea of simplifying the still-life and having students render it in the style of twelve different artists. Would this be for a concentration? You could tie this into a segment on art history by having students copy the masters after you have presented a time-line in art history that might span several decades.
Amanda,
Your "now and then" idea is something I would love to try. You bring up so many possibilities with just one still life. Bridging the generations is fantastic, even if our students make a little fun of the way we used to live in "ancient" times. :)
Anna - Love what you mentioned about negative space. Most objects that have an interesting form have an amazing negative space. Gears, plants, and almost anything else. And this is a great way to have students begin to train their eyes to see what an object looks like, rather than what they would prefer it to look like. And by breaking objects down by using negative space, students are left with a product that can easily be manipulated by most design elements for something that has a lot of visual impact.
The combination of natural and manufactured objects in the still life brings to mind for me the notion of transformation - altering natural objects to fulfill a purpose. A step further and transformation can take the form of a physical, psychological, or spiritual progression - illness/injury, addiction, rites of passage, loss, etc. Considering the catalyst for the transformation as well as the internal and external effects of the transformation can lead a student to developing sophisticated symbology. There are quite a few sad sorts and triumphant artists to study for inspiration, so looking at style, palette, medium, etc. could become the focus of the next round in finding one's direction.
Heather - I love your idea of movement as a concentration. I haven't thought of that possibility. I have worked with younger children for many years where kinetic art is wonderful for this never- sit-still group. But not until now have I realized that the highschool students also still enjoy making things with motion, even if it is implied motion in a 2-D composition. I think giving this broad subject would also stretch their imaginations with unlimited possibilities.
It is so nice to
Bash-Brains with other art teachers. You guys are giving me wonderful ideas to take back to my students. Wouldn't it be nice to meet this way more often?
Amanda, I agree with Jennifer...I really like the idea of mixing the "then & now." I've added it to my list of Concentration ideas for students. This is a great phrase to consider for numerous reasons...there are so many possibilities and the students are exposed to objects that would otherwise be "foreign." Great, thanks!
Amanda, it has been nice tossing around ideas with other art teachers and especially with art teachers from other areas in the state. I'm excited to share with my students what I've learned from our sharing. I've spent most of the year reading and not really communicating with other art teachers out of my own determination to be independent and out of not wanting to be a pest.
CindyL, please call me in the morning. I may have to reschedule tomorrow. I'll share my dilemma with you and you decide what will work best.
Anna, I love the idea of concentrating on the negative space and leaving the positive alone. I've read so many wonderful ideas and I'm taking notes as I read. Creating the still life with interestng negative spaces will be challenging but fun. I can just imagine the initial moaning when I first tell the kids. I'm really not a cruel art teacher, it just sounds like I am. Yarbi
Alicia, I think that Janet Fish is a great artist to introduce in connection with the still life.
Yarbi: I really like your idea of focusing on light and shadow, too. Thanks for the list of artists. Some are new to me. I can't wait to look up their work.
Robert: I'll add Phillip Pearlstein to my list of artists to look up.
KT:-): I will call you in the morning. I think that I will need to reschedule, too.
I just scanned through the posts - and feel a lot of energy as we move toward solutions to the problems identified day one.
Its interesting that the artists you referred to often work in series - is a series a concentration - and a concentration a series. Monet's waterlillies and haystacks might be considered the ultimate concentration...
Anna - Love the negative space focus and have always found it a great way to improve drawing skills.
KT - The still life had me thinking of transformation too. A concentration in metamorphasis could be very exciting.
Yarbi - The play of light and shadow for me gives life to a work always.
Alicia - I have this great Janet Fish lesson I've used in the past where you use bottles full of colored water and focus the light so they cast colorful shadows across other objects in a still life. I'll try to dig that out - it also works with reflection.
Amanda - thanks
I'd be interested in that Janet Fish lesson too. I do something with colored bottles but this might add a new dimension to it. Thanks.
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