Lesson: Cubist Contour Still Life

Grade Level: High School - Art I/Beginning Art

Overview:

The students will learn about still life and cubism in this lesson. They will each bring in an object for the teacher to assemble one still life for the center of the room. The students will sit in a circle around the still life. They will have a designated amount of time to draw in the contour lines of the still life from that angle. They when time is up they must move four seats to the right and begin drawing from a new angle. This will be repeated 5 times for 5 different drawings. From there the students will use the multiple angles of the drawing in a collage like a cubist artwork in which fractures the picture plane into multiple angles. They will then choose an appropriate limited color palette to complete the artwork.

Objectives:

The student will be able to…
Knowledge

• Identify styles and techniques used in Cubist artwork
• Use 5 different views of the still life in the drawings

Skill

• Draw 5 still life contour drawings from the class still life
• Construct a cubist composition of multiple sides using all 5 contour drawings
• Compose a unified negative space to accompany the contour drawings

Value

• Discuss their thoughts and opinions on the Cubist style
• Select their own object to bring in and add to the class still life
• Choose a color palette for their composition (complementary, analogous, etc.)

• Standard 1: Student Choice and Vision - Students' emerging interests are at the core of visual literacy and an arts curriculum that promotes voice and ownership in learning.
• Standard 2: Critical and Creative Thinking – Students coordinate artistic processes to imagine, create, realize and refine ideas in both conventional and innovative ways.
• Standard 3: Authentic Application and Collaboration - Students engage in artistic production individually and collaboratively to address genuine local and global community needs

Vocabulary:

• Cubism
• Pablo Picasso
• Contour Line
• Drawing
• Collage
• Juxtaposition
• Still Life
• Planes
• Fractured
• Planes
• Complementary
• Analogous
• Tertiary
• Monochrome
• Primary
• Secondary

Materials:

• Objects for still life
• Water color paper
• Pencils
• Scissors
• Glue
• Water colors
• Paint brushes

Teaching Instructions:

1. Prior to the lesson the students are asked to each bring in an object for a still life.
2. Introduction: "Who knows who Pablo Picasso is?" "What is he known for?" "Did you know he began training as an artist at the age of 7?"
3. Show examples of his early works. "In the early years, he painted in a realistic manner. As he got older his style changes as he experimented with various types of media and techniques."
4. Show examples of his cubism: Portrait of Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler, Bread and Fruit Dish on a Table, and Still Life with Chair Caning.
5. "Cubism is a style of painting Picasso developed with artist, Georges Braque using monochrome colors. He took apart objects and looked at them in terms of their shapes, fracturing the planes into sections."
6. Ask students, "What objects do you see in these paintings?" "How has be broken up those objects?" "What colors did he choose?"
7. Transition, "Now lets look at Picasso's line drawings.
8. Show students a few examples of his line drawings.
9. Ask students, "What do you notice about these drawings?"
10. Explain that these are contour line drawings because the shape is what the artist is focusing on, not the shading or shadows.
11. Instructions: "You will pick a seat around the still life, and take your 5 pieces of water color paper, a pencil, and an eraser with you. I want you to draw a portion of the still life that you see from the seat you are at. Focus on completing a contour drawing. I will give you 10 minutes to make the drawing. When the time is up, I will ask you to rotate four seats to your right, and take a seat. You will begin on the next piece of paper, a contour drawing from this angle. In the end you will have five drawings of the still life from 5 different angles."
12. "It is important that you only focus on the contour lines, no shading."
13. By the end of class the students will have their 5 contour drawings completed.
14. The students will cut out each of their contour drawings how they please along the lines.
15. After all of the objects are cut out the students will arrange them on their sixth piece of paper in a composition showing the fractured planes of the objects.
16. The students will glue down the pieces when they have decided on a composition.
17. They will then choose a color palette to color their collaged contour drawing.
18. Remind students of the color wheel.
19. Show the color wheel, and ask students, "What are the primary colors, what are the secondary colors, what are the tertiary colors, what is monochromatic, what is analogous, what is complementary?"
20. Tell students, "Choose one of these types of color palettes to paint your collage.
21. The students will begin to paint in their drawing with the desired color palette.
22. Tell students, "Keep in mind the negative space on the paper. What could you do with the negative space to make it look like part of the painting?"
23. Closure: The students will hang their paintings on the wall for a class critique. Each student will talk about the successes and troubles with the project and process. They will also say what they could add or remove or do different to make their project better.

Extensions/Modifications:

• For students who may need extra assistance I can allow them to focus on one object in the still life each time they rotate seats. I can have a printout of one of Picasso's contour drawings so they can refer to it to remind them to only draw the lines. When choosing a color palette, I will show the student what they look like together and have them pick which one they want to use.
• For advanced students, they can add other materials to their collage, such as printed papers, fabrics, etc and explain that Picasso played around with collage frequently experimenting with other objects. The students must have a specific choice for using such materials and they should complement the composition.

Resources:

Images:

• Portrait of Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler
• Bread and Fruit Dish on a Table
• Still Life with Chair Caning

Books:

• Picasso Line Drawings and Prints, by Pablo Picasso
• Projector and Computer: to show images

Lesson - Modern Sculpture with Hose

Grade Level: Art I/Studio Art/3-D/Sculpture

Overview:

The students will use thick wire or a metal coat hanger to create a form that demonstrates movement. The will cover the form with hosiery to make it a solid form. From there, the students will choose at least one more element and principle of art and design to add to the exterior of the sculpture. They will attached the form to a base with glue, and then choose a color to paint the sculpture. The students will keep in mind the elements and principles when they color the sculpture. They can consider a texture, value, or pattern to the form.

Objectives:

The student will be able to…
Knowledge:

• Use excellent craftsmanship by thoroughly painting, showing no glue, no hose, no wire and no wood through his/her modern sculpture.
• Illustrate 2-4 thumbnail sketches of ideas with color for his/her modern sculpture.

Skill:

• Display evidence of at least one other element & principle of art.
• Arrange the wire to show a clear evidence of shape/form in his/her sculpture.

Value:

• Verify his/her artistic choices by completing the personal reflection worksheet.
• Identify 3 images of modern sculpture chosen by student and print them out for class discussion.

Ohio Department of Education Standards:

• Standard 1: Student Choice and Vision - Students’ emerging interests are at the core of visual literacy and an arts curriculum that promotes voice and ownership in learning.
• Standard 2: Critical and Creative Thinking – Students coordinate artistic processes to imagine, create, realize and refine ideas in both conventional and innovative ways.
• Standard 3: Authentic Application and Collaboration - Students engage in artistic production individually and collaboratively to address genuine local and global community needs.

Vocabulary:

• Line
• Shape/form
• Color
• Value
• Texture
• Space/perspective
• Pattern
• Rhythm/movement
• Proportion/scale
• Balance
• Unity
• Emphasis
• Abstract
• Freeform
• Henry Moore
• Modernism

Materials:

• Thick wire or wire coat hanger
• Block of wood for base
• Knee high hose
• Acrylic paint
• Wire cutter
• Nail and hammer
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun
• Various materials for texture

Instruction:

1. Have overhead projector ready with connection to computer to show modern sculpture.
2. Have wood blocks pre-drilled with 2 holes per block.
3. Students will be seated in their assigned seats
4. Have two samples of final projects available.
5. Have rubric printed for students before they begin so they know what they will be graded on.
6. Remind students of procedures and classroom rules to make the classroom rule smoothly and effectively.
7. Introduction: Discuss modernism, show Henry Moore sculpture, and discuss the elements and principles of art in the work.
8. Discussion of what modernism is. Ask students, “Who can tell me what the work modern means?” Rejecting realism, make new, work that experiments with form and draws attention to the processes and materials.
9. Transition: “Let’s look at modernism in sculpture.” Show Henry Moore work.
10. Discussion of what makes his work modern.
11. Discussion of elements and principles of art in modern sculpture.
12. Ask students, “What elements and principles of art do you see in his sculptures?”
13. Transition: “Our next project is going to be inspired by modern sculpture.”
14. Homework: “Do some additional research of modern architecture for homework, and bring in 3 images that you like, and we will discuss them as a class. Be sure you identify the title and the artist for each.”
15. “We will use these 3 examples as well as your own creativity to create modern sculptures.”
16. When students bring in examples, lead a discussion with the class on what elements and principles of art are evident in the work, and why they liked these particular examples.
17. Transition: “I will go over a demonstration of how we will create the modern sculptures.”
18. Go over materials the class will use.
19. Have pre-cut with 2 holes to use as a base for the sculpture. Use hammer and nail to create one or two holes in the block of wood.
20. “First you will use wire cutters and pliers to cut off the hook end of a wire hanger. Make sure you bend the wire to straighten it out a little bit before starting the form.”
21. “Once you have the hook cut off and straightened, put the ends of the wire into the holes in the wood.”
22. “Come see me for the next step, which is gluing the wire to the base.”
23. “Once the wire is set up, you may begin bending and twisting the hanger to achieve the desired shape.”
24. “Like modern sculpture, shape and form are at the forefront of the design. Make sure you keep this at the forefront of your sculpture.”
25. “Once you have the form, we will need to give it a surface. Pull the hose over the top of the wire, then down over the wire form, and over the wooden block.”
26. “You will cut the extra hose from the bottom of the wooden block, and hot glue the hose underneath the base.”
27. “You need to be under my supervision during this step.”
28. “When you have the shape and form complete, this is where you can start to get even more create. We will paint the surface with acrylic paint.”
29. “You will need to incorporate at least one more element and principle of art to your sculpture.”
30. “What could you do to the surface to incorporate more elements and principles of art?”
31. Apply paint like Jackson Pollock, add texture with various materials like string, beads, sand, gesso, etc, apply value to the color you paint the sculpture, add pattern, rhythm.
32. “Do you have any questions about the process?”
33. Transition: “Before you get started on your sculpture, you will use your 3 examples and your own creativity to sketch 2-4 thumbnails of your ideas for your sculpture. Make them big enough that you can add color and detail.”
34. “When you have the thumbnails completed come see me so you get credit and I will approve them so you can start the sculpture.”
35. Students will work on project.
36. Closure: When the students are almost completed with their project, introduce the Reflection Worksheet.
37. “When you are done with your sculpture, get a Reflection Worksheet from me to discuss your sculpture.”

Formal Assessment/Evaluation of Objectives:

• The student’s final sculpture will be their summative assessment that will be graded with a rubric.
• The student’s will be evaluated during the project at checkpoints to make sure they are on track, and this will be the students’ formative assessment.

Extensions/Curricular Connections:

• Advanced students can create multiple sculptures showing transformation (abstract to realistic, size/scale, etc).
• Students can apply various objects to the sculpture such as beads, string, and anything else to make their sculpture have texture or a collage quality.
• To simplify the assignment, the teacher will glue the wire into the base for the student.

Resources:

Books:

• Read, Herbert. Modern Sculpture: A Concise History.
• Elsen, Albert E. Origins of Modern Sculpture: Pioneers and Premises

Web Sites:

• Henry Moore, http://www.henrymoore.com/art.shtml
• More artists, http://www.modernsculpture.com/sculpture.htm

Projector and Computer: to show websites, images, and artists