…Assignment #6…

The project I chose to create from “Art is Fundamental” was Lesson 5: Informal Balance.  The objective of this project is to allow the students to learn about and practice informal balance.  The original project calls for the use of black tempera paint (watered down) and allowing it to be dripped and moved all over the entire page by turning the paper in a variety of directions.  After the paint dries, a color scheme is selected.  The color may be any form of media such as crayons, chalk, colored pencils, etc.  The color is then applied to the remaining white space of the paper.

For my project, I chose to try something a little different.  I chose to incorporate my colors as the paint.  I watered down three different colors and applied several drops of each color to the paper.  I then turned and moved the paper in order to move the paint.  The colors happened to mix and created some very interesting patterns.  After the paint dried, I used a charcoal pencil to apply shading to the white spaces.  I feel that this made the color stand out and left me with a very interesting result.

This project would be very intriguing and interesting for children.  It is actually a very simple project that yields very interesting results.  The children will learn not only about balance, but also about colors and creating color schemes.

 

 

…The Lessons the Arts Teach…

The article, The Lessons the Arts Teach, by Elliot Eisner, compares what is actually being taught to students with the lessons that can be learned through art.  In our society, a great deal of emphasis is placed on standardization, testing, rules, guidelines, limitations, and boundaries.  It is expected that each student learn the same way, test the same way, and execute their voice and opinions in the same way.  However, the arts offer students with an opportunity to be unique, creative, imaginative, and expressive in ways that are personally aligned with each person as an individual. 

The arts also allow the cultural differences that exist amongst one another to be overlooked and overcome.  Art allows for expression without language constraints.  The arts are a way of convaying meaning, feeling, and emotion without having to use words.  The arts allow children to say and communicate what they would not otherwise know how to express. 

The arts provide students with experience, this is something that is not generally offered to students.  Today, education is very cut and dry, black and white.  All students are presented with the same “cookie-cutter” curriculum and expected to take in information and redistribute it in the same way that the person next to them is.  We have taken the simple pleasures out of a child’s life and are expecting them to function in a way that is confined and limited.

…Toledo Museum of Art//Article Response…

I found the trip to the Toledo Museum of Art very informative, enjoyable, and very helpful.  Being from the local area, I have visited this museum on multiple occasions–my own elementary field trips, singing with my middle school choir over the Holidays, several times throughout my high school art experience, and I took classes there when I was very young.

I learned so much through this experience that I had never even thought about before on my many trips to the museum.  The tour that we were given was remarkable!  I looked at pieces of art that I had seen a hundred times in a whole new light and noticed things that I did not even know existed!  Our Dossen was very knowledgeable, informative, and engaging.  I felt like I was five years old again, mesmerized by every word that she was saying.  The different tour that are offered through the museum also amazed me.  There are so many different ways to incorporate all of the different pieces of art! 

One thing that I really enjoyed was looking at the children’s educational facilities.  As a young child I had taken a few classes there, but I was completely unaware of how much was actually offered!  The trip to the museum seemed to coincide perfectly with the article, Bringing Children to Art–Bringing Art to Children, by Kathy Urath and Mick Luehrman.  Unfortunately it is not possible for all schools to provide their students with a trip to the art museum, however, the museum is willing to go to the students!  Art is such an important part of the curriculum that more often than not goes unnoticed and gets overlooked.  It is not hard to integrate art into a lesson, and the Toledo Museum of Art does a wonderful job of making activities and lessons available to teachers along with an abundance of other resources that can be utilized right in their own classrooms.  This article really stresses the importance of art in the lives of students, and the museum is doing everything that they can to make sure that all students are able to be exposed to art…it is important for the classroom teacher to utilize these resources. 

 

…Assignment #5…

The project that I chose to recreate from “Art is Fundamental” was Lesson 24: Paper Weaving–How Texture Relates to Pattern.    The objective of this lesson is for students to learn about various types of patterns and ecplore the relationship between pattern and texture.  For this assignment, the students are to create a woven pattern.  With a black sheet of paper, allow the children to cut patterns and designs.  This creates a “loom.”  With contrasting colors the students are to weave strips of paper through the designs the created.  To incorporate pattern, have the students choose only a few colors and have them create a pattern of color that they can create within their weaving. 

I chose to incorporate colors that were monochromatic.  This is a great way to introduce children to another new term within the same lesson.  I remember doing this project in elementary school around Thanksgiving time.  The woven product became a placement that we used at our “Thanksgiving Feast.”  Incorporating themes and color schemes with this project is a great way to include a multitude of subjects within a single lesson…it is very versatile!

…Assignment #4…

The project that I chose to recreate from “Art is Fundamental” was Lesson 21: Introducing Texture.  The object of this assignment is to introduce the students to the concept of texture and two ways that artists use this element.  Students are to capture the texture of several different surfaces by creating a crayon rubbing.  By placing a variety of texturized surfaces under a thin piece of paper and rubbing over them with a dark crayon the texture of the surface will be captured, this creates the illusion of a dimensional object upon the paper. 

This project is very open ended and will allow the students to experiment with their creativity.  Each student will produce a unique piece of work based on their personal preference of textures and overall composition.  I really enjoyed this project and feel as though it is executed in a very child-friendly way.  It takes the complex concept of dimension and illusion and illustrates it in a way that is easy for children to see and understand.  By providing evidence that the paper still remains smooth, but looks textured, the children are making a concrete correlation between real textures and illusions.

I chose to add some structure to my piece by sectioning off my paper with a black line, however, it may be interesting to encourage children to capture the different textures randomly amongst the page and suggest that they experiment with overlapping different textures.  Then, discuss the results of the variations.

…Assignment #3…

The project that I chose to recreate from “ART is Fundamental” was Lesson 23: Line.  The objective of this lesson is to familiarze the students with an unerstanding of contour lines.  This lesson provides an introduction to the third dimension and illusions as well.  In order to achieve the image of a 3D hand, straight and curved lines will be combined.  By only curving the lines within he ouline of the hand the flat hand appears to have dimension to it.

I chose this lesson because I thought that it was a really neat way to teach students about the third dimension, which is a hard concept for young children to understand.  This project allows them to not only see the flatness of the hand, but they are also able to feel that the hand is flat on the paper.  By allowing them to complete this project the subject of illusion may also be incorporated, as well as a re-emphasis on contour lines.  This lesson covers a wide variety of subject matter in a way that is easily comprehensible for young children.

…Assignment #2…

The project that I chose to recreate from “ART is Fundamental” was Lesson 18: Value Collage.  The objective of this assignment is to allow the students to see how contrast affects visibility, and this project also reinforces the concept of value as an element.  The students are to create a collage using materials that have no color. 

For this project, I chose to not only use black and white objects, but I also kept a common theme in mind while I was aquiring my objects.  I arranged the objects together in the form of a collage.  This project could also be enhanced with the amount of light placed upon the collage.  Shadows and highlights would create an even greater amount of contrast amongst the objects.   I really enjoyed gathering black and white objects for this project.

…Assignment #1…

...Black and White Value Drawing...
…Black and White Value Drawing…

 The project that I chose to recreate from “ART is Fundamental” was Lesson 15: Black Crayon on White Paper.  The objective of this assignment is to introduce students to the practice of gradiation.  By explaining the concepts of value in terms of lightness and darkness.  Students are to create a black and white design of any sort using only a black crayon, but creating a variety of values.

I chose to recreate this project using pencil instead of crayon.  I drew a shoe and demonstrated the different values of the shoe by applying various amounts of pressure to the pencil.  Lighter areas are indicated by the lighter values (white) and darker areas are shown in black.  I chose this project because I very much enjoy black and white sketches.
I think that this is a great project for young children.  It will allow them to add a sense of realism to their work and demonstrate perspective. 
I think that the way Ms. Prince explains the layout of the lesson is brilliant.  She relates the rather complex concept to the children in a way that makes sense to them.  The project is very simple, yet effective.  The illustrations and examples that she provides strongly reinforce the objectives that she is trying to execute and explain. 

…Text Input…

For the most part, I think that Frodart’s text is very straight froward and helpful.  The book covers a wide varitey of art terms, ideas, and explanations.  It has been a while sincce I have used some of the terms and techniques, and this book does a great job of explaining everything on an understandable level. 

The text also supplies the reader with an ample amount of examples.  Not only are the examples helpful to the reader, but they may also be utilized in the actual early childhood classroom.  The book takes everything and breaks it down piece by piece so that anyone without an art background is capable of comprehending its meaning and can effectively relate each idea to a classroom of children.  The examples provided are interesting, simple, and duplicateable which is very helpful as a future teacher. 

The format of this book is well done.  Fore example, each topic starts with a definition which is then placed into simple and straightforward terms.  Visuals are used to reinforce exactly what the text is saying.  Then, each topic is complete with a step-by-step project that could be used in the classroom with students.  This format and make up of each chapter and idea is very useful and helpful.

I think that this text is very resourceful.  I actually think that I will use it more once I am a teacher than I do now.  It is definitely going to be one that I save and not sell back!

…A Trip to MAZZA…

I have always had a strong passion for art throughout my life.  I began taking art lessons at a very young age with the Toledo Museum of Art.  All through high school I took as many art classes as I possibly could and found some real success working in the third dimension.  Growing up, I always pictured myself as an art teacher.  But as I got older I found myself experimenting with some graphic design and decided that a major in graphic design and advertising was right for me.  At the last minute, I decided to pursue a career in Early Childhood to fulfill my passion for working with children…however, I would still like to incorporate as much art as I can.  My dad told me when I was little that I should write and illustrate children’s books.  I have sort of brushed off the idea as a joke until recently.  I took a Children’s Lit class last semester and absolutely loved it.  I am very excited about this class and was anxiously awaiting our trip to the MAZZA Museum.

At the museum, I was awe struck.  All of the art work and original sketches blew me away.  The brilliant use of colors, techniques, and imaginative story lines was incredible.  I really found myself looking closely at the art work and appreciating all the work behind the finished products.  The process of getting from point A to point B is a surreal and exciting production. 

I stayed at the museum a little longer on my own.  I enjoyed examining several of the pieces very closely and learned a lot about the results that different techniques execute.  The MAZZA Museum was an incredible place, and I am looking forward to going back.  There is so much to observe and I found it all very inspirational.  I am starting to really think that illustrating is possibly an option for my in my future.  I know that I have a lot to learn and a lot of work to do before I am capable of aspiring to that level, but this is a solid start.