Grade 8 2D Studio Art
Unit 1
Frida Kahlo Style Self-Portrait
Key concept: Identity
Related concept: Expression
Global context: Identities and relationships
Statement of Inquiry: The process of artistic creation based on 'identity' can lead to self-discovery
COMPOSITION
The arrangement of visual elements in an image
GOAL : To emphasis the subject / mood / action of an image and make it both easily understood and aesthetically pleasing to the viewer.
Composition includes: Colour | Shape | Line | Contrast | Proportion | Cropping | Viewpoint | Rhythm | Perspective | Geometry and more! Basically, it includes everything in an image! (That's why it's so tough to master, you have to keep track of a bunch of stuff!)
PROCESS JOURNAL & CREATIVE OUTPUT
Students will begin this unit of work by taking a series of "selfies" and learning how to draw a face using the following strategy...
- Choose one of the self-portraits that you took, where you are facing straight on to the viewer.
Follow these steps; use an HB or 2B pencil until you start shading.
- Basic egg shape to begin
- Eyes always in the middle of the head when facing forward - draw a horizontal line
- Draw a vertical line down as a guide for the center
- Start with the eyes, eyes always an eye width apart, about 5 eye widths across – use your pencil as a measuring tool.
- Nose typically 1.5 eyes lengths down
- Another eye width down for the bottom of the month
- Almond shaped eyes
- Draw guidelines down from the corner of the eyes for the nose (edge of the nostril)
- Guidelines down from the center of the pupil to where the corners of the lips are
- Ear guidelines, a little bit higher than the top of your eye to down around where your nose is.
- Shape-up your face to suit your face shape
- Eyebrows to suit your eyebrows
- Hair to suit you etc.…
- Begin to work in your unique facial traits, don’t forget to determine where the light source is coming from in your photo and shade accordingly.
The more detail and careful shading you put into it, the better it will look. Try and go for realism and resist the temptation to make a comic character. Do your best.
TASK : Contemplate 2 questions from each of the 3 sections below. After you have contemplated your answers, write them in statements in your process journal.
Factual— What does the word identity mean to you? What is the one special thing about you that makes you different and unique? What shapes individual identities? What about Frida´s paintings give you hints about her identity and why? What colours are most noticeable or dominant in Frida´s self-portraits?
Conceptual—Why and how do people represent individual identities as part of their self-portraits? How could the use of a certain colour in your self-portrait represent your identity, your heritage? Why and how do you express and then represent yourself in drawings/paintings? Why and how do you “hide” your feelings and emotions through symbols? How do you convey mood through artistic expressions? How do you interpret feelings in someone´s artwork?
Debatable— Is it a sign of strength/vulnerability to explore and expose your feelings/self though the creation of your own image? How does it make you feel? Is showing emotions a weakness? To share your image and how you feel with the public means you are brave or it makes you feel exposed? Are there other ways to express yourself and your emotions? Can all members of the community find alternatives ways of self- expression?
TASK :
Research describe/analyze (use images, drawing and written formats) the ways in which Frida Kahlo expresses her identity and feelings in her self-portraits. (2 process journal pages minimum). Use information about her history, heritage, culture, country, climate, natural resources to inform the research. Explore how the artist deals with her personal conflicts and expresses her feelings through the use of symbols in her paintings.
Focus on 2 of her paintings using the art criticism guide to the right...
1. Provide the main details of the artwork
Title
Artist
Date
Medium
Size
2. Describe what you see in the artwork. Make a list of all of the objects and things you can see.
3. How do you think the artwork was made? What techniques and skills has the artist used to make this artwork?
a) What equipment and materials have been used? (e.g. clay, pottery wheel, oil paint, acrylic paint, canvas, paper, small thin brushes, ink, printing press).
b) What techniques has the artist used? (e.g. mono printing, wheel throwing, applied the paint with small, detailed brush strokes).
c) What steps did the artist take in making the artwork? (e.g. went outside into the landscape and painted the image directly from nature).
4. How has the artwork been arranged or designed?
a) How has colour been used?
b) How has the artist used composition in the artwork? (Is it balanced, pleasing to the eye, organized).
Task:
Research and analyze yourself and what reflects / connects with who you are. Create a brainstorm (include symbols & motifs that you connect with). Produce a series of observational drawings and self-portrait studies using a diverse range of media. (4 pages minimum).
Task:
Plan for your final painting, working through the design process; (pick one of your thumbnail designs to refine, enlarge it, add more details, add color indications). NOTE: Your self-portrait needs to best depict you – refer back to your brainstorm and self-portraits and employ your new knowledge of symbolism; every piece of subject matter that you choose to incorporate, has a meaning to it, and will say something about you. Apply the colors that best describe your heritage and/or feelings. Plan carefully explaining (annotate) your intentions and reasons for the self-portrait...
- What IMPACT do you want it to have?
- What do you intend to express? Joy, fear, balance, memories, hobbies, heritage, childhood, rejection, union, family, traumas, love?
- What mood do you intend your facial features to convey? Happiness, sadness, surprise, loneliness, fear?
After ongoing peer and self critique (ask other students how they feel about your work – make comments and note down reactions), you will refine your ideas through to a final solution.
Task:
Creative Output on Canvas Board – Self Portrait - You will be taught painting techniques and how to mix skin tones. Taking this knowledge you will sketch-up your final portrait, (using your plan and observational drawings in your process journal), and paint it to the best of your ability.
Task:
Process Journal ~ Use the art dept. prompts to aid with your evaluation & reflection. Adapt/Adopt/Address/ Reinforce/ Reflect/Rethink. (Approx: 300 words of neat, handwritten reflection in black pen in process journal). Explain the possible impact this may have on the audience who see your final painting: highlight how other people from the different cultures, backgrounds and who have experienced different feelings/ emotions in their lives may see and feel about your work. Explain how you have been influenced by Frida Kahlo in your work, what elements of art you are
working with, and the reasons for your choices.
The Narrative
in Art
There are different motivations for communicating personal and cultural narratives in art.
Key Concept: Communication
Related Concept: Narrative
Global Context: Personal & Cultural Expression
Inquiry Questions:
Factual— What types of stories do artists tell?
Conceptual— What role does the context play in giving meaning to an artist’s theme?
Debatable—Does all art tell a story?
Process Journal - Research Task
In your Process Journal, describe and analyze the artists work in terms of composition, theme, context, and synthesis.
Process: With your group, study the work of the artist prescribed by the teacher. Research & find at least two more artworks by the same artist that are related by theme. In your group, discuss these works. Create pages in your process journal where you write about the following...
Composition: How does the artist use composition (principles of design, formal elements of art, and technique, etc.) to aid in getting the point of the work across?
Theme: What are the big ideas the artist is trying to express? (Be careful here as it might not be just what the story is about, make sure you research).
Context – Why has the artist chosen to make this artwork during the time it was made? What historical or present influences helped form the work’s theme? How is/was it relevant during the time it was made?
Synthesis - How do all these elements (Composition, Theme, and Context) help us understand the meaning in these artworks?
UNIT
INSPIRATION KLIMT
About this unit
In this unit, students explore the work of Gustav Klimt focusing on his use of pattern and colour. They apply these patterns to images of their own facial features (eyes, nose, ears and mouth), through drawing with pencil crayons, fine liners and paper collage techniques. They develop their ideas through to create a panel inspired by their earlier drawings. They learn about and investigate the work of Gustav Klimt.
Key Concept: Communication
Related Concept(s): Style | Composition
Global Context: Personal & Cultural Expression
Statement of Inquiry: Compositions constructed using pattern and repetition can communicate both motion and an impression of personal and cultural expression.
Factual — What elements can be identified within Klimt's work?
Conceptual — What is the relationship between the artwork and the experience that the audience has viewing it?
Debatable — Does art that becomes over-commercialized lose or gain its value and appeal?
Language for learning
Through the activities in this unit students will be able to understand, use and spell correctly vocabulary relating to:
-
Gustav Klimt – (Art Nouveau, pattern, gold leaf, frieze, composition).
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Design ‐ (Aesthetic, style, stylised, influences, abstract, motif, geometric pattern).
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Line | Tone | Color | Pattern | Texture | Shape | Form | Movement
PROCESS JOURNAL & CREATIVE OUTPUT
- Investigation drawings of facial features: Students focus upon creating 4 A5 coloured pencil & crayon studies of their own facial features (eyes, nose, ears and mouth). Drawings will be produced from first hand observation using a mirror. Peer Review at the end of the lesson. Self-assessment.
- Introduction to the work of Gustav Klimt – Students will see images of Gustav Klimt’s work through a Powerpoint presentation and dicuss materials and techniques that he used within his work. Focusing inparticular on his use of colour and pattern. Students work in pairs to produce a short written study about one example of Gustav Klimt’s work, focusing on his use of colour, pattern and materials. Questioning through class discussion and mark given for study. Formative. Self assessment. Peer assessment.
- Students will select two of the facial features drawings completed in week 1 and sketch out the features onto an A4 sheet of white cartridge paper. Students will add a patterned background to their feature drawing working in the style of Gustav Klimt referring to their studies from week 2. Students will add colour to the A4 design using watercolour, pencil, crayons and fineliner, papercollage and gold acrylic paint. Peer assessment. Formative. Self-assessment.
Unit 3
Metamorphosis
Key Concept: Change
Related concepts: Boundaries and Narrative
Statement of Inquiry: Changing and adapting the boundaries of a form, evolving it’s orientation in space and time, creates new possibilities for new narratives and ways of viewing the art form.
Visual metamorphosis is the term we use to indicate shape-shifting in art. It allows an artist to transform a shape representing one item into a similar shape representing something else. This, in turn, allows one meaning to be hidden behind another. It is a visual technique equivalent to allegory and metaphor in literature and has, in consequence, been widely used. It was first proposed in the 1930’s in a slightly different form by the French art historian, Henri Foçillon. Although subsequent historians have recognized visual metamorphosis in a few works by major artists, Dürer being the best-known, it has been far more widely used than anyone, save artists, has ever recognized.
Brainstorm:
Mutation / Transmutation
Change / Transformation / Evolution
A type of alteration or degeneration
Positive = to become better in some way, stronger, brighter, taller, bigger,
Negative = to decay in some way, become smaller – tiny, rotten, darker
Change of form, structure, or substance
Metamorphosis in living things / buildings / evolution
PROCESS JOURNAL & CREATIVE OUTPUT
Starting point ideas to get you thinking about your work and angle
Sewn-up banana peel, let it sit for weeks while photographing it over time. It will go from a sewn up banana peel, to a stunningly deceiving old beat up leather shoe, just from its natural decaying and drying process.
In the television series Supernatural, there is an episode where a man is born with something in him, which waits until he grows to certain age before it takes control and begins transforming in his mind/stomach (craving for raw meat). Had it not been for his death… I imagine his body would have gone through some metamorphosis - I'm thinking of his spinal/rib/shoulder structure painfully growing into some wings!
Puberty? That’s ALL about metamorphosis, and it's something everyone can relate to.
Mythical themes
Semi-self portrait transforming into your totem animals or star sign.
Getting older. Find a photo of when you/your parents/grandparents were babies, little kids, teens, adults, elderly and how they changed through the years, both in appearance and mind. Or from fetus to baby, (which could be done with different animals too).
What about mental metamorphosis? Have you ever had something happen to you that changed your point of view on something? Try to remember what it felt like and maybe convert that feeling into a representative image. Maybe a growing-up moment, or a moment of clarity, or moment of learning?
Printmaking
Stamps & Linocuts
Skip to around 6:30 in video & watch from there!
Mokuhanga 木版画
Japanese for 'Woodblock print'
Task 1 -
In your process journal create a research page titled MOKUHANGA
You are required to research the following sections below, writing at least 6 sentences about each section (can be in bullet point format).
This research work falls under 'Criterion A' in 2D art, which is 'Knowledge & Understanding.'
Please note that each process journal page in 2D art must be a combination of written formats (diagrams, bullet points, paragraphs), printed images and sketches.
- History of Mokuhanga -
- Techniques of Mokuhanga -
- Schools and Movements of Mokuhanga -
Task 2 -
Select one Japanese Mokuhanga artist to create a research page about. Begin by looking at a few different artists and their work, then choose the work that you are most attracted to in terms of subject matter, style or color palette. Your page must include... information relevant to their art career, one of their prints (with title, size and date information), and a copy (sketch) of their work done by you.
Linoblock
Linocut is a printmaking technique, a variant of woodcut in which a sheet of Lino is used for the relief surface. A design is cut into the Lino surface with a sharp knife, V-shaped chisel or gouge, with the raised (uncarved) areas representing a reversal (mirror image) of the parts to show printed.
Benefits of using Lino block for printing include...
- Linoleum allows the printmaker to easily carve curved lines.
- Linoleum is able to accept impressions from sharp objects.
- Linoleum is much easier to cut than wood, especially when heated.