As a way to get to know each other in these first few weeks of the new school year, I created a lesson that incorporates visual art, self-reflection, technology standards, language arts, career paths, a tiny bit of math, and a WHOLE LOT of technique and quality craftsmanship.
Students filled out an "About Me" worksheet the first couple days of school that covered topics ranging from 'best summer experience' to 'favorite food' to ' places you've traveled to', and so on...
They were then told to imagine that a cinematographer was hired to make a documentary movie about their lives and that it would be coming out on DVD this quarter! The JWJ artists were able to use the information from their worksheet as well as additional interesting facts, quirks, stories, and any other fun bits and pieces that make them the unique and amazing humans that they are to design the cover sleeve for their autobiography documentary.
We learned about what a graphic designer does, and each student got to select a DVD (from a massive box I collected over the summer) that they felt related to them on a personal level. They used the layout and design of the DVD they chose as a sort of 'jumping off' point to begin the cover sleeve for their own autobiography documentaries. They practiced various fonts and handwriting styles, and we discussed several mediums they could use to execute their designs in the strongest, most successful way possible.
Some students wanted to paint, some chose drawing as their medium of choice, others wanted to work with photography, and others also wanted to work in collage for their designs.
In a choice- based classroom, as long as the artists know how to properly manipulate their medium of choice and the supplies are there (AND I can trust them to clean up after themselves!), then they are in charge of how each project is created and with what.
These graphic design cover sleeves have definitely given us fun insight into each other's personalities these first couple of weeks as we start to settle into our daily studio routine.
And a fun side project for early finishers has been the mini masterpiece menagerie ... Keep up the wonderful work, Abby! I just love getting to see these itty bitty animal creations at the end of class!!!
Let's hope everyone stays safe and gets creative as we bunker down in preparation for Hurricane Dorian. Next up in 3D art, we have ceramic bowls, plastic wrap figures, and zentangle sculptures !!!
Be sure to check back in to see what's been going down in the 2D art class as well, YAY, ART!!! :) :) :)