Virginia Art Education Association Conference 2021- Surviving and Thriving in the Middle School Art Classroom

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VAEA 2021 - Surviving and Thriving in the Middle School Art Classroom

Fractured Still Life Drawing

Fractured Still Life Drawing

I began this lesson with a google slide presentation which covered what a contour line drawing, still life drawing are and what composition means. I have not completed this lesson with students, but will update this post with student art when they start rolling in :) 

Google Slide Presentation- contour line, still life, composition

 

 

Materials:

White paper (needs to be at least 8.5x11, larger is better) 

Pencil, sharpie, colored pencils, blending stump (if you don't have one, you can use your finger, paper towel, or tissue) 

RULER or STRAIGHT EDGE (use a book or something that has a straight edge if you do not have a ruler) 

Directions:

1. Arrange an interesting still life composition of 8-10 items. 

2. Using pencil, create a contour line drawing of the composition. (DO NOT SHADE) 

3. Using pencil, draw 8-10 of the same geometric shape (they should be different sizes) OVERLAP your contour still life objects 

                              

4. Using sharpie, outline any pieces of the items that are NOT inside of a box. DO NOT OUTLINE THE BOXES!!!!

                               

5. Decide which materials to use inside which boxes. You are adding value/color to the items, but ONLY inside the boxes. Some should be done with just sharpie, some with pencil, and some with colored pencil. 

                                   

6. Lastly- you need a background that doesn't take away from your drawing. I decided to create evenly spaced vertical lines through the back of mine. It is your choice what to do for your background.

Background Rules: 

Should be done only with pencil and sharpie. (pencil first for sure!) 

DO NOT draw through your boxes or items! 

Simple is best. 

                                       

Let's talk art journals

Ok so most teachers have a warm up routine for the kids as they come in. 

...I didn't used to, until two years ago. 

We do not have bells between classes because of our schedule so I was having students coming in to class in waves. I got tired of starting directions 50 times, so I decided I needed a warm up that they could work independently on each day. LIGHTBULB: Art Journals! They have evolved from a completely open ended assignment "hey kids you can draw whatever you want!" To a designated subject- which gets rid of most of the "I don't know what to draw" and the "I can't draw" complex. 

All students are 'trained' to come in and get their journals out each day. 7th and 8th grade have 20 minutes every class day (X/Y schedule, 85-90 minutes) 

And 6th grade has 10 minutes (every day semester or X/Y nine weeks 40 minutes) it is a graded weekly assignment. 

Week one: Cover.

The cover is made of poster board, it's 13"x 9.5" This year I printed their names so they would be legible. They were instructed to draw 6 lines from their name, and had to include the word Art, and a quote of their choice. The remainder was up to them. 

As you can see, the results vary. I like the organized directions to get them started but then I love to see their individuality come out with the rest of it.

Each week 8th graders are to choose a quote (I have 3 on the board to choose from or they can come up with their own quote via the internet) they have to write their quote on their page, attempting a font other than their own handwriting. They then have to 'fill the space' however they see fit:

7th grade is assigned a word each week, and this year they have to use a particular font. The rest of the page is up to them, this weeks word was School: 

Last but not least, 6th grade. They have a short class time, 40 minutes so I assign them a topic. This week they were to draw an imaginary creature: 

My students never cease to amaze me!