Drawing Practice

Objectives: Students will practice drawing from observation and drawing from imagination
This lesson is meant to be drawn from a specific theme, in this case the theme is invention.

Light bulb

Pre-Lesson Discussion
Slide Show

Observation Light-bulb
Students will have a selection of lightbulbs on a table to choose from and to draw.   Students must draw from observation and not add any imagined details.  Students should try to focus on the shadows and reflections they can see through the glass of the lightbulbs.

Materials:
Paper
Pencils
Erasers
Light-bulbs


Imagined Light-bulb

Students will draw imagined future lightbulbs.  They don't have to be possible.  Their drawings should show the lightbulb as well as what the lightbulb can do.  Students should be able to show an understanding of what their lightbulb can do in their picture.

Paper Beads

Use strips of paper to roll into beads

Cut strips into different shapes and roll on dowel rods to shape.
Students will create paper beads and will string them together to create sculptures.  There is no scale requirement.

Materials:
Magazines
Dowel Rods/Toothpicks (depending on size of bead hole)
String
Wire
Glue

Origami Lesson

This lesson can last at least one month if wanted, or can be a week long unit

Pre-Lessons leading up to Paper Crane week:
Learn how to fold a basic shape: Not sure what that would be yet
Learn how to fold a star box


Paper Crane lesson:
(See PowerPoint for this information in an applicable way)

  

Original Image

1. History of Paper Cranes
1. Importance of the Crane
2. Sadako
2. Images of Paper Cranes
3. Discussion of different things that class can do with paper crane activity
1. Decorate the school
1. collaboration
2. Make 1000 for some reason
1. personal project
3. Use paper cranes to construct paper sculpture
1. Personal or Collaboration
4. Plasti-dip cranes
5. Cut Paper
4. Crane Tutorial

Follow up lessons:

Students continue to experiment with origami and paper folding, can continue on Crane Veign and create art using the cranes as the material

OR

Students can continue to expand their origami experience.

If they choose this option they must incorporate another art technique into their origami: photography, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics etc.

Design a Board Book

Taking inspiration from books like the Little Miss Austen collection, design a board book that is based on a classic novel.  Choose a novel from a list and read it.  Locate the key points/characters that would be translatable to a children's novel.  Gather inspiration images from online of illustrations of different scenes from the book and create your own images.  You can use the images and alter them so that they are yours or you can draw your own.

This project can be altered for a younger age.  Using one story, as the teacher find key characters and descriptions of the characters.  Assign each student a character and have them draw them and write a little explanation for their reasons for how they look.  As a class create the story of the book, it doesn't have to follow the plot of the original story.

Product Re-Design

Original Link from Pinterest

Students will re-design a food package to make it more appealing to look at while maintaining its practicality. Food packaging is starting to be re-designed to be more appealing to buyers.  Students will pick a food item and they will re-design the packaging.  They can use photoshop or illustrator to create the design.  They have to create a design.  Pitch the design to the teacher and the class.  They have to then create a prototype that will have to actually hold the food packaging.

Original Link from Pinterest

Rolling pin print

Students will create a continuous print

Original Link from PinterestThey will create an image in photoshop that when connected will be seamless.  They will print out their image and then transfer it to a rolling pin.  They will carve out their image carefully.  It will make it easier if they clamp their roll down so that it doesn't roll easily and their hands wont get in the way.

Printmaking Brand

Original Link from Pinterest

Students will create their brand symbol and will trace it onto Styrofoam.  They will cut it out of the styrofoam and add the details and they will mount it on a small wooden block.  This will be used to stamp their works in the future and will be used as a watermark for their art labels.  Students will need to provide an explanation for their symbolism.