Submitted
by Mark Alan Anderson, Oak Park High School in Missouri
UNIT: Color - Contemporary Art (Chuck Close)
Lesson: Master Pieces: Collaborative Mural
Grade Level: middle school (shown 8th grade)
Alternate Lesson: Tile Mural from Kim McSherry
More mural ideas on IAD
Lesson
Summary:
Students create
a master work mural from matrix grid. Prior to this
lesson, students have had color theory and know all of the
color plans and what colors work best to match value scale
(high key and low key colors). This unit works as a review
- and could be a "hands on" quiz.
Lesson builds a sense of
"community" - all parts are needed to make a
whole. All students' work is exhibited. This would make a
nice display for open house/parent night - or for a wall
display announcing up coming art show (later in the year).
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| 8th grade student example (Actual work was might brighter - more colorful) |
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Students become familiar
with contemporary artist, Chuck Close.
Objectives
- TLW
develop skills that improve observational drawing and build
an awareness of proportional relationships.
- TLW
collaborate with students in the classroom and school
environment to create a collective artwork.
- TLW
utilize the elements of art in a variety of art materials.
MoSTEP Standards
- FA1
Process and techniques for
the production, exhibition or performance of one or more of
the visual or performed arts.
- FA2
The principles and elements
of different art forms.
- FA3
The vocabulary to explain
perceptions about and evaluations of works in dance, music,
theater and visual arts.
Vocabulary
Matrix,
grid, complementary color, analogous color, collaboration,
primary color, monochromatic
Materials
6”
x 8” Drawing Paper
, Pencils
, Erasers
, Oil Pastels,
Charcoal, Tempera Paint, other materials as deemed
appropriate (might try Crayola Overwriter markers).
Exemplars:
Chuck Close matrix artworks.
Resources:
Chuck
Close Online (See more Interent resources)
Book: Chuck Close: Up Close
by Jan Greenberg - A biography written for
children
DVD: Chuck Close: A Portrait in Progress
Procedures
PREP
Select a well known work of art. (one with a lot of
textural brush strokes works best)
Make
an 11” x 17” black and white photocopy – make sure it
is light enough to show detail throughout the entire image.
Lightly
grid the photocopy off into a matrix in which each block is
a 3:4 proportion (see
figure 1).
On
the back side of the gridded photocopy, number each block in
sequence so that each has a unique identifier. (I photocopy
the numbered back side for later reference to avoid
confusion.)
Use
an X-acto Knife
to carefully and exactly trim each block
out. (see figure 2)
Put
each numbered photocopy block into fishbowl number one.
Prepare
small slips of paper, each labeled with one of the
following: monochromatic, complementary colors, primary
colors, analogous colors, charcoal, colored pencils, tempera
paint, etc. (slips for each color color and for each medium
used. Provide enough slips for all student in class) You
decide how many different media you want to use. Alternate
idea would be to limit to one medium (i.e. all do tempera -
or oil pastel on black paper might be interesting)
Place
each slip of paper into fishbowl number two (students will
choose at random - a color plan strip or media strip)
Lesson
Open with a slide show of large matrix Chuck Close
artworks. Be sure to show images from a distance as well as
close ups. Discuss the illusion of detail created by
Close’s matrix of painted information: each block is
unique yet, collectively, they form a visual “whole.”
Chuck Close prints
Book: Chuck Close: Work
- This book offers the first comprehensive
critical examination of one of America's most
celebrated living artists.
Figure
1
(Left: Starry Night
by Van Gogh)
Have
students choose one matrix block from fishbowl number one.
In
their journal, students should clearly record the number
from the back of their selected photocopy piece.
Using
glue, they should then affix the photocopy piece securely
into their journal above the number. (This helps to avoid
the problem of small pieces of paper getting lost … and
totally gumming up the works!)
Have
students choose one slip of paper from fishbowl number two
and again glue it into their journal (student will have
selected a medium to use or color plan -the third element is
his/her own choice)
Explain
that each student will create a unique and abstracted
artwork, that every learner’s tools and assignment will
vary – but that when they are presented together something
very special will happen visually. Do not tell learners what
their images will collectively form.
Distribute
6” x 8” pieces of drawing paper.
Explain
that each learner must enlarge and reproduce the details of
the small photocopy from bowl number one, being observant of
proportion and value. However, learners will need to apply
the color scheme or use the material selected at random from
bowl number two.
Learners
are always very curious about what their image will form.
Some may even guess accurately – I encourage this
speculation but do not tell them. This keeps interest high.
I
usually teach at least three sections of 8th
grade Art and I have all of my classes working on segments
of the mural simultaneously. When I grid out the original
photocopy I try to make the blocks small enough so as not to
give away the secret of the original, yet large enough to
show detail and to be easily observed. Usually my students
will have to generate two or three blocks so that we have
enough pieces to complete the entire puzzle – I have to
carefully gauge the number of grid blocks against my
enrollment (and plan contingencies for when some kids,
invariably, are out of class and to avoid having any holes
in the final construction.)
Depending
upon how many grid pieces each student is required to
complete, the number of days of production time will vary
considerably.
display
In the past, when
all pieces have been completed, I carefully attach each grid
piece to the hallway wall with wax after students have
left for the day. This ensures a great surprise on their
arrival the next day. Another way to build the mural is to
have a prepared area of the wall covered with white paper
that has an accurate grid lightly penciled and numbered. As
each student completes a grid piece they can attach it to
the background, allowing the mural to reveal itself one
piece at a time.
Figure
2
Alternate
Idea:
Portrait of Principal
Students
might enjoy doing a portrait of their principal (don't let
on who or what it is). Take a good photograph with some
contrast - and experiment with some texture filters (get
some brush stroke effects). Follow same directions above.
See
related lessons
Technology
Teacher
presents a multi-media presentation on Chuck Close
Teacher
presents a follow presentation on Vincent Van Gogh (or whatever
artist is chosen for mural)
Students
do a WebQuest to find out more about selected artist.
Vincent
Van Gogh Resources.
Lesson
Copyright © 2005 by Mark Alan Anderson. Permission is granted for
art teachers to use - adapt. Permission is not granted for publication
elsewhere. Contact Mark Anderson for permission to publish.
Alternate
Lesson Idea: Tile Mural
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Submitted
by Kim McSherry
Peoria Academy
Grid Enlargement Tile Mural
All students at Peoria Academy
participated in a grid enlargement project focusing on art
of Georgia O'Keeffe. Shown is the tile mural made by 8th
graders for a permanent installation. Other grade level
work was temporary.
Kim describes their process: Pick a
piece of art work you wish to enlarge. Draw a grid out on
the art piece taking into consideration the number of
students in a class. |
After
grid is drawn on art turn over paper and number the grids
then cut out the squares. Once squares are measured and
cut have drawing paper measured, numbered, cut and ready
to hand out. This paper should be in proportion with the
piece the students will be drawing. The math teachers are
great at helping with the measurements. Instruct the
students to draw in pencil on the blank piece of paper
exactly what they see from the art piece they have. The
younger students need to know they have to draw very very
big. It helps to put the students together so they can
match their lines up. We instructed them to put their
papers together and draw together. When finished we gave
them crayons, pastels, or paints depending on the grade
level. We instructed them to paint their piece exactly
like they see on their art square. When finished we put
the finished pieces together and the kids are amazed how
they have enlarged a picture. With 8th grade we used tile
and decorated one of our water fountains with this
beautiful art piece the students created through grid art.
For the tile mural, we used glass or tile paint that you
can get from any craft store. I used a Clear outdoor tile
sealer that can be purchased at any home improvement
store. We mounted on the wall just as you would mount
any wall tile (using traditional tile adhesive).
Note: Kim found this
practice worksheet helpful in getting the students to
understand drawing what they see in the grid.
