Submitted
by: Linda
Wood, St.
John's Lower School, Houston, Texas
GRADE LEVEL: 4th thru 6th grade
UNIT: Architecture/Drawing
PROJECT: Dream Houses (or
Haunted Mansions)
 |
|
| Click on the images for full size |
|
|
|
Objectives: The learner will
- Gain an appreciation for styles of architecture - use a variety of sources to get ideas.
- Combine architectural elements to design a "dream house"
- Use pen and ink to develop textural interest
- Develop skills in perspective through close observation of angles - Use overlapping to show depth.
- Utilize elements and principles of design in an original composition.
- Develop skills in drawing.
Materials:
Architecture handouts (from the Illustrated Architecture Dictionary), view finders,
Pencils
, Eraser
, 12"x18"
white Drawing Paper
, pen
and Ink (or Sharpie Ultra-Fine Markers), Scissors, Glue, Construction Paper
Instructional
Resources:
Books
Famous Buildings of Frank Lloyd Wright
- Renderings of 44 extraordinary structures designed by one of the 20th century’s most influential architects.
America's Painted Ladies: The Ultimate Celebration of Our Victorians
- A survey of Victorian homes from Searsport, ME, where the subtly detailed, white-bodied Mansard Carriage House Inn welcomes its guests, to a pink 1887 Steamboat Gothic in National City, near San Diego, here are dozens of Victorians, large and small, somber and vivid, plus an assortment of interiors.
Victorian Dream Homes: 160 Victorian & Farmhouse Plans from Three Master Designers
- This collection, and others by Home Planners, offers some beautifully modernized versions of Queen Anne, Romanesque, Gothic and Folk Victorian homes from three different architectural design firms.
Vocabulary:
line,
texture, rhythm, balance, repetition, perspective, cupola, dormer,
gabled roof, gazebo, pediment, column, capital, and other architectural elements
Instruction/Motivation:
-
Discuss
briefly styles of architecture - show various examples
-
Demonstrate
ways transfer angles --show how to use view finder
-
Demonstrate
pen and ink drawing techniques for various textures
Preparation:
Make a booklet of ideas for each table from the Illustrated
Architecture Dictionary.
Create
a PowerPoint that shows different examples of architectural
elements... different kinds of
capitals,
windows, roof types, doors, gazebos, turrets, etc.
Procedures:
-
Study
handouts of architectural handouts - select features for your
"Dream House"
-
Combine elements to design your home - draw lightly with pencil.
-
Transfer
angles to show perspective Hold pencil at an angle over the
architectural model
being used at the time and transfer the same angles to the drawing by
simply not bending
the wrist but moving the pencil to show the same angle on the drawing
paper and then
drawing the angle. Focus on parallel lines when drawing windows,
door frames, roof lines, etc. Horizontal and vertical edges of the paper may be used as guides for
sighting angles.
Viewfinders may be used to site angles to transfer to their
drawings.
-
Add
freehand
details such as people in the yard, animals, trees, fences, bikes,
cars, etc.
-
Optional:
Work as a group at the table to create one scene -- connect drawings
together in
small groups (but in such a way that you could take them apart and
have them stand alone
when time to take them home).
-
Outline
drawing with pen and Ink (or Sharpie Ultra-Fine Markers). Use
pen to add
textures -- shingles, siding etc.
-
Cut
drawing out (cut out windows if desired) - cut away the negative
space.
-
Put
tiny dots of glue on back and mount on dark construction paper.
Alternate Ideas:
1.Drawing on black paper - color with Prismacolor
pencils or Crayola construction paper
crayons.
2. Draw on black paper with white
Prismacolor Colored Pencils
3. Color pen and ink drawing with
Watercolor Paints.
Evaluation:
-
Did
the learner create an interesting composition using a variety of
architectural elements?
-
Did
the learner show textures?
-
Did
the learner create the illusion of depth through the use of
overlapping and observation of angles?
-
Did
the learner show use a principles of design?
-
Did
the learner show skill and craftsmanship in drawing?
Alternate
Lesson: Haunted Houses/ Haunted Mansions
This section was beefed up a little by Ken Rohrer
Use
any of the media listed above and the work of Lewis
Barrett Lehrman for inspiration.
Haunted house and mansions have been portrayed on television and in the movies as old Victorian or Italiante style homes that are very large and are usually unkempt. Dead trees and unmowed grass adorn the lawn. Frequently there are broken or shuttered windows. What are some famous haunted houses you can think of? If you watch TV Land, you will see the Munsters and The Addams Family haunted mansions.
 |
 |
Click on the images for full size
The house from the movie Psycho. It is on the Universal Studios lot near Los Angeles, California. There is no interior- just the outside frame. |
The house above was going to be chosen in one of the Addams Family movies. Below left is the house that was used in the television series. A painting was made of this house and a few changes were made. The painting below appeared In the beginning of each episode. See more great pics here. |
 |
 |
The Munsters mansion (Picture above from The Munsters)
What other houses can you think of that would make a great haunted house or mansion? What can you do to your house to make it scary? Below you will see pictures of old houses that you could turn into haunted houses. What can you do to them to make them scary?
 |
 |
Click on the images for the larger version
This house is in New York. There isn't much you need to do to make this haunted, is there? It is already on a hill, already is surrounded by trees without any leaves, and needs a coat of paint. |
This victorian mansion is in Georgia. You will need to do a little work on this house to make it scary. What can you do to make it scary? Would you do anything with the red, white, and blue drape decorations? |
Links
and other Architecture books. (See below)
