Submitted by: Ken Schwab, formerly of Leigh H.S.
UNIT: Abstract/Non-Objective Art - Mixed media
Lesson: Road Map Relief - Mixed Media painting
Grade Level: High School (adaptable to middle school)
Ken's Web Site: http://www.artteacherplans.com/

Objectives:

• Awareness of abstract /non-objective art
• Found composition (using map) - shows awareness of elements and principles
• Work in relief - mixed media - create layers
• Give antique patina
• Critique non-objective art - discuss possible influences - how artist get ideas.

Click images to see larger views

Materials:

Newsprint - Pencils - Maps
Chipboard - Mat Board scraps
Toilet paper sheets
White Glue
Acrylic Paint - Brushes
Oil paint - Rags
Crystal Clear Acrylic Spray Paint

Procedures:

1. By using Maps as a guide create finders to look for a composition of lines in the maps. When you have found a composition then use tracing paper to make a composition of the roads for lines, and areas of cities to be shapes.

2. Enlarge the idea, on newsprint, to the size of the format you are going to use.

3. Transfer to the chip board, plywood or canvass, canvass panels.

4. Coil up paper towels and lay them in the areas for the roads, dip in white glue to adhere to the canvass. Use matt board to build up other areas (note: corrugated cardboard scraps could be used).

5. Cover the entire board with sheets of toilet paper brushed with white glue.

6. Let dry.

7. Cover the entire format with a thin coat of gesso to create a ground.

8. Paint with acrylic or tempera using a color scheme, neutrals, but make it very bright, more than you want.

9. Antique with oil paint black and a small amount of Van Dyke brown. To antique you must paint oil paint over the entire area and then wipe of with a rag so that the texture is still there from the toilet paper and use leave lower areas dark.

10. When dry spray with Crystal Clear spray to bring out color and give a shine.

11. Look at examples of non-objective art. Critique. Speculate on inspiration - source of ideas. Compare/contrast. Critique student art.

Assessment: Modified Rubric (adapted from Marianne Galyk)

Assessment Rubric
Student Name:						Class Period:
Assignment:						Date Completed:
Circle the number in pencil that best shows how well you feel that you completed that criterion for the assignment.		Excellent	Good	Average	Needs Improvement	Rate Yourself	Teacher’s Rating
Criteria 1 – Shows awareness of elements and principles of design in selecting composition		10 - 9	8 - 7	6 – 5 – 4	3 - 2 - 1
Criteria 2 – Developed interesting bas relief 3-D surface		10 - 9	8 - 7	6 – 5 – 4	3 - 2 - 1
Criteria 3 – Selected pleasing color plan and antiques to show surface variation		10 - 9	8 - 7	6 – 5 – 4	3 - 2 - 1
Criteria 4 – Effort: took time to develop idea & complete project? (Didn’t rush.) Good use of class time?		10 - 9	8 - 7	6 – 5 – 4	3 - 2 - 1
Criteria 5 – Craftsmanship – Neat, clean & complete? Skillful use of the art tools & media?		10 - 9	8 - 7	6 – 5 – 4	3 - 2 - 1
Total: 50 (possible points)	Grade:					Your Total	Teacher Total

National Standards:

1. Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes	2. Using knowledge of structures and functions	3. Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas	4. Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures	5. Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others	6. Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines (this can be brought in)
Students apply media, techniques, and processes with sufficient skill, confidence, and sensitivity that their intentions are carried out in their artworks		Students reflect on how artworks differ visually, spatially, temporally, and functionally, and describe how these are related to history and culture	Students differentiate among a variety of historical and cultural contexts in terms of characteristics and purposes of works of art	Students identify intentions of those creating artworks, explore the implications of various purposes, and justify their analyses of purposes in particular works	Students compare the materials, technologies, media, and processes of the visual arts with those of other arts disciplines as they are used in creation and types of analysis
Students conceive and create works of visual art that demonstrate an understanding of how the communication of their ideas relates to the media, techniques, and processes they use	Students evaluate the effectiveness of artworks in terms of organizational structures and functions		Students describe the function and explore the meaning of specific art objects within varied cultures, times, and places	Students describe meanings of artworks by analyzing how specific works are created and how they relate to historical and cultural contexts	Students compare characteristics of visual arts within a particular historical period or style with ideas, issues, or themes in the humanities or sciences
	Students create artworks that use organizational principles and functions to solve specific visual arts problems			Students reflect analytically on various interpretations as a means for understanding and evaluating works of visual art	(Note: Look at the examples of non-objective art - make connections to literature, music and world events when those works were created)