Lesson Plan by: Judy Decker
Grade Level: 7th Grade 9adaptable for grades 5 through 8)
Unit: Design -Art about Sports
Project: Abstract collage - Romare Bearden – Jacob Lawrence
Related Lesson:  Action Figure Collage- Miriam Schapiro - by Kathy Barger

        

Goals/Objectives:

1. To identify abstract art. Appreciation of African American Art and art of Stuart Davis.

2. To make an abstract collage with exciting shapes, colors, and patterns. Utilize elements and principles
    of design. 

3. To express movement – sound through use of art elements and principles of design.

4. Exhibit craftsmanship in cutting and gluing.

Activities

1.      Use Internet lessons above. Look at collages by Romare Bearden. Study “Builders” series by Jacob Lawrence. Notice how Bearden uses different pieces of paper or cloth cut into different shapes – Study how Lawrence uses shapes –bold areas of color. Compare how artists break up negative space.

2.      Present teacher made PowerPoint – Stuart Davis and Jacob Lawrence.

3.      Select sports figure (or other figure – some may choose to do musical instruments). Make a contour silhouette to use for cutting.

4.      Select background color paper – select paper for figures.

5.      Cut multiple images of figure from construction paper (We cut several at a time. Sports figure contour was stapled to several pieces of construction paper and cut) -- More than one figure may be used.

6.      Select construction paper to break up negative space. Use art elements and principles of design to plan composition – IMPROVISE as you go along. Develop a center of interest. Use repeated shapes. Once compositions appear to “work” – begin gluing. Continue gluing – improvising – until composition has pleasing arrangement and unity.

7.      Accent shapes with permanent markers if desired.

Review

Abstract art does not represent things exactly as they appear, things are usually distorted or changed. Collage is the French word for sticking or gluing. It is used to describe an artwork that has materials like paper and/or fabric stuck onto a flat surface like paper or canvas. Romare Bearden (1911-1988) is an African-American artist who is known for his collages. He began making collages about the African-American experience in the 1960's.

 Reflections

1. How is your collage like a painting? How is it different?

2. Why do or don't the colors and patterns you used look good together?

3. Explain why your collage is more abstract -- more realistic or non-objective.

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