Submitted by Judy Decker
UNIT: Technology - Research - Collage - Mixed media (Renaissance extension)
Lesson: Heroes shadow Boxes - Joseph Cornell
Grade level: Middle school and up       

Mixed Media Shadow Box: Who are our Heroes ? 

Students: Select a person who has made a positive influence over the world.

You must be able to document how the person has made a positive impact on the world.  Rap music celebrities and wrestlers will not be accepted.  Collect collage materials that could be used as backgrounds (landscapes, photocopies, magazine cut outs).  The center - or focal point of your shadow box will have a photograph or painting of your person.  The other images (minimum of four) represent their contributions in some way  (or other people associated with them).  This will involve some out of class work to find materials.  The teacher may enlarge small photographs using the photocopier.  Digital camera, the Internet and computer/printer will be used for additional images.  

Resources:  Joseph Cornell links page

Motivation:

1.      PowerPoint presentation of work of Joseph Cornell

2.      Internet search of Virtues and Moral Character http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/heroes.htm

3.      Internet search for information and images for selected Hero (Hero must be approved by social studies teacher - this is an interdisciplinary lesson.). I showed student segments of a video about Leonardo da Vinci.

4.      Demonstrations of each step

Procedure:

Teacher prep: Cut corrugated cardboard to size with paper cutter (or utility knife). Our boxes were 9" x 12" so cardboard was cut 13" x 16" - Score sides 2" all around to make side of box.                                  

1.       Finish collecting collage materials for shadow box.  Your images should relate to the person you have selected.  This is a narrative piece - that is, it should tell a story with pictures.  Select for printing any digital images from your disks that you wish to use in the shadow box. Wallpaper may be used for background; Biography strips may be collaged onto sides of box.  You will not need to find collage materials for the back of your box—that is where you will collage your writing. 

2.       Develop a rough plan on white paper (do not glue images to the paper).  The inside should feature the portrait of the person you selected.  Other images should relate to the accomplishments (may also show how discoveries, inventions, etc, are used today). Study some of the examples of Joseph Cornell’s work to see how he has created layered images.

PLAN SHEETS ARE DUE _________FOR A GRADE.  Be sure to list any additional collage materials that will be needed.  Some of them I may have.  You are responsible for bringing in anything that is not covered by art fees.  See the lesson sheets for list of supplies that your fees will cover.  

To make box: Cut out corners of cardboard along score lines. Fold sides of box up. Tape all around with wide masking tape. Paint inside of box - or collage paper inside (to hide cardboard - we used strips of black paper or strips of printed biography).

3.      Begin to glue down background with Mod-Podge ® Gloss Medium.  Brush glue onto cardboard with foam brush.  Brush glue to back of image.  Smooth onto board.  ALLOW TO DRY BEFORE BRUSHING GLUE OVER THE TOP SURFACE. Many students chose to glue plain black or brown paper inside box and put all image in relief. Inside of box could be painted.

4.       Roughly cut out images (you will cut neatly later).  Apply images to cardboard in the same manner.  Allow to dry—NEATLY cutout cardboard images. (we used scrap black and brown cardboard)

5.       When glue has dried, brush gloss medium over entire surface. Use caution when brushing over computer images - ink will bleed.

6.     Collage writing or related materials over outside edges of box. Biography can be printed into strips - (three columns on 8 1/2" x 11" paper - text 2" wide - we used parchment paper). Print biography on parchment paper for back of box. May frame with a selection of border  designs (see example above)

7.       Assemble images into box with hot-glue gun and small wood blocks. Foam core scraps were use for some low relief.

Alternate: Shadow box with fake "Daguerreotype" cover.

For this project, the door of the box is taped on before the collage. Tape front left side edge with wide tape -- and along the back side. Collage the back side of door to box. May use timeline of events or any appropriate images. The out side of the door has the fake daguerreotype. Photograph/portrait of Hero is printed on transparency. Cardboard spray painted silver is placed behind transparency. A frame is made from tooling foil. The frame is cut larger to fold over around the outside edges of the door. The side where attached to the box is folded over. See example below.

         
     Cover with fake Daguerreotype             Inside shows journey of Johannes Richer from Switzerland to Ohio
                                                                  then to Peru Indiana. Many collage images are from his journals.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR A "C" OR BETTER:

• CRAFTSMANSHIP IN CUTTING - YOU MUST CUT CLOSE TO IMAGES  

• CRAFTSMANSHIP IN GLUING - IMAGES MUST BE SMOOTH AND WITHOUT AIR POCKETS OR RIPPLES.  

• MINIMUM OF FIVE COLLAGE MATERIALS –two must be from magazines or outside resources.  

Alternate lesson - from  Judy Decker   Architecture 3-D Photo Collage Shadow Box I thought I would share an idea that you could do for a photo assignment - or graphics arts (Vivian Komando did a similar project with her students - Joseph Cornell shadow boxes). It would use photos the student have already taken over the course of the semester/year.....Or you could make it a new assignment for local Architecture in the community  Mine has a "surreal" quality to it. It uses five photographs that my son took - one of his senior pictures (Matt with MG) - and fish I found on the Internet (those are the four fish of his fish that died from an ammonia spike under my watch -- so this is a "shrine" to them, too). The building is Stocker Hall at Ohio University (where my son's main courses in ME are held). Behind the doors is a full image of the building along with a park scene and my son with his MG

The main building was done with four photographs the same size (mine are all printed from the computer - his photos were on CD) - layered - and separated with mat board for a little relief and/or with foam core board for more relief. The images in the foreground (sculpture-flower and plant) are supported with blocks of wood. The doors have plastic in them to simulate glass. The box is collaged inside and out with the history of Stocker Hall and Ohio University. I put a full size photo of Stocker Hall on the back of the box (like the one shown in the doorway). This piece will have a frame and will be under Plexiglas. This example was inspired by the 3-D photo work of  Scott Matyjaszek http://www.artephax.com These lessons may be done substituting wood or foam core board for the corrugated cardboard. Take pictures of local architecture  [MIDDLE SCHOOL ART LESSONS] [ART HOME] [ART LESSONS]