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Heroes and Heroines

Presented by Kristin Gantz
8765: Artistic Thinking
Fall 2015

Why heroes?
This

lesson exposes elementary students to

graphic design media, allows them to identify
meaningful relationships in their own lives, and use
those connections as inspiration for art-making
experiences.

Students

at the elementary age are naturally very

interested in this big idea. This attraction exists for
young students because they are inspired by and
aspire to be like many public figures, characters,
and people in their own lives.

Objectives
Students

will explore the characteristics and traits

that define heroic figures, different ways in which
those figures are portrayed, and how the idea can
be used in art-making experiences.

This

lesson also provides opportunities for

meaningful art-making experiences that will also
supply students with basic knowledge of graphic
design processes.

Introduction
What

is a hero or heroine? What characteristics

do they have?

Who

can be a hero/heroine?

Why

are heroes/heroines important?

How

can you use the idea of heroes/heroines for

art-making inspiration?

Lesson 1: Portrait of a Hero

Students will be able to use basic knowledge of proportion to recognize and
create portraits with realistic dimensions.

Skill-Building: Learning about proportion, part I

Students

will discover proportional measurements in

portraits and practice creating them individually.

Pre-Thinking: Who is your hero/heroine?

Students

will select a hero and describe the qualities of

that person.

Product: My Hero, part I

Students

will draw a proportional portrait of their hero, finishing it using

styles similar to Chuck Close, Andy Warhol, Paul Klee, or Vincent Van Gogh.

Assessment: Artist reflection

Students

will reflect on their chosen subject to create an artist statement.

Who did you select as your hero/heroine? Why did you select that person?
What characteristics do they have that you admire?
What finishing techniques did you use? Why? How do those finishing techniques enhance
your subject?

Lesson 2: Heroic Characters

Students will be able to describe proportion and use a grid to
increase or decrease the size of an image.

Skill-Building: Learning about proportion, part II

Students

will watch a demonstration of using a grid to increase or decrease

the size of an image and will practice the technique individually in their sketchbook.

Pre-Thinking: What qualities are heroic?

Students

will select a Disney character and brainstorm the qualities that make that
character heroic.

Product: My Hero, part II

Students

will create an enlarged grid drawing of their chosen character.

Assessment: Artist Reflection

Students

Who

will reflect on their chosen character to create an artist statement.

did you select as your hero/heroine? Why did you select that
character?
What characteristics do they have that you admire?
How did you create the drawing of this figure? How can you use the
same design technique in the future?

+ Lesson 3: Exploring Graphic Design, Part I

Students will begin exploring the art-making medium of graphic design.
Skill-Building/Pre-Thinking: Discussion

& application

Students

will listen to and partake in a discussion explaining the medium of graphic design.

Students

will identify examples of graphic design work in daily life.

Students

will identify color combinations and the impact of color in graphic design.
colors change your mood? (Sad, happy, angry, calm?)
colors grab your attention?
Which colors feel energized? Which feel peaceful?
Which colors feel playful? Elegant?
Which
Which

Students

will also identify patterns and the visual effects they create in graphic design.
do patterns draw your attention?
Do different lines, shapes, or colors in a pattern change the way you view an image?
How do patterns lead your eye around an image?
How do patterns add to or take away from the image?
How

Product: Visual

Onomatopoeia

Students

will use combinations of color and pattern to create a mood, feeling, or emotion that
accompanies onomatopoeia using inspiration from images created by Roy Lichtenstein.

Assessment: Artist

Reflection

Students

will reflect on their chosen onomatopoeia to create an artist

statement.
What

sound did you choose to design as onomatopoeia? Why?

do the colors and patterns enhance the mood or feeling of the onomatopoeia youve
chosen?
How can you use color families or patterns in your future art experiences?
How

+ Lesson 4: Exploring Graphic Design, part II

Students will create a unique, original character containing acquired
knowledge of proportion and graphic design.

Skill-Building: Learning about symbols

Students

will be introduced to symbols and the purpose of

using them.

Pre-Thinking: An original emblem

Students

will brainstorm characteristics and qualities they

would most desire as a hero or heroine.

Product: An Original Hero

Students

will apply previous knowledge of graphic design (colors, patterns) to create a

unique emblem for their new hero identity.
Students will accompany their emblem with a proportional portrait of themselves dressed in
heroic costume.

Assessment: Artist Reflection

Students
What

will reflect on their final art experience with an artist statement.

colors and patterns did you choose to use in designing your heros emblem? Why?
How do the colors and patterns symbolize the strengths or skills of the hero youve created?

Integrating Technology
Technology can be integrated into this unit, if available:

Popplet for brainstorming

Dragon Dictation or Voice Thread for artist statements

QR codes for displaying artist statements

Giphy for transforming graphic design into a GIF

Sketchbook Express for digital sketchbook activities

Adobe Illustrator Draw for digital creation of emblems