Visual Arts Explained-Aidan Obrien

Visual Arts Explained presents the findings
of my professional inquiry into current best

practices in elementary fine-arts education.
I have presented my research in the form
of a complete curriculum for the first two
years of arts education as mandated in the
Albertan Program of Studies, Fine Arts.
Visual Arts
Explained
A Curriculum for Fine Arts,
grades 1-2
Aidan C. OBrien
Visual Arts Explained

Introduction
While the Albertan Visual Arts Curriculum now has the dubious distinction of being the most
dated program of study, it is arguably more relevant and necessary than when it was first
published. The Albertan framework for 21st Century Learning places a high emphasis on
independence, risk taking and cultivating an entrepreneurial spirit. While these learning
objectives can be inserted into any program of study, they are already an essential part of
artistic practice.
The purpose of this document is to provide elementary teachers with a curriculum in a can. Most
elementary schools no longer employ a dedicated arts teacher, leaving the planning, materials and
curriculum in the hands of the homeroom teacher. During my internship I conducted an informal survey
of division 1 teachers in my school in order to understand the perceived challenges of teaching the
visual arts at the elementary level, so that I could make this resource as relevant as possible. The classes
presented here probably do not amount to a full year of art lesson so feel free to add in seasonal
projects where you wish. Do read ahead though as some of the projects are seasonally dependent or
require special materials.
Some of the challenges that appeared repeatedly in my survey were: a lack of art supplies, lack of
appropriate spaces, and the difficulty of interpreting the program of studies for the visual arts. Many
teachers also expressed that it was particularly difficult (near impossible) to cover the curriculum in a
single year.
Many of these same concerns were echoed in the 2009 K-12 Arts Curriculum Consultation Report. While
a new arts curriculum has yet to be released the report identifies key areas in which the program needs
to be updated, and aligns closely with the 21st Century Learner outcomes. This program is meant to
satisfy both the current curriculum and respond to the recommended changes in the 2009 consultation
report. I hope that this resource will contribute to a richer visual arts experience for students and
teacher alike.
How to Use This Resource
The lessons in this curriculum are loosely arranged into units based on the elements of art. These are
the bricks and mortar of any piece of art; unlike the principles of art these terms are relatively concrete
and developmentally appropriate for grades 1 and 2. My hope is that this will provide a useful
framework of vocabulary for student understanding.
While this resource is divided into 2 years the lessons do not correspond directly to grades 1 and 2. The
Fine Arts curriculum in elementary is divided into 2 year blocks, making teaching the curriculum in a
single year difficult. The year 1 lessons with some very minor modification would be appropriate for
grade 2 and cover the curriculum except for printmaking and multimedia arts. If this resource is being
used in a multi-age class begin with year one. The units in year 2 are smaller but significantly more

involved; many focus on the more difficult media mandated in the curriculum. If a class has already
completed year 1 previously then these lessons would be appropriate.
The Visual Arts Curriculum Explained (Briefly)

The Visual Arts Curriculum suffers somewhat from a confusing arrangement of its parts. In this
section I will offer a concise overview of each section, their most essential points and their
practical teaching application. When I offer an interpretation, it is based on my own
understanding, but is also informed by current best practice in Arts Education and the available
supporting documents relating to the Arts curriculum redesign.
A. Rationale and Philosophy
Many teachers expressed that the arts curriculum as it exists now is a confusing and opaque
document; it is. I will briefly examine section A Rationale and Philosophy, and B General
Learner Expectations, and explain them in terms of their practical application in class.
Section A states that Art Education is concerned with how individuals think and behave as
artists. Artists are not primarily makers; many modern artists have relatively little involvement
in physically creating their own pieces. In visual arts it is the process of creation and
experiment, risk-taking and creativity that constitutes artistic behaviour or thinking. In practice,
this means that art lessons that present a finished product to the class at the beginning of the
lesson to be replicated; Pinterest art removes what is most essential in art education.
The rest of the Rationale deals solely with valuing and evaluating art. In practice this is quite
straightforward; Students need to be exposed to a variety of visual art relevant to what is being
studied and feel free and safe to express an emotional response, like or dislike. Students need
not offer higher level interpretations at this level rather they should be encouraged to make a
number of concrete observations and feel safe doing so. This freedom comes at the price of the
student being willing to provide a reason or argument to support their response. This also
provides students to see pieces of visual art for a variety of reasons. Students often equate
realism, or neatness with being good at art. Exposing students to a wide variety of works and
the reasons they are valued opens the door for students to recognize the value in their own
work and creative process, regardless of their technical ability.
B. General Learner Expectations
The general learner outcome of the Visual Arts program are listed as a set of experiences, taken
as a whole, they form a complete Visual Arts experience. Again, I will briefly sum up each GLO
listed and the practical classroom implications of each. Many of these GLOs overlap quite a bit
so I will discuss them as a whole.
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An Individual Experience
This section concerns the development of the individual capable of making independent and
creative decisions. In this section the Arts Programme directly addresses a number of 21st
century learner outcomes. In practice this means that most Art assignments must be open
ended unless specifically targeted at developing a particular skill. Similarly, student work must
be valued and assessed based on the creativity or inventiveness of the students response to a
problem, question or prompt.
A Visual Experience
Like reading, viewing is a skill that needs to be developed through practice and exposure.
Students need to be encouraged to offer comparisons, associations, interpretations or
judgements about the visual material they are viewing in class; as well as being exposed to the
responses of others.
A Learning Experience
Art Education comprises a body of knowledge like any subject. Students should have
experiences that contribute to both artistic skills and the concepts and vocabulary to interpret
and discuss art.
A Communication Experience
The visual arts are a medium of communication; students should have practice interpreting the
works of others and communicating through their own work.
A Creative Experience
Students are empowered and encouraged to make their own decisions and discoveries. A
creative arts experience is created through open ended projects that ask students to solve
visual problems individually and creatively
The Specific Learning Outcomes

One of the complicating factors in teaching the Alberta Visual Arts Curriculum is that it is
arranged into two-year sections. If you have found that there is too much material to be
covered in a single year you are correct. One of the goals of this project is to provide complete
2-year plans that ensure curriculum compliance.

Each lesson will list the SLOs that will be covered, taken as a whole the project will address all
of the SLOs for grades 1-2
Assessment in Visual Arts
Assessment has always been seen as something of a challenge; there are no provincial
achievement standards or provincial tests. The 2008 consultation report on best practice
asserts that there are competing schools of thought, regarding assessment, but demurs
suggesting one. I will provide the basics of the system I have used and why I feel it is useful. The
Alberta Assessment Consortia also provides assessment tools for the fine arts.
Just as with all subjects Fine Arts encompasses both skills and knowledge that can be assessed,
along with effort. While most of the projects in the curriculum are open ended and the final
products will often not resemble one another they can still be assessed along the criteria set
out in the lesson objectives.
Skills
Skill refers to the students mastery and craftsmanship when manipulating media. How you
define this area of assessment can be broadened or narrowed depending on your objectives.
For example, if the objective of a lesson is to teach basic brush technique: loading the brush
and applying paint in clean even strokes; you can assess a final product purely along these very
technical lines. If students are given an open ended project, for example, to paint a landscape
that clearly shows what time of day or season it is using colour; you will have to assess a skill
insofar as the students use of media makes it clear what time of day or season it is.
Comprehension
Comprehension refers to the degree to which the student got or understood the lesson or
assignment. Again, your objectives may be narrow or broad; if the assignment is a
straightforward and technical exercise the students comprehension of the lesson should be
obvious from the final product. In the case of a more open-ended assignment I always try to
conference briefly with all students to make sure that I know what their objective for the
assignment was; it might not be apparent or obvious in the final product. The creativity of a
students response to an assignment is also often difficult to assess from the final product alone
and requires a discussion with the student.
Effort
Effort in art should go beyond just doing the assignments, it means participating in
discussions, listening to instructions and making thoughtful decisions. Art teaches critical selfmanagement skills, like most tasks in life those in an art class are open ended and students
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must manage their own time and resources to create their best work. Rushing through an
assignment in order to finish generally does not yield very good results. Do not be afraid to ask
a student to start over if their work does not satisfy the parameters of an assignment.
However, it is important that students work be valued and honoured as it is personal
expression; I always try to circulate and give a formative assessment early on to avoid
misunderstandings.
Year One
Lesson 1 Getting to know students through art

Summary: Students will produce drawings of their families, home environment and experiences
during the summer break.
Purpose: Useful for getting to know students, their home environment and assessing their
motor skills.
Materials: Paper, Pencils, colouring media if available.
Vocabulary: N/A
Time: 1-2 classes
Visual Aid: Previous student example or one produced by the instructor
GLO: Communicative Experience, Individual Experience
SLO: Expression- Students will record or document activities, people, relationships or
discoveries.
Art is a great way to get to know your students and for them to tell you something about
themselves. The first two lessons require no special materials, giving you time to organize and
find supplies.
For this assignment simply ask your students to draw a picture of their family, I usually define
this as the people and pets that live at your house. If some students finish early ask them to
draw their room including their favourite things about it.
If you decide to include a second period of Art during the first week you could ask your students
to illustrate two new and exciting things that they did during the summer vacation.

Lesson 2 Artists keep all their work
Summary: Students will fold and decorate a portfolio
Purpose: To create a portfolio for the safe storage of the students work.
Materials: Full size sheet of cardstock depends on storage needs.
Vocabulary: Portfolio, hamburger fold, hotdog fold
Time : 1 period
Visual aid: A previous student example or an artists portfolio
GLO: Individual Experience
SLO: Expression-Documentation
*The outset of this lesson would be a good time to discuss any class rules specific to art and the
handling of art materials.
Explain that all work produced in art class will stay at school until the end of the year, stored in
student portfolios. This makes assessment much easier as well allowing students to see their
progress through a complete body of work. Parents will also be presented with a full and neat
collection of student work rather than a crumpled piece of paper coming home every week. The
size of the student portfolios will depend on how and where you plan to store them.
Tell students that portfolio has two meanings; it can mean the container of artwork but can also
mean the artists work itself. To create the portfolio ask the students to hold their piece of card
in one hand so that the short side face up and down (portrait) ask the students to grasp the
bottom of the page with their other hand. Demonstrating in front of the class explain that this
fold is called a hamburger fold. Ask the class to make sure the edges are neatly lined up before
folding down the center and writing their name clearly along the top (both sides). After
students have completed this step they are free to decorate their portfolio.
Lesson 3 All artists are special

Summary: Students will be introduced to talking about art and create their own unique
depiction of a tree.
Purpose: Students will understand that each artist represents in a unique way.
Materials: Exemplars or smartboard, pencils, paper, pencil crayons.
Vocabulary:
Time : 1-2 periods
Visual aid: Trees by Piet Mondrian, Chinese landscapes by Li Tang, Plaza After Rain, by Cornoyer
GLO: individual experience, communication experience
SLO: Expression: Messages beliefs or interest can be interpreted visually.
I have often had difficulty with students copying one- anothers work; one student will come up
with a popular concept and I will end up with six near-identical projects. The object of this
lesson is to expand the students understanding of the many unique ways that even everyday
sights can be depicted.
Any art curriculum will require at least a basic explanation of what art and artists are. The point
of the discussion to be had about the pieces from the visual aids section is to reinforce that
artist can have radically different modes of representing they do not copy one anothers work.
The main purpose of art is to explore and uncover different viewpoints, cultures and ways of
seeing. Show the images to the students, asking for observations or preferences; I usually just
ask that students give a reason for expressing like or dislike. Focus on how each representation
still looks like a tree despite being very different.
After the discussion simply ask that students draw and colour a tree of their own, this tree must
be recognizable as a tree but could be in alternate colours, strange proportions, sprouting pizza
fruit, whatever they want.
Colour
Colour is light that strikes an object and is reflected back to our eyes. There are three properties
of colour. Hue is the colour itself, combinations of the red yellow and blue bands of light our
eyes are capable of seeing. Intensity is how saturated, vivid or pure the colour is. Value refers to
how light or dark the colour appears. There are numerous videos online illustrating what
common objects like flowers appear like to other animals, especially insects that see different
bands of light than humans, these really help to get across the concept that we can only see the
primary colours; students really enjoy them. This first unit focuses on learning primary and
secondary colours. Students will work with only the three primary colours until the last lesson
or during a free class. The unit also uses images from The Very Hungry Caterpillar and When
Sophie Gets Angry, these are available online as images but reading and incorporating the
books would be helpful. Once the majority of students have finished a piece it is safe to move
on, there is a catch-up day at the end of the unit.
Lesson 4-Introduction to colour
Summary: Students will be given a basic introduction to colour theory-primary and secondary
colours.
Purpose: Provide students with a basic understanding of how we see colour
Materials: Paper, tempura paints-puck or liquid, brushes (at least 1 wide) pails for water
sponges or towels for clean-up
Vocabulary: Primary colours, Secondary colours
Time: 1 period
Visual aid: Colour wheel -demonstrated in class
GLO: A learning experience
SLO: Primary colors can be mixed to produce new hues
*For best results when mixing primaries, use yellow, magenta and cyan, unless noted students
should only receive the three primary colours to work with!
Start the class with a large piece of thick paper taped to the board or an easel for your
demonstration. I like to ask the students how many colours can you see; your best guess?
Humans can only see 3 colours the rest of the colours we can see are those colours mixed
together. We can mix paints together to make new colours too like magic!
Each student should have access to paints, water tubs, brush and paper. Ask your students to
follow along with you as you paint. Lay down large circles of red, yellow and blue. Between
these circles place a mix of the two adjacent colours starting with the lightest hue. For example
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between yellow and red paint a yellow circle then add red until you get orange. Explain this
process to the students and complete the other two circles together.
Ask the students to sign their work, and begin clean up. I usually assign specific jobs to class
helpers.
Lesson 5 Colour and Symmetry

Summary: Students will use painting to create an organic, symmetrical image
Purpose: Reinforce vocabulary from previous class and introduce symmetry.
Materials: Paper, tempura paints-puck or liquid, brushes (at least 1 wide) pails and towels for
clean-up.
Vocabulary: Symmetry, review primary and secondary colours and their names
Time: 1 period
Visual aid: Eric Carle Very Hungry Caterpillar, Specifically the butterfly at the end, pictures of
real butterflies with eyespots.
SLO: Print-making, lifts and transfers
Review the terms primary and secondary colours-referencing your chosen visual aids of
butterflies. During the discussion of the visual aids get students to name the colours they see in
the images of butterflies and whether or not they are primary colours. If students agree that
one of the colours they see is a secondary colour ask them what colours they will have to
combine to make it. To set up for the painting each student will need a piece of white
construction paper, paints, water and brushes.
Demonstrate the hamburger fold again to the students and have them follow along with you as
you demonstrate. Explain that for this painting we will only be painting on one side of our page;
the right side will be easiest for right handed student and vice versa for left handed students.
Make sure that students know they are going to paint on the valley side of the fold, imagine it
is a card and you are going to paint inside it.
Ask students to describe the basic shape of the butterfly, its body and wings. Start with the
wings, using any colour and paint an outline of wings. Load your brush with another colour and
place an eye spot on the butterfly. Let students know that they can choose their own colours.
Load your brush with another colour and place it in the same eye dot. Now demonstrate folding
the card flat again on a desk. When you open it there will be a symmetrical image of your
painted butterfly, with an eye spot that will have mixed into a secondary colour. Allow students
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to continue on their own until clean up. Remind them to only place one or two lines or dots
before folding otherwise their paint will dry and not imprint well.
Lesson 6 Colour and Nature
Summary: Students will use primary colours and wax crayons to create a nature scene.
Purpose: Students will be asked to connect the colouring and surface texture of an animal to its
environment. Provide practice in mixing primary colours to achieve an intended colour.
clean-up.
Vocabulary: Wax resist painting
Time: 1-2 periods
Visual aid: Any online example of a wax resists painting, images of animals camouflaged in their
natural environment.
GLO: Individual experience, learning experience
SLO: Painting-use paint in combination with other media, simple brush skills, Experiment
individually, Reflection- natural forms belong to a class, natural forms are related to their
environment, natural forms have different surface qualities.
In this class students will experiment individually to create a wax-resist painting of any animal
they choose in its natural environment. Start the class by showing the students images of
animals camouflaged in their natural environment. Ask the students what makes the animals
hard to see? Students should observe that both the patterns and colours of the animals match
their habitat. Ask the students to think of an animal that they would like to draw and its
environment. Ask the students to think about the surface of the animal, does it have scales, fur,
feathers? Show the students an image of a wax resist painting showing an animal and explain
how the process works- the paint will not pass through the wax crayon and they will have a
ghostly outline of their animal in a painted background.
In this class they will need light-coloured wax crayons to draw a chosen animal in thick lines;
they also need to include its surface qualities, scales for fish, hairs for fur or feathers. Make sure
the students also include some hint of the environment in their drawing, stalks of grass or
seaweed or clouds etc. This should take the rest of the class, so that they can begin to paint
next class.
The second period should begin with a demonstration of the painting stage, try to have a
demonstration wax drawing ready to go. Start the students with a basic primer on holding a
brush and loading it with paint. What is most critical at this age is that they do not take too
much paint and darken their image so much that they cannot mix in other colours. Young
students also have a tendency to scrub; instead of reloading their brush they rub back and
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forth causing rips and pills in the paper surface and ruining the brush. Students also need
reminders to mix their colours on the page rather than their pucks. These need to be kept
clean, and brushes rinsed before changing to another colour.
Demonstrate smooth clean strokes with the brush in applying pain to your demonstration. Start
with a light layer of colour that covers most of the page. For example if you wanted a green
background, lay down a layer of yellow and begin to add watered down blue. Leave the
students to proceed on their own and fill in their background; their wax images should begin to
emerge.
Lesson 7 Colour as Emotion
Summary: students will create a simple portrait that conveys emotion through expression and
colour.
Purpose: Students will start to associate colour with emotion and meaning
clean-up.
Vocabulary: Meaning and Colour
Time: 1-2 periods
Visual aid: When Sophie Gets Angry by Molly Bang
SLO: Reflection- All aspects of an artwork contribute to the story it tells.
If you can find a copy start by reading When Sophie Gets Angry by Molly Bang, there are also
online videos of the story narrated that show the images. After the reading go through the
book and ask for student input as to what the colours the artist used mean. What do they tell
us about Sophies feelings? After this tell the students some common sayings like feeling blue,
or green with envy. Write these on the board so that the students can refer to them. Explain
that they will paint a simple portrait that will show emotion through facial expression and
colour.
Demonstrate in front of the class, drawing a circle or oval. Tell the students about a time when
you felt an emotion strongly. Ask the students what you think your mouth was doing when you
felt this way. What did your eyes and eyebrows look like? Paint these on simply in black. Tell
the students what colour you think best represents this emotion. This is the colour you will pain
in the background around your face. Ask the students to think about their own emotional
experiences and follow the same procedure.
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Lesson 8 Colour has Value
Summary: Students will paint with their fingertips and brushes to create fall trees
Purpose: Students will observe through the painting process that colours can appear lighter or
darker.
clean-up.
Vocabulary: Value
Time: 1 period
Visual aid: Pictures of fall trees or a convenient window
SLO: Painting-Experiment by painting without brushes. Depiction-Colour can be lightened or
darkened.
*students will have access to brown as well as primary colours!
Show students some images of fall trees, asking them to name some of the colours. Ask them if
some of the same colours are darker or lighter than others. Ask a student to point out an area
of light orange leaves and darker ones. Explain that in art some colours appear darker or lighter,
lighter ones are called tints and darker ones are called shades. In this class we will paint fall
trees with our fingers.
Demonstrate painting the trunk of a tree and some branches, then dip a finger in water and
load it with red paint. Place it where the foliage would appear on the tree. Keep making leaves
until there is no more paint on your finger. Point to the lighter marks, and ask if these would be
a tint or a shade? Remind students to use the paint on their finger until it runs out each time.
They must produce a painting that has lighter and darker leaves and produce fall colours, by
layering their marks.
Lesson 9
At the end of each unit provide a class for students to finish any better pieces that they may not
have completed. During this time students will make sure that all of their art from the unit is
placed in their folder and has their name on it. If students have done these things they can
paint or draw freely for the period.
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Value
Value is simply the measure of how light or dark something appears to us. Both white and black
are not colours but values, between the two is gray. Value is an important part of the visual arts
because it is foundational to understanding and using contrast. As already mentioned value can
be applied to colour and tints and shades. This unit focuses on using contrast and observing
how it adds interest or clarity to a work.
Lesson 10 Introduction to value
Summary: Students will create a free composition in black on white paper.
Purpose:
Materials: Black charcoal, or pastel, preferably not wax crayon, white paper
Vocabulary: Value, Contrast, Gradation
Time: 1-2 periods
Visual aid: Sumi brush painting, Chinese landscape
SLO: Composition-Repetition of qualities such as tone produces balance and rhythm.
Begin by reviewing; does anyone remember what value means? We talked briefly about it
when making our fall trees? Review that value is how light or dark something is.
Show the class your selected sumi brush paintings, and ask for student responses; do they like
or dislike and why? Point out that there are spaces of black, white and gray. There are also
spaces where the black portions get lighter gradually; this is gradation. Ask a student if they can
point out an area of gradation on another painting. Let the class know that we will be making a
free drawing, but they must contain large areas of black, white and areas of gradation- gray.
Demonstrate making an area of gradation, asking the students after you have a black area how
you can start making your marks lighter? They will hopefully point out that you need to lessen
the pressure.
After this it is essentially a free drawing, circulate and remind students of their three objectives.
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Lesson 11 Colour is light
Summary: Students will create an outdoor scene at night
Purpose: Reinforce the concept that colours are reflected light.
Materials: White pastel or chalk, black construction paper.
Vocabulary:
Time: 1-2 periods
Visual aid: Flashlight by Lizi Boyd
SLO: Expression-A narrative and be interpreted visually, an original story can be told visually,
details patterns or texture can be added to two dimensional works.
If you cannot find a copy of the book most of the illustrations are available online. The story is a
purely visual one without words; try to arrange the illustrations in order.
Present the images to the class and ask for response and preference, why do they like or dislike
the images? Finally ask why colour only appears where the boy shines his flashlight? Reinforce
that colour is reflected light. When we look around at night we do not really see colour, though
we often think that we do.
Pass out the materials and introduce the assignment. The students should imagine that they are
out camping at night and decide to look outside in the woods. What might they see? It could be
something beautiful, surprizing or scary. The students must produce an outdoor scene at night
on black paper with white chalk or pastel. There must also be areas of gradation-. After this, the
period is devoted to free drawing as long as the students stay in bounds of the assignment.
*Ask students to bring collage materials for the next assignment from home, give examples
from materials.
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Lesson 12 Collage
Summary: Students will create a collage without colour
Purpose: Reinforce that contrast is critical to visibility and interest
Materials: Colourless materials- newspaper, construction paper, tape, black and white images
etc.
Vocabulary: Contrast
Time: 1-2 periods
Visual aid: Picasso collages
SLO: Composition- Contrast subject matter with the ground Unity-stepping back can help in
judging how it can be improved.
Show students some collages by Picasso ask them what areas of the painting really jump out at
them what do they notice first? Now ask them to describe how light or dark the areas around
that place are. Placing very dark objects next to very light ones makes both really stand out.
Demonstrate on a piece of paper with charcoal shading in two gray circles just touching one
another. Which circle jumps out? Now make one very light circle next to a black one. Is it easier
to tell which is which? This is contrast and it is important in making art that really jumps out at
the viewer.
The assignment is to make a collage which means we will cut or tear paper or other materials
and glue them on the page to form powerful contrasts. Show and image of a value collage.
Students will be free to trace and cut out any shapes they want, irregular, geometric, hand
tracings etc. The only stipulation is that similar values cannot be placed next to one another.
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Lesson 13 Winter Tree
Summary: Students will create a landscape using value and contrast
Purpose: Reinforce that contrast is critical to visibility and interest
Materials: White paper, charcoal
Vocabulary: Contrast
Time: 1 periods
Visual aid: Pieter Brueghel the Younger, Winter Landscape with a Bird Trap, Lucas Van Uden,
Winter Landscape with Hunters
SLO: Composition- Contrast subject matter with the ground Unity-stepping back can help in
judging how it can be improved.
Present the images and explain that hundreds of years ago the winter was a time when most
people played games and sports and went outside because they could not do as much farm
work. Ask the students what outdoor sports or games they like to do in the winter. When you
have gotten some suggestions turn back to the images and review contrast. There are spaces of
light and dark and large areas of gray especially in the sky. Leave the last image up.
In this assignment students will use charcoal to produce areas of light grays and black to
illustrate their favorite outdoor activities in winter. Tell the students that when they think they
are done ask them to place it on a wall or ledge and take ten big steps back. Do they have areas
of high contrast can they still see all of their figures? If not they need to keep working towards
this goal.
The process of standing back from a work is one that is useful for students completing
any project.
Lesson 14
If students have unfinished work they can select one to finish, allow the others to have a free
drawing period with the materials from the unit before filing their projects in their portfolios.
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Texture
Texture is the way something feels, or more often in Art the way something looks like it feels.
When a painter renders fur he is creating texture. The lessons in this unit focus exploration of
texture literally then towards depicting that texture in 2D.
Lesson 15
Summary: Students will create rubbings from fallen leaves
Purpose: Students will explore texture in a concrete way
Materials: White paper, wax crayons, fallen leaves.
Vocabulary: Texture, Frottage (rubbings)
Time: 1 periods
Visual aid: Fallen leaves
GLO: learning experience
SLO: Print- use frottage
Pass out fallen leaves at the beginning of class let the students observe and touch them. Ask the
class if the leaves are smooth like a piece of paper is smooth. Leaves have texture they feel a
certain way when we touch them. Point out a couple pieces of students clothing, noting how a
fuzzy sweater looks like it feels a certain way, or that we know how jeans might feel just by
looking at them.
Today we are going to print these leaves onto our paper; we can do this because the leaves
have texture. Demonstrate placing a leaf under a piece of paper and rubbing back and forth
across its entire surface in smooth even strokes using the side of the crayon, not the tip. What
we will all do is cover our entire page in rubbings of different leaves in different colours. Make
sure to use some lighter and darker colours so that our rubbings have good contrast. When
doing this activity I have had students sit in a central location near the leaves using boards to do
their rubbings on. Remind students to stand back and take a look at their pieces to make sure
they have enough areas of contrast.
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Lesson 16
Summary: Students will divide a space using texture
Purpose: Students will explore texture and pattern
Materials: White paper, Pencils, flat objects with a clear texture. (Underside of carpet swatches,
carved boxes, rough river stones, anything that will produce a dense clear rubbing), rulersoptional.
Vocabulary: Texture, Frottage (rubbings)
Time: 1-2 periods
Visual aid: Works by M.C. Escher
GLO: learning experience
SLO: Print- use frottage, Expression-details patters and texture can be added to 2d work,
Qualities and Details- Texture is a surface quality that can be captured with rubbings
Show the class some tessellations by Escher and ask for student response likes, dislikes and
observations. Ask the students how these works are different from the paintings and images
they have seen so far.
Escher fills his whole page with pattern and texture and that is what we are going to do today.
Demonstrate making a simple drawing on a page, a row of flowers, or charging dinosaur
anything. Make sure to include a ground in your picture, maybe some clouds, but always make
sure your shapes are relatively large and clear. Explain that this is because we are going to fill all
of the shapes we have drawn with texture, so they should be large enough for us to make out
the texture. Divide up the interior of every shape with more lines in a sort of irregular grid.
Demonstrate filling in one of those grid sections with texture by making a rubbing of one the
textures in class. Emphasize again the need for large shapes otherwise filling in hundreds of
small sections will take forever. If students are clear on the process they can work
independently.
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Lesson 17 Texture Collage
Summary: Students create a collage using texture and objects
Purpose: Students will create texture and create a composition around it.
Materials: Brown construction paper, butchers paper, brown objects.
Vocabulary: Texture
Time: 1-2 periods
Visual aid: Marc Fichou-Origamis,
GLO: Learning experience
SLO: Expression-texture can be added to 2D works
*Before this class, ask the students to bring small objects into class for a collage, they must be
brown and small enough for a student to easily glue them to a page.
Show the class some Images of Origamis; these are images of origami objects printed onto the
unfolded paper they were made from. Ask students what they think the pages would feel like?
Are they smooth, rough, or both? Why do they look the way they do, what did the artist do to
get this effect. Explain that any hard fold in paper will leave a mark or a bump in the paper it
can never go back to being completely flat.
The Project is to create a texture collage. Any materials included should be roughly the same
colour and value. Unlike the previous collage where areas were differentiated by value or by
colour as in most collages, this collage is based solely on texture. Students can fold, crumple,
cut or layer paper to create a variety of textures in a single composition. Demonstrate some of
these basic techniques and leave the students to continue on their own. If you have additional
materials that the students could use to create a richer texture feel free to include them as long
as they do roughly match the colour and tone of the paper. If you wanted to use another colour
altogether to match a theme you are working on, I chose brown because it is quite neutral.
20

Lesson 18 Texture in 2D
Summary: Students will create a variety of marks to imitate or suggest texture
Purpose: Students will learn that texture can be depicted as well as actually created.
Materials: Heavy white paper, 2b-4b pencils, HB is fine but will be harder to use.
Vocabulary: Texture
Time: 1 period
Visual aid: Paintings by George Mung-Mung
GLO: Learning experience, cultural experience
SLO: Details-textures form patterns
George Mung Mung is an Australian Aboriginal artist that uses a number of traditional forms
and techniques in his paintings. After the students have seen the paintings you have selected
ask them if the paintings look smooth or do they look like they have texture? Explain that
texture can be shown in drawings or paintings. Draw attention to the many different kinds of
marks that he uses, rows of dots around important objects, jagged foliage and teeth, as well as
repeated scale or feather marks on his animals.
Demonstrate making some of these marks quickly on the board such as adding dots around an
outline without stabbing the page, making scales or feathers with single marks or more easily
with cross hatching. After recording all of the texture techniques that the class can point out let
the class begin. They must create a drawing of the natural environment around where they live
of have lived showing any wildlife they might see in a drawing that includes rich textures. Show
the students how the grounds and animals take up almost the entire frame in Mung-Mungs
paintings. Let students know they should try for the same effect and really fill up their page
with marks to suggest texture.
Lesson 19
21
Line
Line is the element of art that children first use. Line can be described by its direction, thickness
or quality. Line quality can be described in any number of ways: lyrical, jagged, sketchy, etc. The
line lessons in year one focus on using lines expressively to convey more information than
simply what they depict.
Lesson 20 Introduction to line
Summary: Students will be given a simple definition of line and create a drawing using line.
Purpose: Students will be introduced to types or quality of line and experiment with them.
Materials: Smartboard or whiteboard, pencils, paper.
Vocabulary: Line (a moving point)
Time: 1 period
Visual aid: Any Kandinsky work that uses both line and shape. Composition VIII for example.
SLO: Depiction: Movement in figures and objects can be depicted in different ways
Begin the class by making a single point on the board. Tell the students that this is a point. If
your class is unfamiliar with the concept of a point in space give them the example of a point on
a map- e.g. this point is where we are-Lethbridge. Now what happened is our point moves?
Place your marker back on the point walk to the other side of the board, making a line. Explain
that a line is a point that has moved. Show the class a Kandinsky painting; ask them to point out
some of the lines in the piece. Pointing to the outline of one of the shapes ask if it is a shape or
a line-it is both. Clarify that lines in art can simply be lines on a page or they can form shapes,
today we will use both.
The assignment is to make a free drawing that uses both lines as lines and some shapes. Give
the rest of the class to work.
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Lesson 21 Line shows direction and movement
Summary: Students will make collages using straight lines.
Purpose: Students will be introduced how the direction of a line creates movement.
Materials: Smartboard or whiteboard, thin 1-2cm construction paper strips. Sheets of
construction paper.
Vocabulary: Line (direction)
Time: 1-2 periods
Visual aid: Class participation
SLO: Depiction: Movement in figures and objects can be depicted in different ways
Review with the class what they learned the last class; lines are a point that has moved and
lines can show different kinds or levels of movement. Let the class know that you will ask them
to create certain poses and you will show those poses on the board with just a single line. Ask
all of your students to stand up and ask them to pretend they are stretching up very straight
with both hands to get something on a very high shelf. Show this on the board as a vertical line.
Ask the students if this is the single straight line they would choose too. Next ask them to
pretend they are incredibly tired and lay down to sleep. Show this with a horizontal line. Next
ask them to pretend-without moving, that they are running. Show this with a diagonal line on
the board.
The assignment is to create a collage with just straight strips of paper. Remind the students to
choose contrasting colours to their background. Students may rip or cut the strips down and
glue them to their page.
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Lesson 22 lyrical or flowing lines
Summary: Students will make symmetrical line drawings with string and paint
Purpose: Students will be introduced how the direction of a line creates movement.
Materials: Smartboard or whiteboard, 40cm of thin- (about 1mm) string, white construction
paper, black tempera paint, shallow pails and newspaper for cleanup.
Vocabulary: Line, Calligraphy
Time: 1-2 periods
Visual aid: Search Seb Lester on YouTube-He is a professional calligrapher.
SLO: Drawing experiment with a variety of lines
Ask the students if any of them know what Calligraphy is? Calligraphy is the art of writing
beautifully. Show some Clips of Seb Lester practicing calligraphy-some of the more recognizable
brand logos he makes should also provide a real-world connection. Tell the students that today
we will be making drawings with paint that will look just as amazing as what we have just seen.
Hand out the pieces of construction paper review what a hamburger fold is and ask the
students to place their names on the piece in pencil. Students will need to be divided into
partners with 1 artist and one helper. Demonstrate with a helper dipping your string in black
paint then gently running two fingers down the string over the bucket to wipe off excess paint.
Tell the students not to squeeze while doing this. Starting with the end covered in paint slowly
coil your string into an interesting pattern on one side of the inside of the card, leaving the
clean end outside of the card. Close the card and ask your assistant to gentry hold the card
closed with all their fingers slayed out. Pull the string out straight out (not up). Show the class
the amazing forms that were created. Allow the students to work for the rest of the period you
may wish to ask that one student takes a turn then assists their partner. Ask that the students
complete at least 3 pulls each. If you try this exercise using colour, start with the lightest.
Lesson 23
24
Shape and Form

Shapes are 2D areas and can be either geometric or organic. Forms refer to 3D works such as
sculpture or to two dimensional works that depict a 3D form. In this unit students will focus
strictly on a concrete understanding of shape and form and their qualities.
Lesson 24 geometric shapes
Summary: Students will create a coloured composition from tracing geometric shapes and
colouring in where they overlap
Purpose: Students will realize that the outlines of shapes create new, related shapes.
Materials: Smartboard, pencils, paper, pencil crayons or wax crayons, geometric shapes for the
students to trace from.
Vocabulary: Geometric shape
Time: 1-2 periods
Visual aid: Raqqa II Frank Stella, Eye Candy #2Bruce Gray
SLO: all shapes can be reduced to basic geometric shapes; Shapes can be made using different
procedures.
Review; do any of the students know what a geometric shape is? What shapes can they name
and recognize?
Show the students the above two paintings and ask them to point out and name any shape that
they can recognize. If none of the students point out the shapes created by the combination or
overlap of shapes point this out.
The assignment is to create a composition, first by tracing out geometric shapes from guides in
solid black. These shapes should at some point overlap with other geometric shapes in the
composition. Refer back to eye candy and point out how the artist disguises some shapes and
creates new ones by coloring in the overlaps rather than the original shapes. Give the rest of
the period to work.
25

Lesson 25 Creating Organic Shapes
Summary: Students will create a coloured composition from perceived organic shapes
Purpose: Students will practice seeing and constructing shape and meaning from random
information.
Materials: Smartboard, pencils, paper, pencil crayons or wax crayons.
Vocabulary: Organic shape
Time: 1-2 periods
Visual aid: Pablo Picasso - Woman with Green Hat, or Mind, Spirit and, Emotion
GLO: A personal experience, a creative experience
SLO: Depiction-Shapes can be made using different procedures, Shapes can be depicted as
geometric or organic
Introduce the concept of organic shapes, contrasting from geometric shapes. Draw some
examples of both on the board, explaining that most things in nature are organic shapes. Ask
the students if they have ever looked at a cloud and thought it looked like something else? This
is because humans have an amazing imagination and we will always see an image even if one
isnt really there.
Show the two examples and ask the students to identify what they see. Point out that the
shapes that make up the faces, bodies or arms really dont look like their faces bodies or arms.
Today we will make pictures from what each of us sees in a pattern.
The assignment is to create a scribble that fills a page then to pass that scribble to a partner.
Each student will find an image in the scribble and fill in shapes with colour or details such as
eyes to make their image come out. However, they cannot add new lines only areas of colour.
Demonstrate what would make a good and a bad scribble to work from. A good scribble is loose
fills most or the entire page and makes lots of shapes. A bad scribble is small, doesnt make
many shapes, or is so dense and jagged that picking out shapes is difficult. Use smooth flowing
lines. Then start quickly filling in the areas shape to form an image. As students create their
scribbles have them trade and begin bringing an image out using colour and details.
26

Lesson 26 Shapes collage
Summary: Students will create a representative collage using geometric shapes
Purpose: Students will reduce objects to their basic geometric shapes to depict them.
Materials: Smartboard, construction paper, pencils, scissors, glue, shapes for tracing. A wide
range of shapes is necessary.
Vocabulary: Geometric shape
Time: 1-2 periods
Visual aid: Image search for student geometric shape collages.
SLO: Depiction-All shapes can be reduced to basic geometric shapes
Review geometric shapes with the class. Anything we could want to paint or draw can be made
up of the basic shapes we all know. Ask the students what shape your head is. Using a student
response draw that shape on the board repeat this process do this for the basic facial features
as well. As we can see even something complicated like a human face can be drawn using
shapes we already know!
Today we will be making collages using construction paper. The assignment is to make anything
you want, an animal, boat, house, car, toy, anything, using cut out geometric shapes. Trace
from the shapes you have to make an image. Show the students some examples from your
image search and leave them to work.
27

Lesson 27 forms
Summary: Students will create a representative collage using geometric shapes
Purpose: Students will reduce objects to their basic geometric shapes to depict them.
Materials: Modelling clay of some kind, plasticine, easy baking clay, play-dough etc.
Vocabulary: Form
Time: 1-2 periods
Visual aid:
SLO: D-Sculpture, learn care and handling of clay, explore modelling possibilities
Explain form by comparing a tracing cut-out of a triangle with a triangular prism. The triangle is
a shape while this is a form. Can a student explain the difference? Demonstrate how if both are
placed standing on a desk the triangle will fall over because it has almost no thickness, no
volume.
Demonstrate basic clay modeling techniques. Pinching involves simply molding clay from a
lump by pinching usually between the thumb and curled index finger. Coiling involves building
up forms from a long snake of clay. Building from forms, means to creating rough shapes and
adding them together; such as rolling a cone to form the nose of a face.
The rest of the class is quite simple provide the students with modelling material and possibly
some simple tools such as popsicle sticks or batons and allow them to work with the material
for a class or two. If you use a hardening material this lesson could be geared towards creating
pins or fridge magnets.
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Year 2
Start the term with the Getting to know your students through art and Portfolio lessons
from year 1. Many of the projects in year two are longer and more involved that those in year
one, so feel free to modify an earlier lesson if your students need a primer.
Colour
In year 2 students will review learning from year one and explore more complex colour
concepts such as complementary colours.
Lesson 1 Review and tertiary colours
Summary: Students will review basic colour terms and create a more complex colour wheel that
includes tertiary colours
Purpose: Provide students with review of colour terms and practice layering colours
Materials: heavy paper, pencil crayons
Vocabulary: Primary colours, Secondary colours, tertiary colours
Time: 1-2 periods
Visual aid: Colour wheel -demonstrated in class, Insectra Spectra-YouTube search
SLO: Primary colors can be mixed to produce new hues
Review what primary and secondary colours are with the class. What is the connection
between the colours we can see and the primary colours? Show the video that shows the
radical changes in vision that occur from seeing one less colour. Begin by laying out on the
board what their new colour wheel will look like on the board. Place 3 large circles in a rough
triangle shape. Ask the students which colours will go in these circles (primary colours). Next
place smaller circles between the large circles. What colours will go in these circles (secondary
colours). Label these circles with the first letter of the colour they correspond to. Finally place
two smaller circles on either side of the secondary circles. These circles will be our tertiary
colours. These colours have very easy names to remember, on the red side of orange that
colour is red-orange. Ask the students to name some other tertiary colours.
Ask the students to fill in their colour wheel starting with primary, secondary colours and finally
tertiary colours. Remind them to start with the lightest colours, yellow, red then blue. Mark
the progression on the board. Students will have to carefully layer their colours to create
secondary and tertiary colours ask them to go slowly and start out with very light layers.
29

Lesson 2 Layering colours
Summary: Students will create pointillist paintings by layering colour rather than mixing.
Purpose: Students will discover that colours primary colours do not need to be mixed to create
new colours.
Materials: heavy paper, acrylic paint, Q-tips, water tubs, materials for clean-up
Vocabulary: Primary colours, Secondary colours, tertiary colours.
Time: 1-2 periods
Visual aid: A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte--Georges Seurat'
GLO: A learning experience, a personal experience
SLO: Painting-paint using experimental methods
Show the class an image of A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande. Ask the students to
identify the colour of various spaces, clothes, trees, water etc. If possible find a high resolution
image to project and ask the students to take a very close work at the painting or find a close
up image. Explain that the artist painted using a brush to make thousands of tiny marks of
colour rather than mixing colours. The marks are so small and close together that our mind
mixes the colours together for us.
Ask the students to sketch out a scene and begin painting it in using the ends of Q-tips to make
coloured dots. Demonstrate removing excess paint by blotting on a paper towel. The effect will
not work as well if the students use too much paint. Remind them to not mix the colours so
they will have to work on one area such as a field of grass in yellow then move on to another to
allow the yellow to dry before adding blue.
30

Lesson 3 Complementary Colours
Summary: Students will create two paintings that show complementary colours.
Purpose: Students will discover complementary colours schemes and the ways in which they
are related.
Materials: heavy paper, acrylic paint, water tubs, brushes, watercolour or acrylic paint.
Vocabulary: Complementary
Time: 1-3 periods
Visual aid: Hello Red Fox-Eric Carle
GLO: A learning experience, a personal experience
SLO: Concepts-An artwork tells something about its subject matter and the artist that made it.
Read Hello Red Fox to the class to introduce the lesson. The story depicts animals coloured as
their complementary colours after each illustration there is a blank page where the image of
the animal should flash in the students vision in the correct colour. Inside each illustration
there is a black anchor dot, ask the students to keep their gaze at or near the black dot. Ask the
students to hold their comments until after the story.
Ask the students if they saw the red fox. Explain that our eyes have parts called rods that see
light and dark and cones that see the primary colours, red, yellow and blue. If we stare at a
green fox long enough two of our cones will get very worn outWhat colour-cones would those
be?
For this assignment the students will have to imagine and sketch a scene that will contain at
least 5 colours. You may need to create a colour idea wall for the students on the board. Going
through each primary and secondary colour asking for examples of things that are primarily
that colour.
Ask the students to fold a piece of construction paper in a hamburger fold and draw the same
scene on both halves of the fold. Each student should have more or less identical drawings one
atop the other on the inside of the hamburger. Ask the students to paint in the top half
normally. Once some students are finished the first painting, project a colour wheel on the
board to demonstrate the next step. Using a marker ask the students to name some of the
colour combinations they remember from the story. Start with Red Fox and draw a line
between green and red. After all of the primary and secondary colours have been accounted for
ask them how we can find complementary or opposite colour using the colour wheel.
Allow the students to use their colour wheels to paint in their opposites painting.
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Lesson 4 Colour schemes and value
Summary: Students will create paintings using colour schemes to depict a time of day.
Purpose: Students will practice using colour schemes to achieve a visual effect.
Materials: heavy paper, acrylic paint or watercolour, brushes, water tubs.
Vocabulary: Colour scheme, analogous colour scheme
Time: 1-2 periods
Visual aid: Hay Stacks (series) by Monet
GLO: A learning experience, a creative experience
SLO: Concepts-An artwork tells something about its subject matter and the artist that made it.
Value is an aspect of colour.
Show the students images from Monets haystack series, asking the students to name the time
of day they think the painting shows. If the majority of students agree that one painting depicts
dawn, for example, ask them to name the colours that are used must frequently. This answer
should include tertiary colours.
The assignment is to make a painting of an object, building, anything and its background and
sky that suggests a time of day through colour choice. Specifically the students must select 5
colours from their wheel that are side by side. They may use only these colours in their
painting. Explain analogous colour schemes a being centered around a primary colour and
usually the two colours on either side, in this case we will make it a bit easier and include 5
colours.
After the students have decided on 5 colours, (mark them on their colour wheels) they must
decide what time of day, or even season, these colours would best represent. This will be the
name of their piece. Give the rest of the period for students to work.
Lesson 5
32
Value
This unit explores value primarily through its ability to depict depth and form, students may
need some review from year one.
Lesson 5 Value as form
Summary: Students will use value and gradation to create still-life drawings.
Purpose: Students will practice using value to depict form and shadow.
Materials: paper, pencils, large Styrofoam sphere, light source
Vocabulary: Value scale, gradation
Time: 1 period
Visual aid: Still Life with a Skull and a Writing Quill-Pieter Claesz, image search still life value
study sphere-there are hundreds of examples.
SLO: Qualities and details-Images are stronger when contrasts of value are used, Make
drawings from direct observation.
*large Styrofoam forms can be found at large art supply stores.
Review the terms value, contrast and gradation, referring to a still life value study. Ask the
students to point out examples of each technique used. Project Still Life with a Skull and a
Writing Quill. Ask the students if the objects look flat, or do they look like real life forms? Can
the students point out how the artist achieves the illusion of making something look 3D on a 2D
surface? Project the sphere again without the gradation the artist added we would simply have
a circle not a sphere.
Place the sphere on a desk in the middle of the room and turn of some lights, next project a
single light source at it with a lamp or flashlight. The assignment is to recreate the shadows on
the sphere as accurately as possible. As the students try to recreate the shadows circulate and
check student work. Check for evidence of gradation, and accurate assessment of value, is it too
light or dark?
33
Lesson 6
Summary: Students will use different values to create a composition with organic or irregular
shapes.
Purpose: Students will practice using value to create a sense of depth in a composition.
Materials: paper, soft charcoal, cardstock.
Vocabulary: Value, depth
Time: 1-3 periods
Visual aid: cubist works by Picasso- Ma Jolie or Braque,- Bottle and Fishes
SLO: Qualities and details-Images are stronger when contrasts of value are used. CompositionForms can run of the edge of the picture, families of shapes within a composition create
harmony, Overlapping forms unify a composition.
Review last class: we explored how value can create an illusion of 3 dimensions in a work.
Show the students the example images and ask for a response, do they like them? What do the
students think they represent. The paintings depict a woman and a still life respectively. Ask the
students to squint their eyes and see if any areas seem to be closer or farther away. Take some
responses and ask them to point these areas out. Explain that areas that appear lighter
generally seem to be closer to the viewer. Pull out the example of the value study sphere. It
looks like a form because some areas seem closer, because they are lighter.
The assignment is for the students to explore this effect by cutting out their own organic or
geometric shapes and creating a value composition with them. Once the students have created
a shape ask them to place them on the page, holding them with their left and place their
charcoal on the shaper and run it off the edge. Doing this carefully all around the form will
leave a striking impression around the object. Ask the students to create a composition that fills
the page and includes forms running off the page.
Lesson 7
34
Shape and Form

In this year students will explore shape mostly in relation to positive and negative space. Form
will be explored through sculpture.
Lesson 8 Positive and negative space
Summary: Students will create mirror images balancing positive and negative space.
Purpose: Students will experience creating positive and negative space
Materials: White double length paper and black construction paper
Vocabulary: Positive and negative space
Time: 1 period
Visual aid: Pieces by Rene Magritte A Friend of Order, Le Beau Monde. Image search-Two faces
and a cup, for the optical illusion
SLO: Contrast subject matter with the ground for emphasis.
Review: Shape as a 2d representation and form as an object with mass or a thing that is
depicted as having mass like the value still live from last unit.
Using a student example of the still life explain that in art we often describe works in terms of
their use of positive and negative space. In this still life, the sphere is the subject; it is what the
drawing is about. The sphere is the positive space in this drawing and the white page around it
is the negative space. Ask, what shape is the positive space in this drawing? (Circle) Show the
works by Magritte, what do the students think? Get a few responses before moving on. Ask the
students what part of the painting they think is the positive space and what part is the negative
space. There may be some debate her because these paintings use what is usually a
background to shown positive and negative space. Ask what shape the positive space is and
the students should be able to tell you. Show the students the black and white image of two
faces and a cup. Ask the students what they see. In this case both the white and black sections
could be the positive or negative space.
For this assignment ask the students to draw out a shape-anything they want; not too
complicated as they will have to cut it out. Remind the students that because they must cut the
shape out no detail on the inside of their drawing will show just the outline. Once students have
cut out their shape they will paste their black negative space at the top of the white page and
the black cut-out shape on the bottom half. They will have created an image that uses black and
white as both positive and negative space.
35

Lesson 9 Notans
Summary: Students will create notans from contrasting colours
Purpose: Students will experience creating positive and negative space
Materials: Coloured construction paper, 8x8cm squares of construction paper
Vocabulary: Positive and negative space
Time: 1-2 periods
Visual aid: image search for notans simple examples and traditional ones
SLO: Contrast subject matter with the ground for emphasis.
Show some images of notans to the class. Explain that this is a Japanese art form that uses
positive and negative space to create interesting images. Review concepts of positive and
negative space using the notans as examples.
Demonstrate the process by selecting a piece of construction paper and a small square piece of
contrasting colour. Using scissors cut a simple shape out of one side of the square. Tell the
students that the edge of the square is like a door that we open. Flip the cut-out and align its
flat edge with the edges of the square, creating a symmetrical form. If the students understand
the process let them work for the remainder of the period.
36

Lesson 10 Shadow Paintings
Summary: Students will work in pairs to create interesting compositions using shadow
Purpose: Students will use shapes to create an interesting composition.
Materials: lamps or flashlights, found objects
Vocabulary:
Time: 1-2 periods
Visual aid: Shadow Paintings by Tim Noble and Sue Webster
SLO: Sculpture-Create assemblages from found objects.
*Before this class ask students to bring some ordinary objects from home-anything cans, tools,
toilet paper rolls etc. and a flashlight if they can.
Show the students examples of light paintings by Tim Noble and Sue Webster. Explain that the
artists created amazing pieces from what is basically junk. Ask students to pair up and make
sure that each pair has a light source; a direct one like a flashlight is best.
Once students are ready to begin shut off the lights and direct the students to setting their
flashlight to cast a shadow on a wall, some students may have to work on desks with trifolds.
Allow the groups to take their time designing a scene. If you have a device capable of low light
photography, take a picture of the pieces for the students portfolios.
37

Lesson 11 Inuit Soapstone Carvings
Summary: Students carve sculptures that show an organic form.
Purpose: Students create sculpture through material removal
Materials: soap bars + a few extra, plastic knives, scotch pads.
Vocabulary: Organic form
Time: 1-2 periods
Visual aid: Carvings by Osuitok Ipeelee
GLO: A learning experience, a cultural experience
SLO: Sculpture-Details patterns or textures can be added to the surface of three-dimensional
works.
Show some sculptures by Osuitok Ipeelee; explain that these are carvings made by cutting then
filing then polishing stone. Many are made from soft stone, called soapstone. Traditionally
carvings where made for entertainment or as religious items. Today carving is how many Inuit
people earn a living. Their particular style is very organic. That means that the shapes are soft,
rounded and flow into one another. There are not really any straight lines or corners. Ask the
students if they can think of any other things that show an organic form.
In this assignment we will be using plastic knives to take away material from a bar of soap to
make our own carvings. This is very different from building something out of clay because we
cannot put any material back if we make a mistake. We have to work carefully. After you have
carved a shape you will need to polish your sculpture with pad to give it the same beautiful
smooth surface as Inuit sculpture.
Demonstrate tracing a basic design on the side of the bar to guide carving and demonstrate
carving off very small amounts of material. Students are free to depict any animal they wish as
long as they include some surface detail such as scoring for rough fur, circles for eyes etc. Warn
students against trying to create delicate features such as skinny legs or horns these can be
shown by scoring the surface of the soap when they are nearly finished.
Lesson 12
38
Line
This unit will focus on drawing. Students will use line to create the illusion of form. And work
using multi-media techniques.
Lesson 13 3D Hand
Summary: Students will create a drawing that suggests the form of a hand
Purpose: Line can describe a form not just shapes
Materials: Pencils, paper
Vocabulary: Line, form
Time: 1-2 periods
Visual aid: A contour map
SLO: Drawing- use materials to create a variety of lines in a composition.
Show the students a contour map. Explain that these are maps that show the form of the land.
Show examples of where hills are depicted; each line represents a change in height. The lines
show form. We are going to make a similar drawing.
Demonstrate the process by placing your hand on a page and drawing a (relatively) straight line
from one side of the page until it strikes the side of your arm or fingers, replace the pencil on
the page on the other side of your hand and continue the line. Repeat the process a few times
keeping the lines no more than 1cm apart. Remove your arm to show the blank space that is
left where your hand was.
Allow the students to continue independently before demonstrating the next step. Using your
own example draw a curved line across the empty space left by your hand, arm or finger,
repeat a few times and it begin to look like the drawn hand has real form. Explain that since the
line could not go through your hand it had to jump over in a curved line.
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Lesson 14 3D Landscape
Summary: Students will create a landscape that depicts form
Purpose: Line can describe a form not just shapes
Materials: Pencils, paper, pencil crayons
Vocabulary: Line, form
Time: 1-2 periods
Visual aid: Demonstration in class
SLO: Drawing- use materials to create a variety of lines in a composition.
Tell the students that line can show form in just about anything they could draw. In this class
we will be making landscapes using only lines. Tell the class you will be making a landscape,
somewhere you would really like to be. Place some rolling hills; a couple trees a round, blazing
sun etc. Take out a pencil crayon and tell them that this crayon has to travel over everything in
this drawing just like our pencils had to jump over our arms in the previous lesson.
Demonstrate moving a pencil crayon up over a hill in an arc that become more extreme just
near the top. Repeat the line several times. Students will begin to see the 3D effect. Ask the
students what the pencils path would look like going up a mountain. Show a slightly jagged or
bumpy like going straight up to the peaks of the mountains. Use line to describe some other
shapes in your scene. If students understand the assignment give them the class to work.
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Lesson 15
Summary: Students will create a drawing that incorporates photographic media
Purpose: Students will experience using another media to guide their drawing.
Materials: Pencils, paper, small excerpts of colour photos, or laser printed black and white
images, acrylic gel medium, brushes.
Vocabulary: Multimedia
Time: 1-3 periods
Visual aid: Demonstration in class
SLO: Drawing- use materials to create a variety of lines in a composition. -Technographic Arts.
The premise of this lesson at its most basic is to hand out small triangular swatches (6-8cm) of
colour images to the students. Make sure each contains some lines or patterns that move off
the edge of the swatch. Ask the students to paste the swatch somewhere on their page (not in
a corner) and continue what they observe coming from the edges of their swatch. Their
drawing should fill the page.
Optional: acrylic gel transfer. This is a simple technique to transfer a laser-printed image or unglossed magazine image onto another page. Simply have students cut the image or section they
want to transfer and trace that shape face down on their paper. Coat both the image and the
outlined area of the page and press the two together. Leave the work to dry for 1-2 hours. Once
dry students wet the back of the image and rub away the paper with their fingers, leaving the
ink in the gel stuck to the page. Students can continue the project outlined above.
Lesson 16
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Texture
In second year students will complete a complex drawing of a fantasy animal drawing from
photographs to accurately reproduce the surface texture of an animal.
Lesson 17
Summary: Students will create a complex drawing that accurately illustrates the surface texture
of an animal.
Purpose: Students will draw from observation and conduct research.
Materials: Pencils, paper, photographs for reference
Vocabulary: Multimedia
Time: 1-3 periods
Visual aid: Albrecht DurerRhinoceros, Greek mythological monsters
GLO: A learning experience, A creative experience
SLO: Subject-Students develop personal themes and emphasis, (fantasy, plants and animals),
Drawing-Drawing from observation, Reflection-Natural forms have common characteristics
according to their class, natural forms have different surface qualities.
Show the class some images of Greek mythological creatures; try to get the students to guess
what animals are combined to create these beasts. Project Rhinoceros; explain that the artist
did this amazing print of the animal without ever having seen one. The animal was described to
the artist and he depicted all of the details by studying other animals.
Explain that in this assignment each student will complete 2 drawings first a quick sketch,
where students will decide what animals or plants and animals they would like to combine, to
form their own fantasy beast. Have the students write the specific body parts that they used on
the side of the sketch. For example if a student wanted to create a giant chicken with dragon
wings they would write chicken head, body, legs and dragon wings, tail. If students have a
printer at home ask them to find images of the two animals that clearly show these features. If
most students do not have a printer, you may have to complete this step yourself or allow the
students to find the images in class time.
Once the images have been found the students will start creating their final drawing. To make
representing texture easier tell the students that their animals outline should occupy most of
the page. The assignment is to accurately reproduce every observable detail of, feathers, scales
shells etc. The result should be an intricately textured drawing from the students imagination
but informed by observation.
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Visual Arts Explained-Aidan Obrien

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Visual Arts Explained presents the findings

of my professional inquiry into current best

Visual Arts Explained

Visual Arts Explained

The Visual Arts Curriculum Explained (Briefly)

Visual Arts Explained

The Specific Learning Outcomes

Visual Arts Explained

Visual Arts Explained

Visual Arts Explained

Lesson 1 Getting to know students through art

Visual Arts Explained

Visual Arts Explained

Lesson 3 All artists are special

Visual Arts Explained

Visual Arts Explained

Lesson 5 Colour and Symmetry

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Shape and Form

Visual Arts Explained

Visual Arts Explained

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Visual Arts Explained

Visual Arts Explained

Visual Arts Explained

Visual Arts Explained

Shape and Form

Visual Arts Explained

Visual Arts Explained

Visual Arts Explained

Visual Arts Explained

Visual Arts Explained

Visual Arts Explained

Visual Arts Explained

Visual Arts Explained

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