Grade 10 Colour and Graffiti Unit

By: Brittany Sander and Sarah Wagner

ART Colour Theory & Graffiti: Stage 1 – Desired Results

Established TRANSFER GOAL

Goals

Students Understand and become conscious of the emotional impact that is

will: caused and shaped by a work of art and to compare works of art that
contain themes and images that reflect various personal and social
1) Develop conditions.
colour
theory MEANING
knowledge
Enduring Essential Questions:
and the Understandings: Students will keep considering…
basic Students will Q 1 – How can you evoke emotions with
painting understand… colour?
and colour U1 – How graffiti Q2 – How does location and social context
mixing incorporates play a role in the meaning of an artwork?
skills elements and Q3 – In what ways does graffiti contribute
principles of design to society, pop culture, and the art world
2) Express
themselves U2 – How to re-
, explore contextualize/energiz
identity e a space through a
mural
and
develop U3 –Colour’s ability
their own to direct a viewer’s
style eye and create a
specific mood or
3) atmosphere within a
understand composition
the
differences ACQUISITION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS
between
Students will know… Students will be skilled at…
and effects
-The difference  Colour theory
of warm between tag, throw,  Painting and paint mixing skills.
and cool and piece  Discussing components of art
colours. -Artists simplify,  Describing and discussing media and
exaggerate and techniques used in one’s own work
rearrange parts of  Analyzing peers and one’s own work
objects in their
depictions of images
-Works of art contain
themes and images
that reflect various
 personal and social
conditions

STAGE 2 – Evidence

Evaluative Criteria Assessment Evidence

1. Critique Transfer Task:

2. Sketchbooks Showcasing their murals in a final critique and
explain how they used color, their reasoning behind
the location, audience, intended message, and who
influenced the style and meaning of the mural

RATIONALE:
This graffiti unit, for a grade 10 class, builds off of the foundations the
students have laid down in grade nine. The objectives of this unit are to have the
students understand and become conscious of the emotional impact that is
caused and shaped by a work of art (organization 2) and to compare works of art
that contain themes and images that reflect various personal and social
conditions (transformations through time). The lessons are challenging yet
achievable for this grade level of development. The lessons are catered around
the motivation that most fifteen and sixteen year olds have so each activity builds
off of the last and is full of engaging challenges. Many high school students can
connect to graffiti because it is a personal form of art. At this age students are
creating a strong sense of self and unique identity; graffiti can be a great tool for
this. A great example that the students are shown in the first lesson is the artists
Os Gemeos. The identical twin brothers, who go by Os Gemeos, always have
characters in their artwork that have yellow skin because they both have dreams
that have a yellow tint. This example shows students that distinctive aspects of
an individual can be put into graffiti art to individualize it. Many students may find
this style of art refreshing and appealing because a lot of the art education
focuses on “high art”, which some students may find themselves struggling trying
to connect with.
This unit focuses on colour, graffiti, and changing a space. Throughout the
lesson a number of teaching strategies are used to help the students understand
such as: using questioning to check for understanding, exit slips for learning, the
think, pair, share method to get ideas flowing, peer and self-assessment,
cooperative learning, sketching and journaling, critiques, hands-on learning,
discussion, scaffolding, and vocal and visual cues.
At this age the accommodations in this unit will provide a safety net for
students with insecurities or students too nervous to take risks. For the students
who are struggling with the projects or need assistance taking the load off of their
working memory, sheets will be provided with the elements of design, principles
of design, and a color wheel. This will also help the students that have a hard
time remembering all of the details along with it saving the teacher time
answering questions that can be answered by looking at the sheet. Visual
direction will be given with the auditory such as, slideshows, videos, examples,
and handouts, will be given throughout the lessons to enhance the student
learning and understanding of the content and objectives. In all of the lessons,
examples and provoking questions are asked to engage the students. This unit
allows students to express themselves and explore their identity through an art
practice that will benefit struggling and advanced artist.

Unit Summary:
The purpose of this unit is to develop students’ colour theory knowledge and
basic painting and colour mixing skills through an exploration of graffiti and public
artworks. Each lesson builds off the last, starting with a basic understanding of
colour theory and gradually moving toward a deeper understanding of the use
and purpose of colour in graffiti and murals as a way to transform space, evoke
emotional and physiological response from viewers, and express personal
identity and style. Conceptual skills are developed by analyzing specific works,
analyzing imagery, and critiquing self and peer work. Psychomotor skills
practiced in this unit include sketching, painting, mixing, and manipulating paint.
We understand that students in grade 10 tend to learn socially and so we’ve
developed their affective domains though group work and student centered
learning activities. Furthermore, the personalized nature of our projects allows
students to express and share their interests with one another, if so desired.
Students experience many encounters with both contemporary and historical art
throughout this unit, aiding in a deeper understanding of graffiti, its origins, and
the effects of the principles and elements of design. One critique is included at
the end of each lesson as a way of gettings students to think critically and
receive feedback about their own work as well as offer appropriate feedback
regarding the work of others and practicing the use art descriptive art language
while demonstrating each student's individual skill progression from the
beginning of the unit to the end. Such skills include the ability to mix, apply, and
manipulate paint while applying concepts of colour theory and the elements and
principles of design as well as the ability to imagine and develop content and
meaning in an artwork. By the end of this unit, students will understand how
graffiti incorporates elements and principles of design as well as colour theory to
re-contextualize and energize a space.

Lesson Summaries
Lesson 1:
This lesson serves as an introduction to, or review of, the basic principles of
colour theory. The purpose of this lesson is to develop students’ colour theory
knowledge and the basic painting and colour mixing skills necessary for the rest
of the unit. Students are first introduced to the concept of colour theory through
the works of Kandinsky and Os Gemeos. Through these artists, students come to
a basic understanding of colour’s ability to direct a viewer’s eye and create a
specific mood or atmosphere within a composition. Students then further
develop their colour theory and painting knowledge through a study of the colour
wheel accompanied by teacher led demonstrations and hands-on experimental
practice of mixing and creating primary, secondary, tertiary, and complementary
colours, as well as varying values and hues. These technical and theory based
skills are then applied to the lesson’s main activity where students are asked to
paint ‘warm’ and ‘cool’ abstract compositions inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s
Sunflowers & Starry Night. The lesson concludes with a gallery walk of the
student’s warm and cool paintings. This gallery walk also functions as the
introduction to the next lesson in the unit. By means of multiple classroom
discussions and responses to specific topical prompts located throughout the
lesson, students will come to understand not only the scientific and technical
theory of colour, but also physiological and psychological effects it can have on a
viewer, space, and composition.

Lesson 2:
This lesson takes the knowledge and skill learned in the first lesson and
integrates them into graffiti. By creating the activities to be engaging, age
appropriate, and with a realistic timeline the students are set up for success from
the beginning. Starting off with a gallery walk from the previous lesson the
students are asked to think about colour and recall their expertise on the
physiological reasoning behind colour. The artists introduced in this lesson
include BLU, Penner, Banksy, Alexis Diaz, and Chris Uphues and are used as
examples to guide and push the students abilities. The students are given the
chance in many instances to guide their own learning and explore what interests
them most; this passion will drive their learning and desire to succeed. There are
plenty of deep questions asked in order to get the students thinking critically and
reasoning behind everything taught. The history of graffiti will be taught along
with the discovery of different artists and styles so that the students can learn by
imitation before developing their own style, which is further explored in the third
lesson.

Lesson 3:
This lesson draws from the content and skills explored in lessons one and two,
regarding colour theory, graffiti design, and exposures to various graffiti styles,
and combines them into a final unit project exploring murals and the
transformation of public space. Building on the previous lessons look into
various graffiti artists and styles, students are asked to explore various works of
public art on a larger muralistic scale and examine the social, political, and/or
communal message behind them. Students are introduced to the concept of
public murals and asked to consider the significance of their ability to transform
and re-contextualize/energize a specific space. Furthermore, through comparing
the muralistic works of graffiti artists Interesni Kazki and Skewville, students are
asked to consider the types of messages murals can convey, the types of
audiences murals are intended for, and how the location of a mural affects its
message. Students will them work in groups of 4-5 to create a mural of their own.
Incorporating concepts of mural making and keeping in mind locations influence
on context and content, students will create a school based or inspired mural and
hang it somewhere in the school. Students will engage in thoughtful and
extensive pre-planning for their mural, incorporating elements of colour theory
from lesson one and graffiti styles and influences from lesson two into the
composition and meaning of their mural. A group critique will be held at the end
of the lesson and will have students reflect upon their own and their peers’
work.

Method of Evaluation
The evaluation throughout this unit is composed of student sketchbooks,
group discussions, writings, and critiques. Having a variety of methods to assess
the students allows all types of learners to showcase their knowledge. Methods
of both formative and summative assessment will be used in this unit. The first
two lessons are full of small, formative assignments that lead up to the final
summative one. The completion of many small projects scaffolds the students
and makes their work less precious so that there can be more room for
exploration, learning from mistakes, and knowledge. For reliable assessment
accommodation is strategically placed throughout the unit, for students that need
to be pushed more there are options in the first lesson to continue creating and
investigating warm and cool colours but if a student is challenged enough by
creating two compositions he or she may stop at that. To ensure that our
assessment is fair, choice is found throughout every lesson in the unit. In lesson
two the students are able to pick a song lyric or a colour swatch for the
inspiration for their throw while in lesson three the students are able to create
their mural using any style they like, wherever they want, and with whomever
they chose. The students have a chance to be part of the evaluation process
during the last lesson where a critique sheet will be handed out. On this sheet
there will be a place for the students to write two stars and a wish for their peer’s
work. Once the students have completed this sheet they will hand it in to the
teacher who will then filter through the comments, collect to the most constructive
ones, and then hand those back to the students. This gives the teacher a chance
to monitor what is being said to the students and to see another perspective on
the mural. Students are able to successfully complete the assignment no their
skill level. Assessment for learning is shown through the students’ sketchbooks
and discussion. Assessment as learning exemplified throughout peer and self-
assessment, which gives the students time to reflect on their artwork and
process. Finally, assessment of learning is completed with the student’s final
project, the mural. The student-centred classes; fair, valid, and reliable
assessment; and flexibility within the lesson ensure that every student will
succeed.
 Lesson 1 Plan
Fundamentals of Colour Theory, Warm/Cool Colours & the Physiological and
Psychological Effects of Colour

Overall Goals/Objectives: To have students learn about colour theory and

psychological and physiological effects of colour. To have students practice and
refine their painting and paint mixing skills. To have students understand the
differences between and effects of warm and cool colours.

Outcome Goals/Objectives:
Extent their knowledge of and familiarity with the elements and principles of
design though practice in composing two dimensional images
a. Colour and value concepts are important components of an artist’s
compositional skills
b. Positive and negative space are essential to the description of two
dimensional forms.
Time: 3-4 one hour classes

Materials: Encounter pictures, student sketchbooks, paint paper (large

experimental pieces and ___x___ cut pieces, enough for 2-3/student), paint
brushes, paint mixing palettes, paint, water container, paper towel, aprons,
scotch tape, pencils

Previously Learned Vocabulary: balance, emphasis, movement, pattern,

repetition, proportion, rhythm, unity, line, shape, direction, size, texture, colour,
value, composition

Vocabulary: abstract, negative and positive space, warm colours, cool colours,
value, hue, intensity, harmony, primary colours, secondary colours, tertiary
colours, complementary colours, colour wheel

Introduction:
Encounters: Kandinsky & Os Gemeos

Show Kandinsky’s Autumn Landscape with Boats (1908) and engage in a

group/classroom discussion of the following prompts.
 Where are your eyes drawn?
 What path does your eye follow why?
 What colours do you see?
 What feeling does this image give you?
 What mood does this painting evoke?
 Where is the foreground and where is the background?
 What colours jump out to you or grab your eye?
Show Os Gemeos’s Vandology and engage in a group/classroom discussion of
the following prompts.
 Where are your eyes drawn?
 What path does your eye follow why?
 What colours do you see?
 What feeling does this image give you?
 What mood does this painting evoke?
 Where is the foreground and where is the background?
 What colours jump out to you or grab your eye?

Use varying discussion/conversation techniques such as think-pair-share etc. to

keep students engaged.
Emphasize or guide students to the understanding that colour can be used to
intentionally direct the viewer's eye, draw the viewer to a specific spot,
create a specific mood/atmosphere, and illustrate a figure/ground
relationship depending on the kind of colours used and the kind of colour
combinations used.

This initial analyzation or exploration of these 2 specific paintings serves as an

introduction to engage and create a conversation regarding the effects of colour
in a composition. To “get the ball rolling, so to speak.”

Body: Pt. 1
1) Show Colour Wheel.
 Review primary colours, secondary colours, tertiary colours,
complementary colours by illustrating where they fall on the colour wheel
and their relationships to one another.

2) Perform a demonstration on how to mix each type of colour.

 Model and verbally emphasize proper brush/mixing/paint application
techniques and skills.
 Have students return to their seats and experiment with creating/mixing
these colours etc.
o Provide students with a large sheet of paper to experiment with
paint and colour mixing.
o Allow students 10-15 minutes to experiment. Adjust time depending
on speed, engagement, and level of understanding of the class.

3) Show Colour Wheel with Hue and Value

 Review concepts of hue and value.

4) Perform a demonstration on how to vary hue and value of paint.

 Re-emphasize and model proper brush technique, water usage etc.
 Have students experiment with creating hue and value on the same sheet
of paper as before.
o Allow students 10-15 minutes to experiment. Adjust time depending
on speed, engagement, and level of understanding of the class.

5) Show Os Gemeos and Kandinsky again

 Have students use art vocabulary and concepts they experimented with to
describe the same images again.
 Ask them to compare the artist’s use of colour.
 Art Vocabulary:
o Primary colours, secondary colours, tertiary colours,
complementary colours, hue, value.
o Principles of Design: balance, emphasis, contrast, movement,
pattern, repetition, proportion, rhythm, unity.
 o Elements of Design: line, shape, direction, size, texture, colour,
value.

6) As an ‘exit slip’ activity on basic colour wheel theory, ask students to pick 2 out
of 4 provided prompts, regarding Kandinsky and/or Os Gemeos, to journal in
their sketchbook.
 Emphasize the importance of art vocabulary in their responses.
 Students may choose Kandinsky or Os Gemeos as the subject matter for
each prompt.

o Prompt 1: Do you think the artwork is more warm or cool in tone?

What is your reasoning behind your opinion?
o Prompt 2: Choose one or more ‘Principle of Design’ to describe
how colour is used to achieve this principle.
o Prompt 3: How does your eye travel across the compositional
plane? How and where does the artist use colour to direct the
viewer’s eye/attention.
o Prompt 4: What overall mood or feeling do you think is being
conveyed in this artwork? Use at least 2 ‘Principles of Design’ to
describe/explain how this sense of mood/feeling is achieved by the
artist.

Body: Pt.2
Warm/Cool Colours:
Explain that colour has a physiological and psychological affect on people and
spaces.

Ask students to imagine that they are an interior designer, what colours would
they use to create a warm, cozy feeling room and what colours would they use to
create a lively, exciting, energized room?

Compare pictures of two different coloured rooms.

Engage students in a “word-association” game, where they use 1 word to

describe the ‘mood/tone’ of each room.

Show Colour Wheel

 Explain the 2 most basic colour groups of the colour wheel, warm vs. cool.
o Warm Colours: orange, yellow, red
 Think of sunlight, heat
 In compositions, your brain registers warm colours as more
‘forward’ in the picture plane.
o Cool Colours: blue, green, purple
 Think water, sky, etc.
  In compositions, your brain registers cool colours as
receding into the picture plane.

-Show Van Gogh’s sunflowers vs. starry night and compare the warm vs. cool
compositions.
 Engage in another ‘word’ association game, comparing Van Gogh’s 2
works

Activity:
Drawing inspiration from Van Gogh’s two previously mentioned paintings,
students will use their knowledge of colour theory to create warm and cool
compositions. Students will use the requirements listed below to create two
abstract compositions and then apply their knowledge of colour theory to create
one ‘warm’ composition and one ‘cool’ composition.

Requirements:
1. On a ___x____ piece of Mayfair, create a composition using only 5 lines.
a. These lines must touch 2 different edges of the paper. They can’t float or
stop mid surface.
b. These lines must intersect with one another.
c. Create two 5-line abstract compositions on 2 separate pieces of paper
2. Using the painting and mixing techniques explored earlier in the lesson,
have students apply their colour theory knowledge and create one warm
and one cool composition
. The ‘warm’ composition may only use warm colours
a. The ‘cool’ composition may only use cool colours
b. Students must mix colours together, or with white paint, to create varying
hues and intensities of warm and cool colours.
c. Students may not repeat the same 2 or 3 colours over and over within
their compositions.
d. Remind students to consider elements and principles of design while
creating their warm and cool compositions.
3. Extra-time Activity: Create a 3rd abstract line composition combining warm
and cool colours. Bringing in other elements and principles of
design. The composition may use both warm and cool colour but must
lean more toward warm or cool.

Conclusion:
The conclusion of lesson 1 is included in the Introduction of lesson 2. Students
participate in a reflective and critique-like “gallery walk” of their warm and cool
paintings. The short critique is placed at the beginning of the next lesson and
class period in order to create a smooth transition into the next lesson and a
connection between the concepts of lesson 1 and 2.

Lesson 2 Plan
History of graffiti, transforming a space, use of color in graffiti, developing a
personalized graphic style

Goals/Objectives: To have students understand and explore the history and

modern context of graffiti in the art and public sphere. To have students start to
develop a personalized graphic style. To have students bring personal meaning
or inspiration to their work.

Outcome Goals/Objectives:
Students will be able to describe and characterize visual features of artifacts,
such as subjects, media and design.
a. Recognizing and describing the kind and the media of artifacts is part of
understanding both historic and contemporary artifacts.
b. Recognizing and describing the subject matter and design components of
artifacts is part of understanding both historic and contemporary artifacts.
Students will become aware of the range and variety of forms of artistic
expression
a. Studying the styles and purposes of the range of contemporary artifacts is
part of the process of becoming a knowledgeable viewer

Time: 3-4 one hour classes

Materials: paintings from last class, sticky notes, pencils, class set of
sketchbooks, class set of laptops or cellphones, color swatches,

Previously learned Vocabulary: balance, emphasis, movement, pattern,

repetition, proportion, rhythm, unity, line, shape, direction, size, texture, colour,
value, composition, abstract, negative and positive space, warm colours, cool
colours, value, hue, intensity, harmony, primary colours, secondary colours,
tertiary colours, complementary colours, colour wheel
Vocabulary Introduced: abstract, negative and positive space, line, warm and
cool, tags, throws, pieces, one-point perspective, overlap, depth in space,
gradation, imagery, metaphor, symbolism.

Introduction:
Encounters: BLU, Penner, Banksy, Alexis Diaz, and Chris Uphues
1) Link back to last class
 We will have the students recall the information that they learned the
previous day by laying out their warm and cool paintings for a gallery walk.
 The students will be asked to take a sticky note and write one emotion that
is brought up when they look at either the warm or cool page of a peer’s
sketchbook then to place is on top.
 We will have a class discussion about the way color can evoke different
emotions.

Questions to ask:
1) What kinds of emotions or thoughts come up when you look at this piece?
2) What way did the artist use line? How does this contribute to the
composition?
3) Is there negative space? How does this add to or take away from the piece?
4) How do these two pieces relate to each other?
5) Can you describe the relationship between the two pieces?
2) After our conversation and gallery walk the students will sit back in their desks
and the teacher will take a look at the poster that the students are able to post
interesting artist on. If there is time, pull up a couple of artists on the projector
and ask the student why they were drawn to this artist.
3) Bridge off of this conversation by pulling up different graffiti artists and how
they use warm, cool, or a lack of color in their work to convey a different
message

Examples:
Cool: BLU
Warm: Penner

Lack of: Banksy

Questions to ask:
1) What message do you think the artist is trying to get across?
2) What do you think the meaning behind these pieces are? Would the meaning
of the art be changed if the color were changed?
3) How did the color move your eyes around the piece?
4) What if these pieces were put somewhere else? What would this do to the
space? What would this do to the meaning behind the art?
4) Have the students write down two concepts or techniques about graffiti that
they want to learn and one thing that they have already learned about graffiti and
hand it in at the end of the class

Body:
1) Explain to the students that color is a very important part of graffiti because it
can transform a space, tell you about the art, mood, and the artist.

Examples:
Alexis Diaz:

Chris Uphues:

Questions to ask:
1. Where is the work located? Has it the graffiti changed the space? How
so?
 2. What colors has the artist used? How does the color contribute to the
mood of the piece?
3. How does the subject matter affect the space?
4. What emotions are brought up when looking at the graffiti?
5. How does the way the artist displays the piece affect the viewer’s
interaction with the piece?

2) The students will watch a small clip from Exit Through the Gift Shop and be
asked to brainstorm on the whiteboard the main ideas they got from the movie.
 Start the students off with simple ideas and expand into more detail
 Encourage the students to use the vocabulary we have been discussing in
this unit so far

Transition to the next class: we will be learning about the history of graffiti
3) Explain the history of graffiti
 Talk to the students about how graffiti artists are passionate, skilled,
community-oriented, and socially conscious in ways that profoundly
contradict the way they've been portrayed as common criminals and
vandals.
 The style of urban graffiti that most people have seen and know about, the
kind that use spray cans, came from New York City in the late 1960s, and
was born on the subway trains.
 Show the students this video about graffiti history:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr2vtjY6XY4
4) THINK. PAIR. SHARE. After watching the video and ask the follow questions
Questions to ask:
1) Who is TAKI 183?
2) What is the difference between script, tall print, and wicked graffiti?
3) How did you see color used?
If the students want to learn more about the history of graffiti they can look at
these links:
http://csdt.rpi.edu/subcult/grafitti/index.html
http://www.widewalls.ch/the-history-of-street-art/
5) Tell the students about some important graffiti terms:
1) Angel
2) King
3) Married couple
4) Heaven spot
5) Piece
6) Tag
7) Back to back
8) Black book
9) Throw-up
10) Whole train
http://www.widewalls.ch/10-graffiti-terms/
Remind the students to be thinking of different artists they can be adding to the
board.
Activity:
1) Research 3 different artists
 The students will be asked to research three different graffiti artists so that
they can explore a variety of different styles. The reason we are having
the students look at other graffiti artists is because graffiti writers mentor
other writers and learn from imitation before developing their own style.

 Tell the students to go to http://www.widewalls.ch/database/ for reliable

resources.
Requirements:
The students will find the three different artists and sketch out an example of their
work or tag, give a brief bio about each artist, how their art transforms the space
it’s in and write an interesting fact about each artist. This will all be completed in
their sketchbooks and handed in for formative assessment.
 After the students have completed their research they will break into small
groups of 4-5 and share the artists they have found with their group
members. This exposes the students to a wide variety of different artists
and artistic styles that can inspire them for their final project.

 At the end the students will have a chance to share with the class or
teacher can make a Google doc so that the class can access all of the
information online

 Ask the students to start thinking about their favorite song and to pick one
of the lyrics from it that has strong imagery, meaning, or metaphor.
2) Explain and introduce the color swatch or song lyric inspired throw assignment
 Briefly introduce the final project at the start of class so that the students
understand what they are working towards
 For those students not inspired by the song lyric there will be color
swatches from a local hardware store.
 The students will be asked to choose a color and name and use this to
create their throw.

Requirements:
The students will take either their song lyric or color and title and use it as
inspiration to create a graffiti throw. They will use the styles they saw from the
different artists in their last project, their knowledge of how color influences work,
and their awareness of how art can transform a space to create 5 sketches in
their sketchbooks. This experiment is to guide them to their final assignment.

Conclusion:
The students will be asked to pick their favorite throw and write 5-10 sentences
about what inspired them and what formal elements helped create unity in their
composition.
Ask the students to think about the importance of community and voice in graffiti
murals for the next lesson

Lesson 3
Graffiti Murals, Community & Collaboration, Transforming Public Space &
Expressing Social Context

Overall Goal/Objective: To have students understand the importance of location

and social context in connection to the ‘message’ or purpose of a mural. To have
students understand and participate in ‘transforming a public space’ through the
creation of a painted mural. To have students apply elements and principles of
design as well as colour theory to create a cohesive and effective school inspired
mural. To have students participate in a meaningful and reflective critique of their
own and each other's work.

Outcome based objectives:

Develop and refine drawing skills and styles
a. Drawings can express the artist's concern for social conditions
Extend their knowledge of and familiarity with the elements and principles of
design through practice in composing two dimensional images
a. Colour and value concepts are important components of an artist’s
compositional skill
Be conscious of the emotional impact that is caused and shaped by a work of art
a. Image making is a personal experiences created from ideas and fantasies
Investigate the process of abstracting form from a source in order to create
objects and images
a. Artists simplify, exaggerate and rearrange parts of objects in their
depictions of images

Time: 4-5 one hour classes

Materials: Encounter pictures, image examples of murals and locations, student

sketchbooks, large sheets of paper, pencils, erasers, paint, paintbrushes, paint
rollers, water containers, mixing palettes, aprons, tape, elements & principles of
design reference handouts, colour theory reference handouts, peer-feedback
critique handouts

Previously Learned Vocabulary:

Abstraction, negative and positive space, line, warm and cool, tags, throws,
pieces, one-point perspective, overlap, depth in space, gradation, symbolism,
imagery, metaphor

Introduced Vocabulary/Concepts:
Mural, activism, social issues/context

Introduction
Encounter:
Skewville “Art Park in Bushwick” street pieces & Interesni Kazki’s The Revolution

Top: Skewville
Botton: Interesni Kazki

Explain the history and/or context of the two pieces.

  Art Park in Bushwick: A mural by Skewville in New York. Skewville is
made of two graffiti artist brothers whose main goal is transform
neighbourhoods using street art. They often work with their communities
by collaborating and getting permission from local business owners to
transform urban communities using colourful graffiti and murals. Their
work does not ghettoize communities but rather reinvigorates or energizes
communities through their use of bright colours.
 The Revolution: a mural by Interesni Kazki, located in Ibiza,
Spain. Inspired by the concept of revolution and the idea of ‘removing one
head and replacing it with a new one,’ corruption, the use of ‘patriotism’ as
a war-like tool for manipulation, and the recent revolutionary Ukrainian
political climate.

After providing students with the historical and context of the two pieces, have
them analyze and compare how the two different artists express metaphor,
symbolism, mood, feeling vis a vis imagery and colour.
Prompts:
1. How does your eye move across each piece?
2. What images or objects to you see as your eye moves across each piece?
3. What kinds of imagery do you see in both of these pieces?
4. Can you associate any meaning to the imagery using symbolism or
metaphor?
5. What do these symbols/images/objects suggest to you?
6. What kind of mood or feeling do these murals express to you?
7. How do these artists use colour? Why do you think they chose these
colour palettes? What feelings can you associate with the colours, or lack
of colours, used?
8. Do you think size is important to the meaning of these pieces? Why?
9. What kind of space are these murals in? Public, private, hidden, obvious?
10. Describe the building and space that these murals occupy.
a. What colour is the building/wall it occupies
b. What type of area is it located in? Neighbourhood, city center, abandoned
building etc.?
11. Who do you think the intended audience is for both of these works?
12. How do these murals transform their occupied space and surrounding
community?
13. Why do you think the artists chose these specific spaces to place their
art? What are they trying to convey or transform?
14. How do you think the artist's’ intention/purpose behind their work differs
from the other?

Body:
Briefly describe final unit project, before explaining murals, so students will have
some direction or motive for learning. They can consider and shape a rough idea
of their mural, what they want to convey, and jot down notes or points of interest
while learning about the specifics of what murals are, their significance, and
specific examples they find interesting or inspiring.

Using specific examples to illustrate each point, introduce the concept of murals:
 What is a mural?
o A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a
wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A distinguishing
characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of
the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.
 What is the significance of murals?
o Murals are important in that they bring art into the public sphere.
o Murals reach a wide audience. From avid art-goers to those who
might not set foot in an art gallery.
o Murals can be a tool for social or political activism
o Murals attract public attention to social issues
o Murals can have a dramatic impact whether consciously or
subconsciously on the attitudes of passers by when they are added
to areas where people live and work.

Show examples of different spaces to emphasize how the context of a mural

changes with the location of the piece.

Location is important to the composition, context, and meaning of a mural

because murals should be composed with surrounding architectural space in
mind.
 Location examples: trains, buildings, under stairwell, bridges, public
space.
 If possible, incorporate local examples of graffiti in various
locations. Students may better understand the context of different
spaces if they see spaces that are familiar to them.

Emphasize that location is also important because each ‘place’ will possess its
own unique sense of community, its own atmosphere, and its own social
contexts. Audience changes with location.

Activity:
Students will work together in groups of 4-5 (dependant on class size) to plan,
create, and hang a mural somewhere within the school. The mural must relate to
their school in some way. Like Skewville and Interesni Kazki’s previously used
examples, the ‘message’ behind the mural can vary greatly BUT it must relate to
the school somehow, since that is where it will be hung. Students should
consider the intent and message of their mural by asking themselves who they
want their audience to be (drama club, music kids, everyone, sports teams, etc.)
and where they want it to hung/located (under a stairwell, in the atrium, above
the lockers, outside of the school, inside of the school). Like Kazki’s mural, the
‘message’ of the mural can take a specific stance on a certain topic or issue
faced in the school (anti-bullying, LGBQT rights, etc.) as long as it is a positive
 message and approved by the teacher beforehand. The ‘message’ or intention
of the mural can also be to simply transform a space in a positive way through
imagery and/or colour, like Skewville mural (turning blank or boring surfaces such
as stairwells, small rooms, or large green garbage bins into vibrant area). It
should be emphasized that the students goal is to positively affect and transform
their school community. Students may pick their own groups, so those with
common interests or inspirations can work together. Encourage students
throughout the whole project, to keep in mind the principles and element of
design as well as colour theory. Provide students with hand out lists and
summaries of the principles and elements of design as well as colour theory so
they can have a reference and reminder of the concepts as they work on their
murals.

Requirements:
1. Pre-planning Phase:
a. Students must record their planning ideas, preliminary designs, ideas and
colour choices in their sketch book before moving onto the actual project.
b. Pre-planning must include both drawn and written planning for the mural in
all of the group members sketchbooks.
c. Ask students to consider and record the following in their sketchbooks:
i.Intended location of mural
ii.Intended audience of mural
iii.Intended message/meaning of mural
iv.Graffiti artists who influenced the style/message of mural
v.Brainstormed imagery, symbolism, words, phrases, colours, ideas to be used in
the mural
d. Pre-planning must demonstrate and utilize multiple elements and
principles of design. Remind students to reference handouts.
e. Students must show their sketchbook planning to the teacher and gain
consent to move onto the larger project.
2. Drafting Phase:
. On a large ___ x ___ piece of paper, have students collaboratively sketch
out a rough draft of their mural using pencil.
a. Remind students to use the whole paper and start with light marks so they
can be easily erased and reworked.
b. Once students have completed their drafting phase, with a complete
drawn out skeleton of their mural, they must gain consent from the teacher
before moving to the next phase.
3. Painting Phase:
. Students will begin to paint over their drafted murals
a. Remind students to start with lighter colours and progress to darker
colours
b. Remind students of the proper brush handling, paint mixing, and paint
application techniques they used in lessons one and two.
c. Remind students to reference their colour theory and design handouts and
consider the ways they can vary the hue, pattern, value, intensity, and placement
of paint.
 4. Hanging Phase:
. Once students have finished painting their murals, have considered any
modifications or suggestions from the teacher, and their mural has completely
dried, students may hang their mural around the school.
a. Students should document their hung mural by taking photos of it to
include in their sketchbook.
5. Class Critique:
. Once all the murals are completed, students will hang their works around
the school
a. Students will walk around the school and engage in a critique of each
other’s works.
.The mural group will describe their intention and reasoning behind their work to
the rest of the class. What they hoped to convey and why they chose such
colours, images, subject matter etc.
i.Other students will complete a ‘critique handout’ where they will express two or
more things they thought were well done or liked about the piece and one
suggestion or ‘wish’ about the piece
ii.Students will hand in their ‘critique handout’ to the teacher and the teacher will
choose the comments they find most constructive and include them in the “peer
feedback” portion of the groups summative feedback. The peer feedback will be
anonymous and filtered through the teacher to avoid conflict or hurt feelings.

Conclusion:
Students will participate in the class critique discussion of each other's work and
complete a “peer feedback” handout for the teacher.

A more detailed description of the critique process is outlined in section 5)b)iii of

the assignment requirements above.

The significance of the critique is to have students engage in thoughtful and

meaningful discussions using the art vocabulary and concepts learned
throughout the unit.