Miranda From SCHS 2018

Lesson Title: Creating a Composition Art: 10, 20, 30 Duration: 80 minutes

Lesson Overview

The composition of a drawing is often designed to highlight or draw the viewer's attention to a particular part
of the image. This might be a specific figure, such as the main figure in the narrative that is being depicted,
or a particular action that is taking place within the scene. In this activity students will investigate the ways
in which artists design their compositions using methods that will draw their audience's eyes to the parts of
their drawing that they feel are most important.
Students will experiment first with their devices to take images of the still life set up in the middle of the
room for them. They will move around the still life capturing their favorite parts, and play around with
zooming in to create meaning within the image.
Students will then play around in their sketchbook, producing a number of thumbnail sketches.
In the final step, students will take their favorite thumb nai, also the one that shows the most evidence for
playing around with composition. They will have two class periods to create this composition in a larger
format.

Guiding Questions:
-How do the artist's compositional choices convey feeling, tone, or information to the viewer, and how do
these elements guide the viewer's eye around the canvas?
-What is composition in the visual arts, and how does contribute to the success of an artwork?

Alberta Program of Study – Visual Art

Art 10: Compositions: Components 1: Students will extend their knowledge of the elements of art through
the exploration of creating compositions.
Art 20: Compositions: Components: Students will use non traditional approaches to create an interesting
composition.
Art 30: Compositions: Relationships 1: Students will devise personal style through the discovery of design
problems and experimenting with multiple compositions.

Learning Objectives
 Miranda From SCHS 2018

Students will:

-Define composition in the visual arts.

-Explain how the artist's compositional choices work to guide the viewer's eye to important
components of the image.
-Discuss ways in which the compositional structure of a painting affects the tone of the painting, and
communicates information or emotional content to the viewer.

-Experiment with technology to capture interesting compositions with their camera.

Assessments

Formative: Summative: Arts Propel Model

-3x3 drawing at the beginning of class. /5 Production:

-Students using their devices to capture interesting
compositions to play around with later.
-Students participating in the activity.
Craft: Student has control over the elements,
principles and materials used to create a
composition.
/5 Perception:
Awareness of discriminations and connections to art:
Student notices the technical, functional, and
aesthetic properties to creating a composition.
/5 Reflection:
Ability to to use Criticism and Suggestions: Students
can use criticism to improve on their compositions.
/5 Approach to Work:
Engagement: Student works hard, stays on task and
finishes the project through to completion.

Legend:
/5 Student over exceed the expectations and expands ideas further to create more meaning
and a personal style.
/4 Student exceed the expectations and expands ideas further to create some meaning trying
to create a personal style.
/3 Student meets the expectations and requirements in the area covered.
/2 Student meets some of the expectations and requirements in the area covered.
/1 Student does not meet the expectations or requirements.

Preparation

Setting up the still life in the middle of the classroom.

 Miranda From SCHS 2018

Material and Equipment

-sketchbooks
-pencils, charcoal, conte
-still life

Lesson Procedures

Introduction: (30 min)

1. We will begin with 3x3: C.C on a still life from the cart.
2. We will talk about composition and what we now about it.
3. Watch a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CadByjgmT5U
4. Students are expected to take notes on what they are learning, and also write down any questions they
may have.
5. We will have a small discussion on what we learned from the video.

Body (2, 80 min classes.):

1. Students will use their devices, or one provided to take interesting compositional pictures based off of
what they learned.
2. They will choose their favorite image and play around with different frames and how cropping can
alter the images and create new meanings.
3. Students will create thumbnail sketches in their sketchbooks of the various frames they create.
4. Students will choose their favorite frame and recreate that in a larger scale.

Closure (3-4 min.):

1. Each day students will write a reflection in their sketchbook on what they learned that day.
2. They will have a 2 min warning to clean up their areas.