Shadow Art: Photography

Intended grade level(s) / age(s): Middle School

Big Idea / Central concept: Students will create a positive space image to produce shadow art

Essential Questions:
How can you manipulate light to create a different feeling of an image?

National Arts Standard(s): [

- Combine concepts collaboratively to generate innovative ideas for creating art. (VA: Cr1.1.6a)

MA State Arts Standard(s):

- Organize and develop artistic ideas and work. Organize and plan an idea using a variety of
self-selected strategies (e.g., storyboards, flowcharts, or prototypes). (5-6. MA.Cr.02)
- Refine and complete artistic work. Refine a media arts idea by making changes in how
images, interactivity, or sound are used. (5-6. MA.Cr.03)

Artists to be Discussed:
- Tim Noble: A British artist whose work is through shadow art and is highly influenced through
music specifically punk rock
The Shadow Sculptures incorporate diverse materials including household rubbish, scrap metal and
taxidermy animals. By shining light onto these assemblages, they are transformed into highly
accurate shadow profiles of the artists.
 "Our work is incredibly unsocial. There has to be complete darkness because you need to give the
light and then to take it away again.
- Sue Webster: A British artist as well who works collaboratively with Tim noble creating shadow
work
- Ellis Gallagher: A New York artist known primarily for street drawings made by working with
different sources of light and shadows and chalk on the street

Key Vocabulary:
- Photography: The art or practice of taking and processing photographs
- Shadow: A dark area where light from a light source is blocked by an opaque object.

Learning Objectives:
 Students will… be able to manipulate lights to create an artistic scene out of cardboard
 Students will… be able to demonstrate clear knowledge of how to create shadow art
 Students will…collaborate with others in the class to execute shadow art accurately

Art Activity: Students will get in groups of 2-3 to work on this project. They will cut up and manipulate the
cardboard to make a scene, then they will set up their scene and using a light source they will take
pictures of the shadow art they have created on the wall.

Materials: Light source (projector light, flashlight etc.), Cardboard, Tape, Scissors, Camera

Lesson Sequence

Opening Activity/Discussion/Presentation (10 min)

- Introduce shadow art
- Discuss the meaning of photography and shadow
- Discuss artist specific to shadow art and give examples
Material Demonstration/Tutorial
 - Explain the project and introduce materials that are going to be used (5 min)
- Allow students to get into groups to begin planning what their scene is going to look like (5-10
min)
- Students will begin creating scene and allow them to figure out how to manipulate light to create
shadows (40 min)
- Take photos of the scene using the light creating a shadow (10 min)
Reflection/Closure
- Upload photos onto blackboard and allow students to discuss out loud what they have created

Assessment

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1 Score
Creativity Student has taken Student has Student has Student has not
the technique taken the copied some made much
being studied and technique painting from attempt to meet
applied it in a way being studied the source the
that is totally and has used material. There requirements of
his/her own. The source is little evidence the assignment.
student\'s material as a of creativity, but
personality/voice starting place. the student has
comes through. The student\'s done the
personality assignment.
comes through
in parts of the
painting.
Time/Effort Class time was Class time Class time was Class time was
used wisely. Much was used not always not used wisely,
time and effort wisely. used wisely, and the student
went into the Student could but student did put in no
planning and have put in do some additional effort.
design of the more time and additional work
scene. It is clear effort at home. at home.
the student worked
at home as well as
at school.
Design/Composition Student applies Student Student tries to The student
knowledge of applies apply does not appear
shadow art with knowledge of knowledge of to be able to
great skill. shadow art shadow art, but apply
with fair skill. the overall knowledge of
result is not shadow art to
pleasing. his/her own
work.