Objective
To integrate several design fundamentals into a single project, in this case shape, texture, and value.
To enliven an early morning class with action.

Instructions
I used the exquisite corpse surreal game basic.
Teams of 3 students.
Each student gets a paper.
Fold 11x17 paper into thirds.
Instruct students to create a head out of simple shapes on the top third with a couple line showing on the second to indicate where the neck is.
Pass the paper to another student without showing the head, only the lines for the neck.
Students use simple shapes to connect the neck lines to a body and arms on the middle section without knowing what the head looks like leaving little line indicators to show the bottom of the body. 
2 lines at the top of the last folded segment means that the body stops at the torso, 4 lines means that the legs have been started.
Fold the paper and pass it to another student without showing the head or the body.
Students then unfold the complete 3-part creatures.
Next step is to give the creatures various textures.
Pass out graphite sticks, crayons, or color pencil blocks and take them outside to find things to rub.  We also had raised signs in the halls with numbers, words, and stair steps which made for fun additions to the abstract textures.

Then we went outside with the instruction to get rubbings to give the specific shapes in the creature different  textures.  .

 

Teaching Reflections
Students enjoyed getting away from the professional realm of library example collecting and getting dirty with the soft graphite.  They enjoyed the fun of this relatively simple project, yet were able to use the nuanced vocabulary of the chapter to describe their creatures.

Next steps
I realize that I could use the creature game for other chapters and it would be a fun project for color. 
I used paper that was too thick for good rubbing.  I will use 20 lb paper next time.
I need to be sure that I have different materials to work with.  The graphite was too soft for much contrast in the creatures.  A variety in the hardness of lead would be ideal.  I will do this again for the color chapter using color pencil blocks that I have.

I'm getting very excited about set-up tomorrow with Marty, Loren and Bret and the actual tour on the weekend.
I got the Square credit card reader and the account so we can take cards at the event for sales.  
Yay!  Just tested the Square and it paid into my Square account quickly and neatly and sent a receipt too.

I'm Bretifying some fish and life drawing copies that I made yesterday.  I have a book full of copies of the zen brush drawings so I can take orders for chine-colle prints.  I took the best chine colle fish print to Jerry's and the fish may be framed for the show and the two other artist proofs may be matted and ready to sell.

I have grommets, rope, and setter to make the canvas wall.
Knut set up the big interior wall for hanging the poppies with fishing line and arthooks.
Bret and I mounted a number of works on black foam core and have been making a spreadsheet with names and dimensions and We hope to get advice on prices to add the prices to each piece in the pricelist.  
I'm mounting zen circles on wabi sabi paper.
We think Knut will be a great price master but suggestions welcome.
The weather looks promising...
I found the missing sketchbooks.

Next steps
Artist statement and signage.
Canvas Wall
Poppy Wall
Print rack cleared and reloaded.
Guest book. I have tons of book options to use for guest book.
Move a lot of junk.
Sketchbook final selection.
Finish pricelist
Finish mounting and labels
Determing swordpainting activity or display

Spin offs:
Flyer for private swordpainting lessons?
Marty is going to help set up a social media strategy:-)

Need to buy:
More mosquito deterrent for front yard.

When:
I will start working in the house around 10 a.m. and keep going.

Onward through the art...

Student comment:

This is my favorite class so far.  Very easy to learn from you. The teaching style is very unique and effective.  My blog is turning out better than I originally expected, & really keeps my motivation up to continue perfecting it.  Thanks.

Lucas Starbuck and Mom with lovely Mother's Day roses in a previous gift of pottery from ClayWays.
What a good way to start this Mother's Day.

WEST Austin Studio Tour is next week.
I hope you all can drop by to see what I've been painting and drawing and printing.

While in the neighborhood you might want to check out other artists.

I highly recommend my friend Kit's pottery studio, ClayWays on Burnet.

Here's the map:

http://www.westaustinstudiotour.com/

I'm number 141 in the list.

Hope to see you there.

Student Work Design Fundamentals Shape Topics Illustrations. Spring 2012. Honoria Starbuck, Instructor

Learning Activity:
Students used color paper and oil pastels and markers to illustrate all the vocabulary words in the chapter on shape.  Each student picked what topic from the chapter on Shape to illustrate.  After they illustrated the vocabulary they lined up the illustrations.  Students took markers and tried to guess what term from the chapter each illustrations emphasized and wrote the term above the illustration.  Students noted that often some concepts were evident in the same illustration.  In addition they used vocabulary from the principles of design from the first half of the term when discussion the element of shape.

Teaching Reflections:
As students tried to illustrate the topic they has access to the illustrations in the book and recent memories of looking up examples to illustrate shape and line in contemporary magazines and web searches in the library.   Naming the illustrations created opportunities for students to discuss the options amongst themselves as they debated what terms went with what illustrations.  I've found this is a low barrier to entry discussion activity. Students engage in discussions with sincerity while trying to determine the nuances in meanings of terms for visual representation.  My big take-away is that this hands-on activity is especially effective for students who are happier with visual information and working with materials over working with words.

Students in Observational Drawing apply the 5 perceptual skills to drawing the human form and skeleton.

Learning Task: 
Students have been working with light logic since week 3 starting with lemons and working on more complex still lives such as our toy shark.  In week 6 the challenge is to apply the 5 perceptual skills (Edges, Light and Dark, Relationships, Positive and Negative Shapes, and Gestalt to drawing the human form.  Students posed for each other for shorter poses then posed the classroom skeleton for the final extended drawing.

Teaching Reflections:
This small class has really bonded into a serious learning community who will gladly express their thoughts and ask questions without hesitation.  In my supportive role I suggest new tools and techniques to try in a just in time way based on watching students as they draw.  In this way I can nudge students to save effective parts of the drawings that seem unfinished to their evolving sense of composition.  Students generally want to cover the whole surface with details.  I help them to see the value between sketched or smudged value areas of the composition in relation to specific detailed areas and to use details strategically to create a focal point in the composition.  Overall the 5 perceptual skills along with chiaroscuro lighting are great building blocks for teaching Observational Drawing.

 

The students in this class have become spontaneous painters.  They are getting some uniquely dynamic visual stories while gaining the competencies.

‘We learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the answer itself.’
~Lloyd Alexander

I'm getting ready for a studio tour.  Yesterday my arty niece and nephew on the Mullins side of my extended fam came and REALLY helped me figure out what to include in the show and how to show it.  They want to come back and help me hang the show too.  I'm so grateful.  Now I have to work on some details to get ready for the next stage.

Thank you thank you thank you Marty and Loren!!!

School is going full blast and is tiring but rewarding.  A boy hugged me yesterday because I recognized how smart he was and held him up in class as the high bar in critical thinking for the day.

I'm sure no one has praised his critical thinking in public before.  First gen to college, ghetto, military, and creatives in non-creative households in our student population have hidden visual and articulate abilities in their natural world. When they come to our academic setting you really have to tune your radar to find them and encourage them to excel.   I'm getting better and culling the lazy ones from the ones who are just pretending to be dumb because it's part of their school persona.

Creativity has the power to change people's lives.  Lots of these folks have not been in a creative environment before or  had someone validate their visual thinking and right brain visions.  

I love my job.