Music to our eyes.

Are those the sounds of a bagpipe, trumpet, and an electric guitar coming from the artroom? Most definitely! Musicians were the theme for an applique stitchery project. Art and music not only excited my sixth grade class, but provided a view of history and an insight into various cultures.

The lesson began with several class periods devoted to figure drawing. The students used contour lines to draw figures from observation. They payed careful attention to proportion while drawing this series. They drew action figures after a discussion about the three major axis lines (spine, shoulders, hips) in the human body. I used a small rubber Halloween skeleton decoration to illustrate how these axis lines change direction as different action poses are taken. Once the children felt comfortable with drawing a variety of figures, full-face and profile views, I presented the musician lesson.

Instruments and Styles

Since there were so many aspects to the musician lesson that I wanted my students to think about, I broke down the brainstorming session into different components. First, the class listed musical instruments found in orchestras, bands, and folk groups of other cultures. I displayed posters and children's books showing musical instruments. Next, we started another blackboard list describing the type of music these instruments could play. Jazz, rock, classical, country and western, polka, and calypso were just a few of the styles.

The class became very excited as more and more different types of music were presented. Students wanted to share their own ethnic music or talk about a concert they had attended. To keep a visual image in their minds, I asked what type of clothing or costumes might a musician wear? Again there were references all around the room. One bulletin board displayed prints of musicians in art, such as Boucher's Allegory of Music, Chagall's Green Violinist, Picasso's Three Musicians and Tanner's Banjo Lesson. Another bulletin board had photos of famous musicians and composers from Mozart to Elvis and magazine pictures of people playing musical instruments. Musician biographies and costume reference books lined the room. I used these pictures to point out costume details and body gestures. I asked my students who played an instrument, to name it and to take a position as if playing it, so we all could view the poses. Students who played instruments were encouraged to bring them to class.

The Importance of Costumes

The students began a preliminary sketch for their applique stitchery. The drawings were done on 9 x 12" (23 x 31 cm) paper (the same size as the burlap background). We used colored pencils and markers. The musicians were to fill the compositional space, show a figure in action, and use great details in the costumes and accessories. We discussed how and why clothing fit into a historical period. We consulted maps to find a particular country and used an art timeline to find out about artists of the period. This was all done in casual small groups. Students moved in and out of these discussion groups as their interest was captured.

Constructing the Musician

The motivation, research, and drawings took two forty-five minute class periods. The students chose their own color of 9 x 12" (23 x 31 cm) burlap to use as a background. Using their sketches as a pattern, they traced their figures onto tracing paper. They cut out the larger shapes first from the tracing paper. These shapes were then traced onto felt using chalk. (The chalk outlines eventually disappear.) They glued the felt to the burlap and the figure began to reappear like a puzzle, piece by piece. Smaller shapes or new details could be cut freehand. Once the basic, felt musician was finished, the children began using a variety of trims: lace, rickrack, braiding, ribbons, as well as buttons, sequins, and feathers to add a decorative quality to their performers.

Learning to Stitch with Yarn

I introduced stitchery before all the students were finished with the applique. Stitchery, as well as sewing, was very new to many of my students. We gathered around a demonstration table where I showed them examples of stitchery. I told them to think of stitchery as drawing a line with yarn. I demonstrated the running stitch and the cross-stitch. I asked the class where these types of stitches could be used on their appliques. Answers ranged from outlining the figure or border to adding such details, as hair, stripes, or even musical notes in the background.

I gave everyone a practice scrap of burlap and a large-eye blunt tapestry needle. The students threaded their own needles and practiced the two stitches. Emphasis was placed on and consistency of the the size and stitches and starting and stopping he stitchery from the back side of the burlap.

Each class period, a new stitch (blanket stitch, satin stitch and the chain stitch) was presented and practiced. To finish the applique stitchery, the burlap borders were fringed and then mounted on a piece of 12 x 18" (31 x 46 cm) colored paper.

Background music played throughout this lesson. Children who played a musical instrument put on mini-performances. Learning took place on many levels and crossed several curriculum areas. We created art that was music to our eyes!

NATIONAL STANDARDS

Students compare the characteristics of works in two or more art forms that share similar subject matter, historical periods, or cultural context.

Thais Wright is an art teacher at Agawam Middle School in Agawan, Massachusetts. E mail: Thais [e-mail]