Science to art: inventive insects.Taking science into the art room is a very natural connection. As art teachers, we routinely use the world of natural science as possible subject matter for artworks as we teach our students to observe nature closely for details, textures, forms, lines and patterns. As a take-off from the middle school science curriculum, a colored pencil drawing pencil drawing Drawing executed with a pencil, an instrument made of graphite enclosed in a wood casing. Though graphite was mined in the 16th century, its use by artists is not known before the 17th century. lesson for eighth grade students based on the arthropod arthropod Any member of the largest phylum, Arthropoda, in the animal kingdom. Arthropoda consists of more than one million known invertebrate species in four subphyla: Uniramia (five classes, including insects), Chelicerata (three classes, including arachnids and horseshoe (many-legged creature) helped my students make interdisciplinary connections. I introduced the idea of developing a composition around an insect-type creature by creating a diagram of a giant grasshopper grasshopper, name applied to almost 9,000 different species of singing, jumping insects in two families of the order Orthoptera. Grasshoppers are long, slender, winged insects with powerful hind legs and strong mandibles, or mouthparts, adapted for chewing. with the body parts labeled. A class discussion resulted in the development of a long list of various insects, as well as other arthropods--spiders, scorpions, crayfish crayfish or crawfish, freshwater crustacean smaller than but structurally very similar to its marine relative the lobster, and found in ponds and streams in most parts of the world except Africa. Crayfish grow some 3 to 4 in. (7.6–10. , etc. I asked the students to invent a creature by putting together different insects to create a unique and nonexisting bug. The students were allowed to include parts from other animal species, but the invented critters had to have the basic body segments of an insect, spider or scorpion scorpion, any arachnid of the order Scorpionida with a hollow poisonous stinger at the tip of the tail. Scorpions vary from about 1/2 in. to about 6 in. (1–15 cm) long; most are from 1 to 3 in. (2.5–7.6 cm) long. to add the illusion of being scientific possibilities. Drawing from a Different Viewpoint I made many resources available to the students such as science books, nature magazines, a cart full of books on spiders and insects from the school library, a file folder full of insect images and a set of plastic insects to inspire the students to draw various models. I encouraged the students to think about drawing their creatures from different viewpoints, rather than always working from the airplane airplane, aeroplane, or aircraft, heavier-than-air vehicle, mechanically driven and fitted with fixed wings that support it in flight through the dynamic action of the air. view we normally tend to use when looking at insects. I asked them to think about the view from the perspective of the bug. Once the students were satisfied with their invented insects, we discussed possible settings for the development of the entire composition. The students had three options. They could create a repetitive pattern with the invented insect; place the insect in an environment that was either realistic or fantasy; or work with shapes and patterns in a setting for the insect. The environment had to be interactive with the creature. This was an important concept to discuss with middle level students as they tended to think in terms of subject and background as separate parts. An Element of Surprise Other compositional strategies can be examined, such as developing a unique viewpoint, use of the diagonal and use of space. An element of surprise can be encouraged. Students should make numerous thumbnail sketches thumbnail sketch n → esbozo thumbnail sketch n → croquis m thumbnail sketch thumb n → of ideas in their sketch-books before moving on to the colored pencil drawing. I offered the students two sizes of 80# white sulfite sulfite /sul·fite/ (sul´fit) any salt of sulfurous acid. sul·fite n. A salt or ester of sulfurous acid. drawing paper, 12 x 18[inches] (31 x 46 cm) or 18 x 24[inches] (46 x 61 cm). After the composition was drawn lightly in pencil, I introduced colored pencils. A demonstration on how to layer the colors for values and color blending enabled the students to see the beauty and richness of color not of the white race; - commonly meaning, esp. in the United States, of negro blood, pure or mixed. See also: Color that can be obtained with a quality color pencil. Patience and gradual layering of the color was advocated as the students worked for about two weeks on their drawings. Self-Evaluation of Effort At the completion of the project, I asked the students to write a brief artist's statement An artist's statement is a brief text composed by an artist and intended to explain, justify, and contextualize his or her body of work. Artists often have a short (50-100 word) and a long (500-1000 word) version of the same statement, and they may maintain and revise these detailing the concept behind the development of their work and to demonstrate a complete performance of thought. These statements were displayed in the school along with the finished, matted drawings. Including the composed thought with the artwork added an element of interest and understanding for the viewer. The artists' statements were also a component of the final evaluation that included the students' self-evaluation of their effort, participation, idea development, meeting the lesson's requirements and instructional goals, craftsmanship Craftsmanship Alcimedon a first-rate carver in wood. [Rom. Lit.: Vergil Eclogues, iii. 37.] Argus skillful builder of Jason’s Argo. [Gk. Myth.: Walsh Classical, 29] Athena (Rom. , use of materials and completion of the project. These components were listed on each student's chart with comments and a written teacher dialogue. The unit lasted about three weeks based on a 42-minute period that met every day. This lesson has produced several Wisconsin Scholastic award winners. However, the most rewarding part of all is the pride and satisfaction of the students with their delightful and fascinating inventive insects! |
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