Through the Looking Glass.

Each year, my students apply their artistic talent to a community service project. While they learn the incomparable benefits of giving back to others, they also increase their own chances of securing scholarships for college. This year, we were asked to produce large-scale playing cards based on the Alice in Wonderland theme of "Though the Looking Glass" to be exhibited at the 50th Anniversary Conference for the Michigan Art Education Association.

This project commenced with students researching one "master" artist of choice, using books, magazines, and the Internet.

Students selected and traced a playing card that they felt fit aspects of their master artist's life, art, and status in the art world. Borrowing subject, style, techniques, color, and value, students synthesized the individual components from their research into a new composition restricted by the playing card format. Using additional layers of tracing paper, students drew freehand subject matter from their research, combining and recombining images. Upon completion of this thumbnail sketch, students either graphed their designs and enlarged them on a full sheet of foam board or used the opaque projector to transfer their original recomposed sketch. The corners of the foam board were rounded using a template and an X-acto knife to resemble a playing card. We used acrylic and ink; however, this project could be replicated in any color medium.

Students kept secret the reasons behind their choices during the production of their cards. In a whole group critique, classmates made educated observations and guesses as to the master artist being portrayed, the artwork incorporated in the card, and why these pieces might have been selected. Each student-artist then shared an in-depth history lesson on their master artist and their thought processes in the selection and development of their card. Computers were used to type a succinct edited version of the critique/history lesson for exhibition purposes.

My students indicated that this was not only a very educational and challenging assignment, but also a lot of fun!

NATIONAL STANDARD

Students differentiate among a variety of historical and cultural contexts in terms of characteristics and purposes of art.

Becky Prine Sullivan is an art teacher at Saginaw Arts and sciences Academy in Saginaw, Michigan.