COURTNEY MCMANUS
MINI ACTIVITIES [Small scale lesson plans meant to be taught over a 1-2 day class span.]
Mini-Activity Title: Differences in Portraits: Mona Lisa vs Dora Marr
Grade Level: 2nd Grade
Theme Concepts:
•Portraits Students will learn about portraits, the motivation artists have to create them, and different styles within portraiture.
•Realism Students will look at DaVinci’s Mona Lisa and observe how life like the portrait is, take note of how her eyes seem to follow them as if she is alive, discuss how it looks like a photograph
•Abstract Painting Students will look at Picasso’s Dora Marr Portrait and observe how the representation is not realistic at all, take note in how the body is composed of geometric shapes, take not in the colors used, take note in the odd placement of facial details such as eyes and nose.
Art Production Concepts
•Students will learn about composition
•Students will learn about using muted vs. bright colors
•Students will learn to create artwork that fuses two opposing artistic styles
•Students will use drawing skills
Creative & Critical Abilities, Behaviors, & Skills Students will Enhance
•Students will think critically when determining what creates a realistic painting and what creates an abstract one
•Students will shown to respect the tools they will use during the art production
•Students will explore the ability within abstract art to deviate from “normal” placement of facial features
Aesthetics, Art Criticism, Art History
•Aesthetics Students will discuss their reactions to the two different types of portraiture (abstract v. realistic) in regards to which they prefer to look at and why, how the different styles effect the mood of the piece (is one silly and one serious? What about the painting makes it silly or serious?)
•Art Criticism Students will be taught that while abstract art may seem more “fun” or “silly” than realistic art, it is still a highly regarded art form. Students will be asked which painting they would rather hang in their bedroom and why.
•Art History Students will be taught facts about both DaVinci and Picasso in regards to how they approached portraiture, their inspirations, influences, and the history behind the subjects in the two portraits.
Teaching Strategies
•Group discussion
•Demonstration
•Use of technology (computer projector) to show examples of artwork
NJCCCS Addressed
Materials & Supplies
•Large white construction paper
•Face templates
•Multi-cultural skin tone crayons
•Crayons
•Pencils
•Black markers (for outlining)
Art Making Steps
1. Students will trace face template onto paper
2. Students will fold the paper in half so that the face is divided down the middle into two sides
3. Students will keep paper folded so that only the left side is revealed and draw the left side of the face realistically (Left eye, left side of nose, and left side of mouth all in “proper” and realistic placement)
4. Students will now hold the paper so that only the right side is revealed and draw the right side of the face abstractly (Students can place eye, nose, and mouth in arbitrary positions)
5. Students will unfold their paper to reveal the full face, seeing both the realistic and abstract.
6. Students will finish by coloring in the face.
Aesthetic Questions
1. What do you think makes a portrait complete? What does the picture need to have to make it a portrait?
2. Why do you think artists create portraits?
3. How is a portrait different from a photograph?
4. Can a portrait show things about the person that maybe a photograph cannot?
5. Does the Mona Lisa look happy or sad?
6. What about her face makes you feel that way?
(Repeat questions 5-6 for portrait of Dora Marr)
7. Is it a "bad" picture if we can't tell right away how the person is feeling?
8. Do we need to know how the Mona Lisa or Dora Marr are feeling in order for us to decide if we like the portrait or not?
Mini-Activity Title: Cut Shape Still Life
Grade Level: 5th Grade
Theme Concepts:
•Composition
•Color contrast
•Complimentary colors
•Graphic Art
Art Production Concepts
•Translating images into simple graphic silhouettes
•Placing objects appropriately to create composition
•Relativity in size of objects
•Cutting and pasting neatly
Creative & Critical Abilities, Behaviors, & Skills Students will Enhance
•Students will think critically when determining how they will create silhouette imagery (being able to simplify)
•Students will use composition skills to determine placements of objects
•Students will be sharing tools
•Students will have the freedom to determine what their still life will depict
•Students will have to think about what objects will be placed into the still life and the reasoning behind why they chose those objects
Aesthetics, Art Criticism, Art History
•Aesthetics Students will discuss their reactions to Matisse’s “cut out” works, discussing balance, composition, and color
•Art Criticism Students will be taught the reaction to Matisse’s cut outs, and asked if they like them or not. Why or why not? Students will also evaluate each others works at the conclusion of the lesson
•Art History Students will be taught about how Matisse’s illness led to the creation of the cut out works, as well as what artists have mimicked the style since then.
Teaching Strategies
•Group discussion
•Demonstration
•Use of technology (computer projector) to show examples of artwork
•Peer assessment
NJCCCS
Materials & Supplies
•Various colors of construction paper
•Pencils
•Scissors
•Glue Sticks
Art Making Steps
1. Students will be asked to create a quick sketch (in 2-3 minutes) of the still life they want to create
2. Students will be told they are expected to use at least 2 pairs of complimentary colors within their still life
3. Students will begin to cut out silhouettes of the objects they are placing in their still life. I will encourage students to cut the shapes out without drawing them on the construction paper, but give them the option if they are not confident in cutting shapes without cutting along a drawing line.
4. Once all the objects are cut out, students will put them all in place on their final paper without gluing, in order to allow them to play around with the composition and decide upon where everything will go.
5. Once students have picked a final composition and placed the objects, they will glue the objects into place on the paper.
Aesthetic Steps/Questions
1. What images can you make out when you look at Matisse’s Cut Out works?
2. Can you see several objects in one silhouette?
3. How does the color affect the mood of pieces?
4. Matisse called his cut out works “painting with paper.” Were you able to create the still life with paper in a similar way to how you would have had you painted it?
5. Evaluate the work of the person next to you. Are there at least two sets of complimentary colors? Can you tell what the objects are in the still life? Does the composition make sense?