No Context Cartooning

Lesson Theme: How can text dictate imagery?

Grade Level: 5 (adaptations can be made for higher or lower levels)
Time: Three class periods (120 min. total, based on 40 min. class)
Lesson Overview:
Through the completion of the lesson objectives, the students will become confident in pairing
text with drawn images. They will understand the process of investigating phrases and word
bubbles to begin their own works of art, and will understand that different students can have
different interpretations of the same phrases and artworks.
Visual Culture Component:
Students at one time or another have engaged with cartoons, whether it be on the backs of milk
cartons in the cafeteria or in a magazine or newspaper. As part of the motivation for the lesson,
the students will engage with the funnies section of a newspaper or other forms of ageappropriate comics. The class will be asked to generate a list of similarities between the comics
they looked at (hopefully generating distinct lines, colorful, word bubbles, etc.). This will lead to
a discussion about artist Marius Valdes No Context drawings, and the artistic process of using
text to inform artwork. Since Valdes is a contemporary artist, it may be possible to have him
record a description of his art-making process.
Learning Standards (based on National Core Arts Standards):
VA:Cr1.2.5a - Identify and demonstrate diverse methods of artistic investigation to choose and
approach for beginning a work of art.
VA:Cr2.2.5a - Demonstrate quality craftsmanship through care for and use of materials, tools,
and equipment.
VA:Re.7.1.4a - Compare ones own interpretation of a work of art with the interpretation of
others.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.7: Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the
meaning, tone, or beauty of a text.
Lesson Objectives:
The student will investigate how text can be used to inspire or dictate a drawing.
(VA:Cr1.2.5a)
The student will create a cartoon focused on two randomly-chosen text bubbles, with a
focus on humor and craftsmanship. (VA:Cr2.2.5a)
The student will conclude that their interpretations of text or the artwork of others may
differ from the interpretations of their peers. (VA:Re.7.1.4a)
Academic Vocabulary:
Cartoon: A simple drawing that may covey a message or story in a humorous and
exaggerated way. The drawings may often be combined with captions or text.
Context: The circumstances in which something is understood or interpreted.

Interpretation: What something means to you. We all interpret things differently because
of our different experiences.
Craftsmanship: The quality of artwork.
Outline: A line that defines the outside of a form.
Historical/Cultural/Artist Information:
Marius Valdes is a contemporary artist based in Columbia, South Carolina, and is an Associate
Professor of Graphic Design and Illustration at the University of South Carolina. Originally
trained in graphic design, Valdes moved towards mixed media fine arts in graduate school, with
the introduction of The Unwantables. The Unwantables morphed into his Secret Species,
which has involved clay figures, branding and packaging, painting, traditional drawing and
computer graphic techniques. His series of No
Context drawings frequently involve animals and these
secret species, interacting with word bubbles and quotes
from different comic books.
Questioning Strategies:
Leading Response Questions: Who has read cartoons
before? Which part of Valdes artwork
came first, the
drawing
or the text?
Information Process Questions: What do the cartoons we are looking at all have in common?
Why can we have different interpretations of the same thing?
Productive Questions: What kinds of colors do the cartoonists tend to use? What kind of lines
are used, are they very detailed? If we were to all use the same word bubbles to inspire
our images, would our images all look the same? Why is it so important to practice good
craftsmanship?
Lesson Procedures:
Day 1
1. Motivation: See Visual Culture Component. (15 min.)
2. The students will draw two speech bubbles out of a hat. They will use the phrases they picked
out to inspire two different cartoon scenes that incorporate the text, and will draw the scenes on
their scrap paper. When finished, they will pick their favorite of the two drawings. (20 min.)
3. Allow 5 min. for cleanup.
Day 2
1.
The students will review the characteristics of a cartoon, touching on the simple colors
and defined outlines that many cartoonists use. (5 min.)
2.
The students will create a 1/2 border around their final paper, and will draw their
favorite cartoon within this frame. (15 min.)
3.
The students will use colored pencils to color their drawings, making sure to color neatly
and evenly. (15 min.)
4.
Allow 5 min. for cleanup.
Day 3
1.
The students will finish coloring their cartoons, and will outline everything in black
sharpie. (15 min.)

2.

The students will engage in a peer review as a form of assessment (see

Evaluation/Assessment). (10 min.)
3.
The class will share some of their interpretations, and discuss how different people can
interpret cartoons in different ways. (10+ min.)
4.
Allow 5 min. or less for cleanup.
Evaluation/Assessment: A rubric will be created to serve as a summative assessment (see
attached). As a formative assessment, the students will conduct a peer evaluation. They will be
asked to look at a peers cartoon and write their interpretation of the work. They will then rate
their peers craftsmanship from 1-4 (same as the teachers rubric) and explain why they gave the
rating they did. This will allow the teacher to be sure that the students understand the meaning of
interpretation and craftsmanship. Their understanding of cartoons will be evident through their
final product, and is already heavily embedded in their daily culture.
Materials and Teacher Preparation:
Project Materials
- Drawing Paper, standard size
- Pencils/Erasers
- Scrap Paper (Manilla, Construction, or Newsprint)
- Colored Pencils
- Black Fine Point Sharpie Markers
- rulers
Teacher Materials
- newspaper comics/comic books (cut out to fit the
- Sample Project
- Projector (to view Valdes work)
- Print of Valdes No Context Poster (from Secret Species Series 4 Show at Miami
University 15)
- Black construction paper (to back final drawings for display)
Resources:
http://www.artlex.com/ - Comprehensive visual arts vocabulary resource.
http://mariusvaldes.com/ - Marius Valdes artist website.
http://artsandsciences.sc.edu/art/directory/studio/valdes - Faculty listing for Valdes, includes
artist statement.
http://nationalartsstandards.org/ - National Core Arts Sandards
Accommodations for Special Populations: For students with dyslexia, all written
information will be read aloud, including their speech bubbles if need be. Large grips may be
added to drawing supplies and rulers may be taped down for students with motor problems.
Further accommodations may be made based on the specific class needs.

Rubric: This is a basic outline of a potential rubric. It may be altered and added to to suit the
teachers specific needs.
Use of Text as Inspiration

Craftsmanship

(4) - The text is clearly

(4) - Completed project
used to inspire the cartoon. displays excellent
craftsmanship. Lines and
coloring are perfectly clean
and defined.

Participation & Writing

(4) - The students
participation and writing
indicate a complete
understanding of the
meaning of interpretation
and craftsmanship.

Use of Text as Inspiration

Craftsmanship

(3) - The text relates well to (3) - Completed project

the cartoon drawing.
displays good
craftsmanship. Lines and
coloring are clean and
defined.

Participation & Writing

(3) - The students
participation and writing
indicate a strong
understanding of the
meaning of interpretation
and craftsmanship.

(2) - The text makes sense

for parts of the cartoon but
not for the cartoon as a
whole.

(2) - Completed project

(2) - The students
displays fair craftsmanship. participation and writing
indicate some
understanding of the
meaning of interpretation
and craftsmanship. (Or
understanding of one term)

(1) - The cartoon was

clearly not inspired by the
text bubbles, and they do
not make sense with what
was drawn.

(1) - Completed project

displays very little
craftsmanship. Lines and
coloring are not clean and
defined.

(1) - The students

participation and writing
indicate little understanding
of the meaning of
interpretation and
craftsmanship.

(0) - The one or more of

the text bubbles were not
included in the drawing.

(0) - Project appears to be

incomplete, with little to no
regard for craftsmanship.

(0) - The students

participation and writing
indicate no understanding
of the meaning of
interpretation and
craftsmanship.
Or
The student did not
participate in the peer
evaluation.