Los Dias de los Muertos: a look at Figures and Pattern

Intro to Art 9-12

DMPS Content Objectives 2.2 Independently initiate, define, and solve challenging visual art problems to express a theme and or concepts through a work of art 2.3 Employ multiple principles of design to create an effective composition and discuss critical choices 3.3 Explore themes that have relevance for artists throughout history and across cultures (e.g., love, intolerance, war, oppression) National Art Standards Understand, select and apply media, techniques and processes. Understand and apply elements and principles of design. Students will consider, select, apply and evaluate a range of subject matter, symbols and ideas. Understand the visual arts in relation to history and culture. Reflect upon and asses the characteristics of their own and others work. Essential Question/Understandings E?: How can I synthesize images from other cultures into my own artwork? U: I can use resources and images to infer how a figures skeleton will look in different positions. I can create a story within a composition. Objectives Students will use an image of a person and images of the human skeleton to think about the structure of the human body. Students will use these to decipher the placement of the human skeleton within an image of a moving figure. Students will create a visual story within a composition. Resources The Visual Experience: Second Edition. Hobbs, Jack and Salome, Richard. School Arts: Transfiguration. Davis. October 2012 Issue. Page 32-33 November 2: the Day of the Dead. Dale Hoyt Palfrey, 1995. Mexconnect. Flickering Lights: Days of the Dead Video Materials Magazines with images of people Images of skeleton White paper (12X18) Pencils and Erasers Student Sketchbooks Colored Pencils Images of Los Dias de los Muertos artworks Video: Flickering Lights: Days of the Dead Rulers

Vocabulary Outline: A line that surrounds a shape Shape: A 2-Dimensional area with a boundary. The edges of shape imply a line Form: 3-Dimensional shapes. Things we see in everyday life, have height, width and depth Organic Shapes/Forms: Found in nature, includes: plants, animals, people Geometric Shapes/Forms: Typically made by people, includes: buildings, bridges, home goods Figure: Appears to stand out, be on top of a ground Gesture: Movement of part of the body Ground: Appears to be underneath the figure Pattern: The repetition of elements or combinations of elements in a recognizable organization (creates Rhythm) Folk Art: Art created by amateur or untrained artists (usually). It is art of the everyday and is rooted in tradition and culture. Anticipatory Set Set tables with flameless candles, small skeletons, decorate room with fake bones and flowers. Borrow a full skeleton from science department. Day 1 Introduction: Raise your hand if you have heard of The Days of the Dead/Los Dias de los Muertos. Raise your hand if you celebrate the Days of the Dead? (Class discussion if students have background knowledge about The Days of the Dead.) Our next project was inspired by the Days of the Dead and the folk art associated with it. To help us all understand this tradition we have a video to watch. While you watch the video I want you to have your sketchbooks open and a pencil ready so that you can take notes over the video. Things I want you to think about are repeating motifs, themes, colors. I would also like for you to think of an MVP to share from the video. (Play video 22 mins) (Sharing Whip MVP) We also have a short slide show with images of Mexican Folk Art. Does anyone know what Folk Art is? In these slides, make a quick note in your sketchbook what you see or what you think the story might be in the image. Art is a chance for us to tell a story visually. The best thing about it is that we can all see something different. I could even tell you all to draw the same thing but the results would still be different. While were watching the slides lets talk about what we think the story might be. (Play PowerPoint presentation talk through slides) For this assignment we are finding our inspiration in DoD artworks. We will have a figure and a background that tells a story. With the figure you brought in, you will draw in the skeleton. You can also play with what the figure is wearing; you can see in my sketches I changed the clothing in each. You also need to think about what the story is going to be. In mine, the figure represents me, and my background is a story about past and future. Your story does not have to be personal like mine. While

youre working today start to think about what your story is going to be. Please write these steps down in your sketchbook (Students will write steps 1-6) Steps 1. 2. 3. 4. Choose a picture of a person (try to get a full body image) and tear out of magazine Cut out figure Trace the figure in your sketch book three times Draw in the bones of the figure in all three, change the figures clothing.

Day 1 Day 3* Day 2

5. Choose which figure will be your final. Use colored pencils to color in the figures clothes and accessories (think about where the shadows and highlights are.) 6. Outline the bones with extra fine point Sharpie leave the inside white; the area from the bones to the edge of the figure will be colored in black or cut to bone. 7. Cut around figure, lay on white paper and lightly trace where the image will go in your composition

8. In your sketchbook brainstorm what the background is going to be. There should be a story there. Is your composition going to be about a celebration? Commemoration? Etc. 9. Use pencil to draw your background on your white paper. (Dont draw where your figure is going to be.) 10. Color your background using colored pencils, think about the colors we saw in the images (bright and vibrant) 11. Attach figure onto background *Brainstorming activity: Give students background knowledge about brainstorming. Play soothing music, turn off lights. Students will take a page out of their sketchbook and answer the following question; what could my background story be about? Students will write one to two ideas on their own paper. Give them one minute to do this then students will pass their papers. Each student will write an idea on every paper, using previously written ideas to help inspire them, one minute will be given to do this. Additional Projects Using press molds and model magic, students can create a 3-D skull and paint it like traditional Day of the Dead art. Daily Cleanup Place images in sketchbook and return sketchbook to the cupboard. Return borrowed colored pencils, return your own colored pencils to bin. Return permanent markers. Throw scraps away. Lesson Wrap Up Fill out rubric (self-assessment) Glue stick to the back of the composition. Gallery Walk

Rubric Los Dias de los Muertos Ms. Ramsey Criteria Craftsmanship (time and care with drawings) Use of materials to accurately portray human bones 25 20 15 10 5 Excellent Above Average Average Beginning Limited Quality of work Quality of work Quality of work Quality of work Quality of work

Excellent Bones are accurately drawn and have dimension

Above Average Bones are accurately drawn

Average Bones are evident but not completely accurate/lack dimension

Beginning Bones are evident but lack dimension, missing parts, not in correct positioning Beginning Artist is beginning to show understanding of creating stories within artwork I wrote one or two notes that were shared out. I wrote ideas on some papers, not all, and could have been more thoughtful

Limited Bones are not clearly drawn, missing parts, Not in correct position

Background image tells a story

Excellent The viewer can see that the image holds a story (artist used ideas found in Mexican Folk Art) I took notes from the video and shared MVPs with peers. I shared ideas during slideshow. I wrote thoughtful ideas during brainstorming

Above Average

Average

Limited Story is unclear/ cannot be explained

Artist created a Artist created a story in the background background story that is that is easily clear with seen some help from artist

Participation in video notes and brainstorming activity

I took notes from the video and slideshow. I wrote thoughtful ideas during brainstorming activity

I wrote notes from the video. I wrote ideas during brainstorming but could have been more thoughtful

I did not take notes on the video and did not participate in the brainstorming activity

Critique Etiquette
Start and end with something positive. Be specific, say why you like something. Use complete sentences, try to use art vocab. Constructive criticism. Be specific, dont say you dont like something, say how you might have done it differently. Use complete sentences, try to use art vocab.

Set Up for a written critique: Artists Name _______________________________________

Your Name_________________________________________