![Picture](/uploads/2/3/6/7/23677318/8385054.jpg?469)
"How he gardened my life ..."
~Kelsey (grade 5)
a line of poetry from a Magnetic Poetry activity
Using text is a big part of the art making experience for me. Because of that, I tend to bring the use of text/language into my teaching. I do this through titling art works, font design, image & inspirational quote posters, expressive language, poetry (strike-out, magnetic), improv games (one word storytelling).
Titling art work is a question under debate. I talk to my students about the pros and cons of this question. I share stories with them of artist friends who believe passionately that adding words to a visual piece diminishes its value - contending that the piece needs to stand on its own without the words. I'm not necessarily in disagreement with that stance; however, I believe that adding a title enriches the art work by adding yet another layer to the viewer's experience. We discuss how different titles change the meaning of the piece. This discussion is always lively and I am never disappointed in the results. Adding titles is also an opportunity for students with high verbal intelligence to shine.
Font design in it's simplest form is bubble/block letters. Adding a 3-D element to this becomes pure magic for many students. Students need to include their class & name on the front of their sketch journals so this is a prime time for font design to take place. Utilizing both the plethora of fonts found on any word processing program and font design books - students explore the beauty of a carefully crafted letter. This is a detail that is often taken for granted in this computerized age but one I take the time to hone. I show them examples of illuminated manuscripts and share the history of the painstaking work of hand writing books (emphasizing the decorative fonts found at the start of most chapters). We also discus the importance and beauty of cursive handwriting.
Combining text and image is a project I explore with 4th grade. Considering a block of text as a design element, though a sophisticated concept, is a concept students readily embrace. Finding the right image to enhance & support that text is a true challenge but one that taps into students' experiences and skills. A complete lesson plan can be accessed at Indelible Experience: Inspirational Posters.
Expressive language, strike-out poetry & magnetic poetry are all one class projects I utilize as motivating and fun activities for those times when a class has completed a project ahead of their grade level. Improv storytelling is a creative thinking game that can be used during times of transition or as an activity on its own.
Here are some resources I use for incorporating text into visual art making:
"Writing on the Wall: Word and Image in Modern Art" by Simon Morley
http://www.bl.uk/catalogues/illuminatedmanuscripts/TourIntroGen.asp
Titling art work is a question under debate. I talk to my students about the pros and cons of this question. I share stories with them of artist friends who believe passionately that adding words to a visual piece diminishes its value - contending that the piece needs to stand on its own without the words. I'm not necessarily in disagreement with that stance; however, I believe that adding a title enriches the art work by adding yet another layer to the viewer's experience. We discuss how different titles change the meaning of the piece. This discussion is always lively and I am never disappointed in the results. Adding titles is also an opportunity for students with high verbal intelligence to shine.
Font design in it's simplest form is bubble/block letters. Adding a 3-D element to this becomes pure magic for many students. Students need to include their class & name on the front of their sketch journals so this is a prime time for font design to take place. Utilizing both the plethora of fonts found on any word processing program and font design books - students explore the beauty of a carefully crafted letter. This is a detail that is often taken for granted in this computerized age but one I take the time to hone. I show them examples of illuminated manuscripts and share the history of the painstaking work of hand writing books (emphasizing the decorative fonts found at the start of most chapters). We also discus the importance and beauty of cursive handwriting.
Combining text and image is a project I explore with 4th grade. Considering a block of text as a design element, though a sophisticated concept, is a concept students readily embrace. Finding the right image to enhance & support that text is a true challenge but one that taps into students' experiences and skills. A complete lesson plan can be accessed at Indelible Experience: Inspirational Posters.
Expressive language, strike-out poetry & magnetic poetry are all one class projects I utilize as motivating and fun activities for those times when a class has completed a project ahead of their grade level. Improv storytelling is a creative thinking game that can be used during times of transition or as an activity on its own.
Here are some resources I use for incorporating text into visual art making:
"Writing on the Wall: Word and Image in Modern Art" by Simon Morley
http://www.bl.uk/catalogues/illuminatedmanuscripts/TourIntroGen.asp