The Art of Seeing, Making, Creating: an introduction to visual media and techniques. : May 2014

The Art of Seeing, Making, Creating: an introduction to visual media and techniques.

Class #8

Abbi Allan

abigailallan@gmail.com

612-267-6105

May 7th^d, 2014:

Timing:

10:00 – Post-it /square sized section art – inspiration from the small and altering it to something larger

10:10 – styles - adding content to work via mark making / intention (* like we did with the ‘emotional chairs’

10:30 – painting whales and getting the final touches on them

10:40 -

10:50 –

11:00 – mixed media

11:10 – (*possible start to jewelry?) = selection of objects

11:20

11:25 – clean up, wrap up – what is happening next week

11:30 – leave

For next week think about bringing along:

- Sketchbook - we made a quick one in class so at least we have that now. J

- Portfolio of work – what are you / have you been working on and want to show on the last day?

Optional Post to blog (option) or add to the course sketchbook. I will post information there and if interested the visual examples given to the students

http://seeing-making-creating-intro.blogspot.com/

Optional Homework:

Let me know if your child wants to be posting to the blog so I can invite you:

abigailallan@gmail.com

Critiquing:

(The Critical Response Tool –)

Moving from Criticism to Critical & Creative Thinking

Adapted from a presentation given by Barbra Cox (from the Perpige Center for Arts Education), I thought this was a really great way of looking at work. Most of the time when we think of “Critiquing a work of art” – critical comments and lots of writing come to mind, which are both left brain pursuits – not usually what we associate with the heavily right brain dominated world of the visual artist. Yet, effective criticism – comments, insights, understanding etc. comes from both hemispheres of the brain.

In class I ask that all students evaluate work by telling the person:

A) What’s good about their work?

B) What’s weak about it? (What needs work)

C) Where can the artist go from there – suggestions?

From experience I have seen this to be the most effective in-class model, but for the purpose and strategy of expanding our brain’s visual vocabulary I would try this in your own practice.

1. What do you notice? (LEFT-brain)

(Describe what you see – without judgment (no “good” “bad” flavor) – just what do you see in front of you?

2. What does it remind you of? (Right-brain)

(How do you connect what you are seeing to the experiences and knowledge you have had in your life?)

3. What emotions (if any?) does it evoke? (Right-brain)

4. What questions does it raise? (Left-brain)

(What does it make you think about? What questions do you have? Do you even think this is art at all? Does this make you ask questions about the artists, their politics, experiences, values, interests? Can you tell what it is about? Do you want to know / does it matter to you? What more do you need to know?)

5. Speculate? (Left-brain)›

(What do you think this work is about? What do you evaluate from looking at this work?)