| Objectives: |
- Students will discuss ways that childhood experiences are common to
all children throughout time and in any culture.
- Students will brainstorm a list of such experiences.
- Students will prioritize the list of topics to create a theme for
a class painting exhibition.
- Students will review the characteristics of Mithila painting.
- Each student will do a drawing showing a scene from his/her childhood
using Mithila-style painting.
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| Duration: |
|
| Visual
Arts Standards: |
- 2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION - Creating, Performing, and Participating
in the Visual Arts - Students apply artistic processes and skills, using
a variety of media to communicate meaning and intent in original works
of art.
- 2.1 Solve a visual arts problem that involves the effective use of
the elements of art and the principles of design.
- 2.5 Create an expressive composition, focusing on dominance and subordination.
|
| Materials: |
- Journal entries should include preliminary sketch and ideas for the
artwork.
- Watercolor paper (18" X 24").
- Pencils, black fine-line markers, watercolor paints, and brushes.
|
| Strategies: |
- Teacher overview; student sharing of topic ideas; studio time for
independent work.
|
| Procedures: |
|
| Day
One |
Into: |
- Teacher announces to class that they are beginning a Mithila painting
project that will culminate in a painting exhibit. The students will
be asked to create scenes from their lives -- done in "Mithila
style."
- Elicit painting topic ideas as students listen to peers' topics.
|
| Through: |
- Review the list of characteristics of "Mithila style." Add
to the list if necessary:
- personal icons
- overall embellishment using line
- decorative motifs from nature (flowers, leaves) or geometric
designs
- borders
- humans shown in profile
- limited palette of colors
- emphasis on line and distortion
- Students should do a more detailed sketch of their planned image
before using the watercolor paper. Using pencils, students should lightly
sketch their images.
|
| Beyond: |
- Students should settle on their desired color scheme for the final
painting. A maximum of three or four colors should be used.
|
Day
Two and
Three |
Into: |
- Minimal introduction for a class that knows how to use watercolor
paints. Tell them to work on laying in the areas of color today and
tomorrow. Do one color entirely; begin with the next. Remind them to
use a fairly limited color selection (no more than three or four colors)
in addition to black.
|
| Through: |
- Studio work time. Teacher observes and intervenes as needed.
|
| Beyond: |
- Invite students to quietly observe classmates' work.
|
| Day
Four: |
Into: |
- Many students will be finishing their watercolor work, but others
will be ready to do the black outline. Encourage the class to work patiently
on this part. It can be repetitive and tedious!
|
| Through: |
- Studio work time. Teacher observes and intervenes as needed.
|
| Beyond: |
- Invite students to quietly observe classmates' work.
|
| Day
Five |
Into: |
- Return to the orginial objective: creating everyday scenes using Mithila
style conventions. Tell the class that today is the last day to work,
and that the second half of the period will be a class critique.
|
| Through: |
Work time. Critique that focuses on these questions:
- What does your painting show?
- Could a similar scene be drawn/painted by a Mithila villager?
- What would be similar? different?
- What symbols did you use that have personal meaning? Why?
- What are you proud of?
|
|
Beyond:
|
- To prepare for the show of their paintings, students should work on
writing a four or five sentence paragraph that explains their painting.
|
| Clean-up: |
- Each day, clean up involves putting away pens and pencils.
- Weekly cleanup crews (four students alternate each week) will empty
and wash water jars. Students have their own watercolor sets (to return
clean) at the end of the unit.
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| Assessment: |
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