Coop Art Class Day 1

Overview of Today

Creativity Activity

I drew this simple line and half circle on the board and asked the students to come up with a list of as many things as they could.  Some ideas the students had were: half a watermelon;  a cat looking over a fence; planet; sunrise; sunset; rock; fishing rod; bow and arrow.  After doing this in class all I could do this afternoon was keep seeing things that it could have been -- a bush on a curb; a cat paw reaching onto a table; half of an earphone....  It was a fun way to see how our brains work and how having others can help us be creative.   

Discussion of Things that Limit Artists' Creativity

1. Fear
2. Rules/Instructions
3. Climate
4. Materials/Resources
5. Self

Material Distribution

1. pencil (two kinds)
2. pen
3. erasers 

Please make sure to bring your materials back to class.  

Here is a photo of the book I recommend for the class.  The paper is thick enough for the projects that we'll be doing.

Artwork

Materials: Blue Construction Paper, various lengths of jute and sisal string, glue, sponge paintbrush, pencil

Instructions: Investigate lines with these materials.  Please don't cut the string.  

I'll post some photos of the work next week.  

Assignments

Research a Folk Artist

• Folk Art Revealed
• Folk Art Museum
• Worcester Art Museum
• Smithsonian

Bring in a Children's Book depicting artwork you like.  

• The 20 Most Beautiful Children's Books of All Time
• Art of the Picture Book
• The Caldecott Medal

Handouts

• Line Drawing Techniques
• Alphabet 100 Project
• Introducing Line -- Famous Artists

Please practice.  Use a page or two in your books to practice -- if you want to divide your page into four or six or eight sections that may give you a smaller workspace, but feel free to fill up a page with lines!  I'm excited to see your artwork!