Abstract

Appreciating Abstract Art

Grade: 6

Goal: Students will learn to appreciate abstract art by creating a piece of their own.

Objectives (Intentions):

1.       Identify Wassily Kandinsky and Hans Hofmann’s work.

2.       Create an abstract art piece with the absence of subject matter.

3.       Express an emotion or mood by using cool and/or warm colors.

4.       Gain an appreciation for the purposes and techniques of abstract art to express oneself.

Vocabulary:

1.       Abstract art- an artwork that does not depict a person, place, or thing.

2.       Abstract Expressionism- an artistic movement in the 1940s which diverse styles and techniques emphasizing the artist’s emotions through nonrepresentational means.

3.       Cool colors- blue, green, and purple. These colors give an impression of calmness.

4.       Warm colors- red, orange, and yellow. These colors are vivid and tend to advance in space.

5.       Tint- adding white to a color to make it lighter.

6.       Shades- adding black to a color to make it darker.

7.       Tone- adding gray to a color to make another tone.

Teks:

§117.32. Art, Grade 6.
(a) General requirements. When Grade 6 is part of a departmentalized middle school, students may select the following art course: Art 6.
(b) Introduction.
(1) Four basic strands--perception, creative expression/performance, historical and cultural heritage, and critical evaluation--provide broad, unifying structures for organizing the knowledge and skills students are expected to acquire. Students rely on their perceptions of the environment, developed through increasing visual awareness and sensitivity to surroundings, memory, imagination, and life experiences, as a source for creating artworks. They express their thoughts and ideas creatively, while challenging their imagination, fostering reflective thinking, and developing disciplined effort and problem-solving skills.
(2) By analyzing artistic styles and historical periods students develop respect for the traditions and contributions of diverse cultures. Students respond to and analyze artworks, thus contributing to the development of lifelong skills of making informed judgments and evaluations.
(c) Knowledge and skills.
(6.1) Perception. The student develops and organizes ideas from the environment. The student is expected to:
(A) Illustrate themes from direct observation, personal experience, and traditional events; and
(B) Analyze and form generalizations about the interdependence of the art elements such as color, texture, form, line, space, and value and principles such as emphasis, pattern, rhythm, balance, proportion, and unity, using art vocabulary appropriately.
(6.2) Creative expression/performance. The student expresses ideas through original artworks, using a variety of media with appropriate skill. The student is expected to:
(A) Express a variety of ideas based on personal experience and direct observations;
(B) Describe in detail a variety of practical applications for design ideas; and
(C) demonstrate technical skills effectively, using a variety of art media and materials to produce designs, drawings, paintings, prints, sculptures, ceramics, fiberart, photographic imagery, and electronic media-generated art.
(6.3) Historical/cultural heritage. The student demonstrates an understanding of art history and culture as records of human achievement. The student is expected to:
(A) Identify in artworks the influence of historical and political events;
(B) Compare specific artworks from a variety of cultures; and
(C) Compare career and vocational opportunities in art.
(6.4) Response/evaluation. The student makes informed judgments about personal artworks and the artworks of others. The student is expected to:
(A) Conduct in-progress analyses and critiques of personal artworks; and
(B) Analyze original artworks, portfolios, and exhibitions of peers to form conclusions about formal properties and historical and cultural contexts.

Materials Needed:

-          Sketch book

-          Pencils

-          Erasers

-          Sharpener

-          Ruler, protractor, compass

-          Drawing white paper

-          Oil pastels

-          Black Sharpie

-          Examples of abstract art;

1.       Wassily Kandinsky

·       Composition VIII, C 1923

·       Farbstudie Quadrate, c. 1913

·       Color Studies

·       http://www.abstract-art-framed.com/wassily-kandinsky.html    (1^st video)

2.       Hans Hoffmann

·       Imperium in Imperio 1964

·       The Third Hand 1947

·       Exaltment 1947

·       Rising Moon 1964

·       Video- http://www.abstract-art-framed.com/hans-hofmann.html    (2^nd video)

Lesson Plan Procedures:

Introduction:

The lesson will start by telling students we will be studying Abstract artwork. Wassily Kandinsky and Hans Hofmann will be the artists of concentration. Students will copy the objectives (Intentions for the day). Then go over the objectives with the class.

Show the PowerPoint and video about artists work.

Next, students will sketch their ideas. Students will need to have at least 2 studies before starting the final piece. In the studies students will concentrate in making a nonrepresentational piece using cool and/or warm colors which these will help interpret their emotions. Then, with a black sharpie they will trace every line with a variation on line thickness.

Students will chose 1 out of the 2 studies for the final piece. Here is a good time to go over the artists’ work. Then students can start working on their art project using oil pastels.

Tips for blending and softening oil pastels:

-          Q-tip

-          Finger

-          Tortillion

Finally, students will do an oil pastel project Self-Assessment

 Grading Procedures

Rubric

                                           100pts                  90pts              80pts                    70pts                    

	Instruction & Concepts   Level of understanding about instructions and concepts (elements and principles of art) used in project.	EXCELLENT The artwork is planned carefully; used effectively the elements of design masterly.	DETAILED The artwork is planned carefully; used effectively the elements of design in a detailed manner.	MET CRITERIA The artwork is planned carefully; used the elements of art adequately.	BASIC REQUIREMENTS The artwork is planned adequately; has most of the elements.	LITTLE-NO EFFORT The artwork shows little or no planning. Didn't used the elements of design.
	Craftsmanship/ Skill The control, techniques, selections and experimentation of a medium/media.	EXCELLENT The artwork shows outstanding art making skills. Oil pastel shows blending and form done to an outstanding level. Excellent use of paper space. Shading and shadows rendered excellently.	DETAILED The artwork shows above average art making skills. Oil pastel shows blending and form with skill above average. Good use of paper space. Shading and shadows are drawn better than average.	MET CRITERIA The artwork shows average art making skills and average attention to control, selection and experimentation of medium/media. Oil pastel blending and form are average in ability.	BASIC REQUIREMENTS The artwork shows minimal art making skills and little attention to control, selection and experimentation of medium/media. Oil pastel blending and form are below average in ability.	LITTLE-NO EFFORT The artwork shows very minimal art making skills and no attention to control, selection and experimentation of medium/media.
Creativity/ Originality Inventiveness, expression of ideas and imagination portrayed in the construction of project.		EXCELLENT The artwork demonstrates original personal expression and outstanding problem solving skills.	DETAILED The artwork demonstrates some personal expression and logical problem solving skills.	MET CRITERIA The artwork demonstrates an average amount of personal expression.	BASIC REQUIREMENTS The artwork demonstrates little personal expression and problem solving skills.	LITTLE-NO EFFORT The artwork lacks evidence of personal expression.
Behavior/Effort   Work ethic; the time dedicated to the project inside of class.		EXCELLENT The student put forth extraordinary effort to complete the project well; used class time extremely well.	DETAILED The student put forth the effort required to complete the project well; used class time effectively.	MET CRITERIA The student put forth the effort required to finish the project; used class time adequately.	BASIC REQUIREMENTS The student put forth little effort required to finish the project; class time was not used well.	LITTLE-NO EFFORT The student put forth no effort or the project was not completed; class time was not used well.

Final Piece

Studies

Students' Work