Course Profile Visual Arts (AVI4M), Grade 12, University/College, Catholic and Public

Unit 1: The Artist as Fact Finder and Experimenter

Time: 22 hours

Activity 1 | Activity 2 | Activity 3 | Activity 4 | Activity 5

Unit Description

This unit focuses student learning on two activities: information gathering and media experimentation. Students expand their knowledge base about art through a survey of selected works from Korea, China, Japan, Indonesia, Africa, South America, and Central America. Similarities and differences are carefully tracked in a frame of reference using headings such as motif, subject, ornamentation, and composition. There are three studio projects that specify creating art works that display different amounts of culturally specific influences. First, students respond to a design assignment that involves slicing up and rearranging a letter, numeral, or calligraphic element to create an entirely new image. The second assignment invites students to explore the design possibilities of the three-stranded braid, a motif or craft process found throughout the world. The third studio assignment, which is the culminating activity of the unit, challenges students to create a monotype print that combines Western and non-Western influences in pattern and figurative drawing.

The three essential questions that frame this unit are:

1. What design motifs are used in non-Western art? (Theory)

2. How can I use principles of non-Western design in my art? (Creation)

3. What are the roles that art can play in different cultures? (Analysis)

Unit Synopsis Chart

Activity	Learning Expectations	Assessment Categories	Tasks
1. Fragmentation and Reconstruction 2 hours	THV.01; CRV.01; CRV.04; ANV.01; TH1.01; TH1.02; AN1.01; AN1.02; AN1.03; CR2.04; CR2.05; CR2.06 CGE3b	Knowledge/ Understanding Application	Students fragment a letter, numeral, or calligraphic element and create a new image based on a design challenge. The media are largely culture-neutral, and the strongest cultural input comes from the student’s own background. Students self-reflect on the creative process in their Resource Journals.
2. Triadic Braid and Pastel Drawing 4 hours	THV.01; CRV.01; CRV.02; TH1.01; CR2.01; CR2.04; CR2.05; CR2.06; CR3.01 CGE4c; CGE5c	Application Knowledge/ Understanding	Students arrange, frame, draw, and enlarge a braided wire or other accessible object that presents a repeated shape. The number of cultural influences is increased from those encountered in Activity 1 and the effects of these influences are reflected upon in the Resource Journals.
3. Compare and Contrast: East and West 1.5 hours	THV.01; THV.02; ANV.01; ANV.04; TH1.01; TH1.03; TH2.03; AN1.03; AN2.01 CGE1d	Knowledge/ Understanding Thinking/ Inquiry Communication	Students view two masterworks, one from Chinese culture and the other from Western culture. Students create a checklist comparing the principles of Western art and Chinese art. Similarities and differences are highlighted.

Activity

Learning Expectations

Assessment Categories

Tasks

4.
Glossary and Frame of Reference for Non-Western Art

2.5 hours

THV.01; THV.02; THV.03; ANV.02; TH1.01; TH1.02; TH1.03; TH2.01; TH2.03; AN1.02; AN2.01
CGE2c; CGE5b; CGE7f

Knowledge/ Understanding Thinking/ Inquiry

Communication

Students create a glossary and frame of reference for non-Western art in their Resource Journals. A collection of images clipped from mass circulation media is also included.

5.
Monotype Printmaking

12 hours

THV.02; CRV.01; CRV.02; CRV.03; CRV.04; TH1.02; TH1.03; TH2.01; TH2.03; CR1.01; CR2.02; CR2.04; CR2.05; CR2.06; CR3.01; AN1.02
CGE3f; CGE4g; CGE7c

Knowledge/ Understanding Thinking/ Inquiry

Application

Communication

Students create a monotype print in response to a design challenge specifying cross-cultural references and specific formal arrangements.

Activity 1: Fragmentation and Reconstruction

Time: 2 hours

Description

This design activity establishes an environment for creating a work of art that reduces or nearly eliminates the influences of culture, other than those brought to the work by the participant. Each student receives a 15 cm cardboard letter, numeral, or calligraphic character stencil and a piece of black construction paper. The letter, numeral, or calligraphic character is traced onto the construction paper and cut out. The resulting shape is sliced into at least 20 pieces, thus eliminating any characteristics unique to a specific culture. The symbolic destruction of a culturally derived shape and the challenge to produce a new image, gives the student artist a unique environment in which to reflect upon the creative process. Students are given the design challenge of producing a new image that displays both movement and unity. After testing a number of preliminary arrangements, the black shapes are configured and then glued on a piece of Bristol board approximately 28-35 cm. Students track their creative process with a series of questions (See Appendix 1.1.1). Students reflect on what influenced their decisions on matters such as scale, personal concerns, value, objects, abstraction, subject matter, and meaning. In so doing, students begin the process of bridging the gap between the artist and the critic. This process, so much a feature of the latter part of twentieth-century movements such as Minimalism and Post-Modernism, helps to reinforce two key assumptions of this course. The first assumption is the importance of reflection in the creative process. Reflection is promoted in this course through the use of the Resource Journal. The second assumption is the centrality of the intellect in creating art. The intellectual nature of art is emphasized in the structuring of the first three units to include empirical, normative, and conceptual components (Appendix A).

Strand(s) & Learning Expectations

Strands: Theory, Creation, and Analysis

Overall Expectations

THV.01 - use a wide range of appropriate terminology related to all areas of art theory to describe art works, crafts, and applied design forms;

CRV.01 - identify and develop ideas and concepts to shape and unify their own art works;

CRV.04 - document and evaluate their creative process and art works, using portfolios;

ANV.01 - evaluate, individually and in groups, the effectiveness of their personal research, creative process, and art products.

Specific Expectations

TH1.01 - demonstrate an understanding of ways in which formal qualities, visual conventions, concepts, and ideas shape expression in their own and others’ art works;

TH1.03 - identify the materials, techniques, and processes used to produce art and applied design forms intended for particular audiences (e.g., for consumers, for manufacturers);

CR2.04 - solve a series of artistic problems, showing an awareness of formal qualities, visual conventions, and relevant ideas and concepts;

CR2.05 - create and transform visual images, using both new and traditional technologies;

CR2.06 - use materials, equipment, and processes safely when producing art works;

AN1.01 - write original comparative analyses of art works, using appropriate terminology;

AN1.02 - analyse the visual, symbolic, and conceptual aspects of specific fine art, applied design, and craft works;

AN1.03 - explain the visual and conceptual aspects of art works in terms of the context (e.g., historical, social, political, economic) in which the works were created.

Prior Knowledge & Skills

· Students should be familiar with the elements and principles of design.

Planning Notes

Note: The symbols used in this activity should not have a sacred or cultural connotation where it would be inappropriate to destroy the symbol.

· It is important that the quality of materials be as high as possible. Use a bright white Bristol board with a matte finish. If the available black construction paper appears grey, apply a coat of India ink to create a dark, rich, black surface.

· Non-wrinkling glue is essential. Glue sticks are a good choice for adhesive, but it is vital that the glue be checked; some brands of solid glue are not suitable for construction paper.

· Any high quality coloured layout paper is a good alternative to construction paper.

· Commercially prepared cardboard lettering stencils are available in art supply stores and at office suppliers. Two sets of 15 or 20 cm letters are a suitable resource for an average size class. If non-Western characters are desired for this assignment, the teacher or students could create the stencils by hand in advance of the class. Coloured Bristol board is a suitable material for the handmade stencil.

· Students should receive the learning expectations, the procedures for completion, and the evaluation for the activity in writing on a handout. This is vital for this assignment because the questions for reflection should be known from the outset.

· The reflective component of this activity should be prepared with the abilities of students in mind (See sample in Appendix 1.1.1).

· The teacher should introduce the Unit Reflection Sheets and encourage immediate use of them. Students should be encouraged to use these to record thoughts and ideas generated or inspired by this activity.

· The teacher should assemble a set of fine-line markers and cork-backed metal rulers for ruling a margin around the Bristol board.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1. After reviewing the simple nature of the media, the teacher sets the background for the activity. Students should be aware of the fact that this activity seeks to reduce or eliminate all references to culturally specific images by cutting up a letter or character. Students should be made aware that this “wiping the slate clean” activity permits them to reflect on the creative process in a very personal way with few references to outside influences.

2. This activity requires a strong introduction. Students must be motivated to accept the simple black and white media used in this activity as having the potential for creating powerful visual images. Distribute a handout at the beginning of the first lesson.

3. The teacher should review the principles of design and highlight the requirement that the design display a sense of movement or emphasis.

4. The teacher alerts students about the importance of the reflective aspect of this assignment and the importance of reading through the questions before starting the image creation component of the activity.

5. Students arrange themselves in the pairings to be used at the end of the activity to discuss their reflections.

6. Students are encouraged to work in silence while arranging the black shapes on the Bristol board.

7. No slides or other images should be displayed or discussed during this activity.

8. The teacher advises students that there are no art historical references for this activity because the objective is to work briefly in an environment with limited cultural input. Students should be aware that they will be viewing numerous images from a wide variety of cultures in the unit.

Assessment & Evaluation of Student Achievement

This project should be assessed with a rubric so that feedback on the importance of creation, reflection, and documentation can be communicated to students at the beginning of the course. The rubric should contain the following categories/criteria:

· Knowledge/Understanding: The student uses appropriate terminology of the elements and principles of design to describe the work.

· Application: The student identifies and uses design principles such as emphasis and movement.

· Application: The student documents the creative process.

· Thinking/Inquiry: The student evaluates the creative process and reflects on the unique creative process in the project.

Accommodations

· Some students may need assistance with the abstract nature of the questions that accompany this project.

Appendices

Appendix 1.1.1 – Fragmentation and Reconstruction - Questions for Reflection

Activity 2: Triadic Braid and Pastel Drawing

Time: 4 hours

Description

This drawing assignment progresses from the largely culture-neutral and non-objective environment of Activity 1. The Triadic Braid activity uses a motif common to many cultures throughout the world and one that is based on objects that can be easily observed from everyday life. Students discover first-hand how artists and artisans draw upon their own environment to create images such as patterns. The three-stranded braid is seen in such diverse places as hairstyles, rugs, and rope manufacture; thus it is equally familiar to almost all people regardless of cultural background. It is sometimes used, as an element of ornamentation in fine art and thus it is an ideal adventure for student experimentation. Each student receives three differently coloured pieces of 14 gauge unstranded electrical wire. The wire is braided left over middle, right over middle. Students draw a section of the braid in their sketchbooks in a frame
12 ×18 cm using graphite pencil. The braid may be stretched or partially opened as desired. The rendering must touch at least three sides of the frame. The drawing is recreated on a standard 12 × 18 inch piece of grey construction paper in oil pastel. A triadic colour scheme is used, shadows are depicted in complementary colours, and form is modelled using graded values. Students track how the use of graded values, colour schemes, magnification, and close cropping are culture specific in Activity 4.

A variation on this activity is to issue a design challenge that requires each student to create or arrange his or her own original objects in a pattern to draw. The objects should be recognizable to most cultures, just as a braid is.

Strand(s) & Learning Expectations

Strand(s): Creation and Theory

Overall Expectations:

THV.01 - use a wide range of appropriate terminology related to all areas of art theory to describe art works, crafts, and applied design forms;

CRV.01 - identify and develop ideas and concepts to shape and unify their own art works;

CRV.02 - choose the materials, tools, techniques, themes, and processes best suited to their fine art, applied design, or craft forms, and use materials and tools safely.

Specific Expectations

TH1.01 - demonstrate an understanding of ways in which formal qualities, visual conventions, concepts, and ideas shape expression in their own and others’ art works;

CR2.01 - demonstrate competence in representational drawing, drawing as an expressive art form, and drawing to document process;

CR2.04 - solve a series of artistic problems, showing an awareness of formal qualities, visual conventions, and relevant ideas and concepts;

CR2.05 - create and transform visual images, using both new and traditional technologies;

CR2.06 - use materials, equipment, and processes safely when producing art works;

CR3.01 - use appropriate specialized terminology when discussing materials and processes.

Prior Knowledge & Skills

· Students should be familiar with colour theory, colour schemes, and the rendering of form with graded values in graphite pencil and oil pastel.

Planning Notes

· It is important that the material used to form the braid is rigid enough to hold its shape while being drawn. A good material to use is 14-gauge unstranded wire. It is widely available in hardware stores and home improvement centres. Three-conductor cable contains a red, black, and white wire along with an uninsulated ground wire. A choice of colours in single wires is available at commercial wiring distributors.

· Use a vice or pair of pliers to bend or twist one end of the wires together so that the braid can be started.

· Oil pastel sets should contain the three primary colours, the three secondary colours, and white.

· The construction paper should be light grey. Darker paper may be used if the yellow pastel is sufficiently opaque or if extra white is applied underneath the yellow.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1. Students receive a handout outlining the learning expectations, studio procedures, and evaluation.

2. The teacher establishes a connection between Activity 1 and 2 by inviting students to think, pair, and share their ideas on predicting what differences will exist for them working in this activity with a familiar shape versus working with the unfamiliar shapes of Activity 1.

3. The teacher shows several examples of pattern motifs from cultures around the world, e.g., Indonesian linked figures, Egyptian papyrus, African geometrics, Greek egg and dart, Roman acanthus, Chinese lattice, and Japanese turning plum blossom. Invite students to try and identify the culture from which each pattern comes. Be sure to have students link the object that forms the motif of the pattern with the culture wherever possible. A class will usually enjoy considerable success in this exercise. When concluding the exercise, ask a transitional question such as: What would it be like for us to use a common motif, not frequently found in art, to create a pattern right here in the classroom? This serves as a springboard for introducing the triadic braid project, and the review of drawing and colour that it contains.

4. Students should arrange their braids and begin drawing immediately. Spreading the wires out at the end or introducing a slight curve to the overall braid can help to avoid difficulties in arriving at a rendering that touches three sides of the composition.

5. The teacher reinforces the multi-step approach to this activity; the two preliminary drawings are essential to success in the final product.

6. Students benefit from a teacher demonstration of blending colours with white and using complementary colours for deeper values and shading.

7. Students reflect on the creative process by writing an entry in their Resource Journals. Students are invited to compare the process used in this activity with that used in Activity 1, noting experiences associated with the more culturally specific subject matter and media.

Assessment & Evaluation of Student Achievement

Checklist or rating scale with the following criteria is useful:

· Demonstrates competence in representational drawing;

· Transforms original drawing using magnification;

· Demonstrates understanding of complementary colours in rendering form and shadow;

· Solves design problem in accordance with stated requirements.

Accommodations

· For enrichment, students may respond to a design challenge requiring that their design be integrated into the design of an everyday object such as a ceramic vessel, a tile border, a fabric design, or a piece of jewellery.

· For enrichment, students may work in groups by coordinating the width of the wires and the compositions so that drawings could be linked together into a unified composition.

Resources

Jones, Owen. The Grammar of Ornament. New York: Dover Publications, 1989. ISBN 0486254631

Linenthal, Peter. Indonesian Folk Motifs. New York: Dover Publications, 1998. ISBN 0486400409

Williams, Geoffrey. African Designs from Traditional Sources. New York: Dover Publications, 1996.
ISBN 0486227529

Activity 3: Compare and Contrast: East and West

Time: 1.5 hours

Description

In this activity the teacher leads a comparison of two works of art: one by the eleventh century Northern Sung artist Fan K’uan and one by the French Post Impressionist painter Georges Seurat. This detailed comparison serves two purposes. First, the analysis of the painting by Seurat provides an opportunity for the teacher to review the elements and principles of design, as they are understood in the West. Second, the examination of Fan K’uan’s work permits the teacher to introduce some of the principles of Chinese art such as ch’i, yun, k’ai-ho, yin-yang, lung-mo, and ch’i-fu. Similarities and differences are carefully tracked in the glossary and frame of reference used in Activity 4. The teacher uses this activity to develop an interest in a type of art very different from that of the Western world and to build in the student an appreciation of the complexity and subtlety achieved in Asian art.

Strand(s) & Learning Expectations

Strand(s): Analysis and Theory

Overall Expectations

THV.01 - use a wide range of appropriate terminology related to all areas of art theory to describe art works, crafts, and applied design forms;

THV.02 - demonstrate an understanding of modern and contemporary art, especially Canadian (including Native Canadian) art, as well as African, Oceanic, and Central and South American art;

ANV.01 - evaluate, individually and in groups, the effectiveness of their personal research, creative process, and art products;

ANV.04 - explain the influence of aspects of social, cultural, and political contexts, including arts organizations, on the creation and understanding of fine art, applied design, and craft works.

Specific Expectations

TH1.01 - demonstrate an understanding of ways in which formal qualities, visual conventions, concepts, and ideas shape expression in their own and others’ art works;

TH1.03 - identify the materials, techniques, and processes used to produce art and applied design forms intended for particular audiences (e.g., for consumers, for manufacturers);

TH2.03 - describe the history of the form, function, and content of selected works of art (e.g., paintings, architectural structures, textiles, furniture) from several non-Western cultures, nations, or groups;

AN1.03 - explain the visual and conceptual aspects of art works in terms of the context (e.g., historical, social, political, economic) in which the works were created;

AN2.01 - explain how representational elements, the formal organization of visual content, and the expression of moods, feelings, and ideas are used in both the creation and the analysis of art works.

Prior Knowledge & Skills

· Knowledge of the elements and principles of design

· Knowledge of how to do an aesthetic critique (description, analysis, interpretation, judgment)

Planning Notes

· Teachers unfamiliar with the principles of Chinese art should consult the books listed in Resources.

· A detailed lesson plan for the comparison in this activity is provided in Appendix 1.3.1. This lesson plan should be reviewed in advance of the lesson.

· The teacher should obtain reproductions for this activity. Travellers Among Mountains and Streams by Fan K’uan is a commonly reproduced work of Chinese art, but it should be remembered that reproductions of non-Western works of art are not as easily found as those from the west. A reproduction of Fan K’uan’s painting can be found in A History of Far Eastern Art by Sherman E. Lee. High Tide at the Outer Harbour of the Port-en-Bessin is typical of many paintings executed by Seurat in that region and there are several of his paintings that could easily be substituted.

· Slides are recommended as the mode of reproduction for these works, especially the Fan K’uan work. This painting is very tall and there is a great deal of fine detail that needs to be seen clearly.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1. Distribute the Checklist for the Comparison of Chinese Art and Western Art (Appendix 1.3.2). Students use this outline to track terms and record examples discussed in the comparison.

2. Use the lesson plan to examine the two works (Appendix 1.3.1). Involve students through invitations to describe passages in the paintings and ask questions.

Assessment & Evaluation of Student Achievement

· The teacher assesses students’ entries on the checklist and responds to the comments and questions included on the sheet.

Accommodations

· Students who have difficulty seeing fine detail in projected images may benefit from having access to a reproduction in a book along with extra light and a magnifying glass.

Resources

Fleming, William. Arts and Idea, 9th ed. New York: HBJ College and School Division, 1997.
ISBN 0155011049

Homer, William. Seurat and the Science of Painting. Hacker Art Books, 1984. ISBN 0878172955

Lee, Sherman E. A History of Far Eastern Art. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1994. ISBN 0810934140

Rowley, George. Principles of Chinese Painting. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1974.
ISBN 0691003009

Silbergeld, Jerome. Chinese Painting Style: Media, Methods and Principles of Form. University of Washington Press, 1985. ISBN 0295959215

Appendices

Appendix 1.3.1 – Lesson Script for Comparison of Fan K’uan’s Travellers Among Mountains and
Streams and George Seurat’s High Tide at the Outer Harbour of the Port-en-Bessin.

Appendix 1.3.2 – Checklist for the Comparison of Chinese Art and Western Art

Activity 4: Glossary and Frame of Reference for Non-Western Art

Time: 2.5 hours

Description

This activity introduces students to the art of Korea, China, Japan, Indonesia, Africa, South America, and Central America; it encourages the study and use of material from sources very distant from the student. This is a progression from the non-objective nature of the first activity and individual nature of the second. Students view images from the above cultures and acquire a knowledge base about art outside their own experiences. This new knowledge or information is structured using descriptive and analytical terminology appropriate to the culture. Students make three major entries in their Resource Journals:

· a glossary of terms used in class in connection with non-Western art;

· a frame of reference for works viewed in class using headings such as space/perspective, colour, form, balance, line, motif, and use;

· a collection of images and patterns found in mass circulation media that show the influence of a wide range of cultures.

Strand(s) & Learning Expectations

Strand(s): Analysis and Theory

Overall Expectations

THV.01 - use a wide range of appropriate terminology related to all areas of art theory to describe art works, crafts, and applied design forms;

THV.02 - demonstrate an understanding of modern and contemporary art, especially Canadian (including Native Canadian) art, as well as African, Oceanic, and Central and South American art;

THV.03 - demonstrate an understanding of the historical context and stylistic evolution of some fine art, applied design, and craft forms;

ANV.02 - analyse and evaluate modern and contemporary Western works of art, as well as selected works of fine art, works in applied design, and works in crafts from African, Oceanic, Central and South American, and emerging art communities.

Specific Expectations

TH1.01 - demonstrate an understanding of ways in which formal qualities, visual conventions, concepts, and ideas shape expression in their own and others’ art works;

TH1.02 - explain how the technical approaches and the elements and principles of design found in a specific work of art support the expression of ideas in that work and contribute to its function;

TH1.03 - identify the materials, techniques, and processes used to produce art and applied design forms intended for particular audiences (e.g., for consumers, for manufacturers);

TH2.01 - describe aspects of the history of modern Western art and of selected forms of African, Oceanic, and Central and South American art;

AN1.02 - analyse the visual, symbolic, and conceptual aspects of specific fine art, applied design, and craft works;

Prior Knowledge & Skills

· Knowledge of the elements and principles of design

Planning Notes

· Refer to the Reproduction List (Appendix I) for suggested works for this activity. The publications listed in the Resources section below contain information useful for lesson preparation.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1. The non-Western works of art are listed in the Overview, Appendix I: Non-Western Art Reproduction List. Start each class by showing one slide (The “Art Flash” technique outlined in the Course Notes is an effective way to present art works in this course - see Appendix D). Use the work of art as an introduction or inspirational moment for starting the class and devote ten to fifteen minutes to this activity.

2. Throughout this activity, the teacher should lead the viewing activities. The essential questions provide guideposts for students to collect information from this diverse range of sources.

3. Encourage students to note patterns and motifs found in the art that they are viewing.

4. Caution students that each culture has its own conventions and that a full understanding of works of art from other cultures can only be achieved after considerable study of that culture.

Assessment & Evaluation of Student Achievement

· This activity is assessed as part of the Resource Journal. It is important that the entries that have been placed in the Journal be assessed once before the planning stage for Activity 5. This provides an opportunity for the teacher to answer questions and make suggestions about the plans for the printmaking project.

Accommodations

· Students who have difficulties with spelling or transcribing notes from verbal presentations may benefit from having key terms projected from overhead transparencies during guided viewings of artworks.

Resources

Haruch, Tony. Discovering Oceanic Art. New York: Davis Publications. ISBN 157715

Honour, Hugh. World History of Art, 5th ed. Laurence King Publications, 1999. ISBN 1856691691

Miller, Mary Ellen. The Art of Mesoamerica from Olmec to Aztec. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1986. ISBN 0500202036

Meyer, Anthony and Olaf Wipperfurth. Oceanic Art. New York: Knickerbocker Press, 1996.
ISBN 1577150007

Pang, Hildegard and Hilda Pang. Pre-Colombian Art: Investigations and Insights. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 0871923076

Scott, John F. Mexican, Central and South American Art (International Encyclopedia of Art).

Appendices

Appendix I – Suggested Reproduction List – Non-Western Art

Activity 5: Monotype Printmaking

Time: 12 hours

Description

The monotype print is the culminating task for the unit. Students call upon their recent examination of non-Western art and their previous knowledge of Western art to solve a design problem. The design problem challenges students to combine a linear depiction of the human form with two patterns: one with a Western influence and the other derived from a non-Western influence. Students use tempered glass plates as an ink surface and use at least three different techniques to apply the ink to the plates. Brayer, brush, finger, stencil, stamp, stylus, and resist techniques are demonstrated. If time permits, the monotype prints can be extended and developed with other planographic media such as xerography. A mini-gallery and group critique is carried out at the end of this activity.

Strand(s) & Learning Expectations

Strand(s): Creation, Analysis, and Theory

Overall Expectations

THV.02 - demonstrate an understanding of modern and contemporary art, especially Canadian (including Native Canadian) art, as well as African, Oceanic, and Central and South American art;

CRV.01 - identify and develop ideas and concepts to shape and unify their own art works;

CRV.02 - choose the materials, tools, techniques, themes, and processes best suited to their fine art, applied design, or craft forms, and use materials and tools safely;

CRV.03 - produce a body of art work, using the stages of the creative process;

CRV.04 - document and evaluate their creative process and art works, using portfolios.

Specific Expectations

TH1.02 - explain how the technical approaches and the elements and principles of design found in a specific work of art support the expression of ideas in that work and contribute to its function;

TH1.03 - identify the materials, techniques, and processes used to produce art and applied design forms intended for particular audiences (e.g., for consumers, for manufacturers);

TH2.01 - describe aspects of the history of modern Western art and of selected forms of African, Oceanic, and Central and South American art;

CR1.01 - research and describe historical and recent works of art from around the world that specifically relate to the processes used and the issues and concerns expressed in their own work;

CR2.02 - demonstrate competence in painting (oil, acrylic or another alternative to watercolour, mixed media), planographic printmaking (e.g., monotypes, xerography, hand-manipulated photographs), conceptual sculpture (e.g., installations, constructions, environmental sculptures), and new technologies;

CR2.04 - solve a series of artistic problems, showing an awareness of formal qualities, visual conventions, and relevant ideas and concepts;

CR2.05 - create and transform visual images, using both new and traditional technologies;

CR2.06 - use materials, equipment, and processes safely when producing art works;

CR3.01 - use appropriate specialized terminology when discussing materials and processes;

AN1.02 - analyse the visual, symbolic, and conceptual aspects of specific fine art, applied design, and craft works.

Prior Knowledge & Skills

· Knowledge of the elements and principles of design

· General knowledge of Western art as covered in visual arts prerequisite courses

Planning Notes

· Water-based inks are very useful in this assignment because of the ease of clean up and the absence of solvent fumes in the classroom.

· A wide range of colours in the classroom can help students to waste less ink. If colours do not have to be mixed from the primary colours, less ink is lost in the mixing process through quantity estimation errors.

· Since monotype printmaking is a planographic technique, the size and quality of the plates has a significant influence on the quality of the prints. Tempered glass plates are an ideal surface and respond well to repeated use and cleanings. Rigid plastic sheets accept ink well and are less costly than tempered glass. The Plexiglas, acrylic, and Lucite sheets sold in home improvement centres as temporary double windows can be easily cut to size with a band saw. Plastic sheets have a shorter lifespan in the studio because repeated cleaning creates abrasions that degrade the surface.

· Good quality paper contributes a great deal to the overall effect of the finished print. If students are linking multiple plates to form one image, large sheets of paper may be required. Some good quality paper can be bought in large packages or rolls to lower unit cost. Mayfair-type paper can be purchased at a reasonable cost if purchased in quantity. Stonehenge paper can be purchased in a roll and cut to size for each student’s requirements.

· Students need access to visual resources that contain examples of motifs and patterns from non-Western art that extend well beyond the slides shown in class. The Resources list contains suggested sources.

· Students who are not permitted to represent the human form in art should be encouraged to substitute a Sgraffito image of an animal or plant for the figurative component of this project.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1. Provide students with background information on the planographic process with a brief reference to the lithographic process.

2. Provide students with a written outline of the printmaking project before the demonstration of monotype techniques. Suggested requirements for the monotype project include:

· A linear sgraffito rendition of all or part of the human form;

· A part of a room interior;

· Three patterns based on motifs from non-Western art.

3. A teacher demonstration of the techniques of monotype printing with opportunities for students to practise the technique is a practical and effective way to communicate the way this process works. Special emphasis should be placed on demonstrating a wide variety of inking/image creation techniques. The following techniques are suggested:

· Ink application with a brush, sponge, knife, and rag;

· Offset ink application to the plate from other inked surfaces such as paper and plastic;

· Ink application with a brayer or roller;

· Use of a stencil to block areas of the plate from receiving ink from an applicator;

· Use of an inked shape, e.g., Bristol board;

· Use of a stamp to transfer ink to the plate in a repeated fashion, e.g., vinyl eraser with shape cut out;

· Sgraffito - inked surface with an image scratched into the wet ink to form a white line on the resulting print.

4. To assist students in designing their print, it is helpful to provide a guided viewing of works of art that use areas of flat pattern in conjunction with line. Henri Matisse’s work in the early part of the 20th century makes significant use of areas of flat pattern and linear drawing/painting technique. The following works by Matisse are useful for stimulating discussion on the printmaking project:

· Decorative Figure Against an Ornamental Background. 1927. Oil on canvas, 51" × 38". Musee d’Art Moderne, Paris

· Piano Lesson. 1916-17. Oil on canvas, 96" × 83". The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Mrs. Simon Guggenheim Fund.

· The Red Studio. 1911. Oil on canvas, 71" × 86". The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Mrs. Simon Guggenheim Fund.

· Harmony in Red. 1908-09. Oil on canvas, 71" × 96". The Hermitage Museum, Leningrad.

5. When the image is complete on the glass plate, it is ready to be printed onto paper. The glass plate should rest on the work surface with the inked side facing up. Paper should be brought into contact with the inked surface and smoothed out. The tack of the wet ink should serve to adhere the paper to the plate. To ensure complete ink transfer, the paper should be pressed firmly against the plate using a small strip of " masonite. The paper should be peeled off the plate slowly, holding the sheet by a corner. Care should be taken to adjust instructions to match the environmental conditions experienced by students so that successful prints can be pulled. For instance, during times of low humidity, ink may dry slightly on the plates before the paper can be brought into contact with the plate. In dry conditions the teacher should experiment with misting the plates with water to prevent premature ink drying and then pass along specific instructions to students. Similarly, the teacher should advise students about anomalies in materials such as paper that does not respond well to moisture or ink that is unusually thick.

6. The rate at which students are able to prepare plates for printing varies depending on the techniques used by the student. If the student uses a variety of devices such as stencils and stamps to apply the ink, then the rate at which plates and prints can be completed may be quite rapid. In other cases, students may have elected to use more time-consuming approaches. In either case, students should be encouraged, where possible, to extend their planographic printmaking experiences. The following are suggestions:

· Photocopy a completed print and hand colour the copy;

· Deconstruct a photocopy of a print and reassemble it using collage techniques;

· Print a plate in the middle of a large sheet of paper and then extend the image outwards with successive impressions to widen the angle of view and include new features or continue original features;

· Cut a photocopy into squares, enlarge each square at a high level of magnification and reassemble in a variety of ways;

· Create a mirror image print by preparing a plate on top of an already existing print so that when the new plate is printed beside the first one, a reversed version will print.

Assessment & Evaluation of Student Achievement

· See Rubric in Appendix 1.5.1

Resources

Ayres, Julia. Monotype: Mediums and Methods for Painterly Printmaking. Watson Guptill Publications, 2001. ISBN 0823031284

Bosert, Helmuth Theodor. Treasury of Historic Folk Ornament in Full Color. New York: Dover Publications. ISBN 0486290948

Jones, Owen. The Grammar of Ornament. Octavo Corporation, 1998. CD-ROM. ISBN 1891788167

Jones, Owen. The Grammar of Ornament. New York: Dover Publications, 1989. ISBN 0486254631

Kaeppler, Adrienne L., Oceanic Art. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1997. ISBN 0810936933.

Linenthal, Peter. Indonesian Folk Motifs. New York: Dover Publications, 1998. ISBN 0486400409

Ross, John et al. The Complete Printmaker: Techniques, Traditions, Innovations. Free Press, 1991.
ISBN 0029273722

Saff, Donald and Deli Sacilotto. Printmaking: History and Process. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1997. ISBN 0030856639

Tallman, Susan. Chine Colle: A Printer’s Handbook. Crown Point Press, 2000. ISBN 1891300156

Williams, Geoffrey. African Designs from Traditional Sources. New York: Dover Publications, 1996.
ISBN 0486227529

Appendix 1.1.1

Fragmentation and Reconstruction - Questions for Reflection

1. What went through your mind as you were cutting the graphic element into pieces?
Did you get a sense that you were committing violence to a shape that was a work of art in its own right?
If so, explain why you think you felt that way.

2. What emotions did you experience when you faced the blank white field of Bristol board?
Did these emotions influence your work?
If so, how?

3. Did you have any ideas about how you were going to create the image before you started working?
Did you have a theme or a subject picked out before you started arranging the pieces on the Bristol board?
If so, how did that influence you?
If not, how did that influence you?

4. How did the open-ended nature of the design challenge affect you?

5. Did you feel comfortable or uncomfortable with the lack of reference material?

6. Would your results have been better with resource material available?

7. Do you find the image that you created interesting? Why?

8. Do you find the image that you created to be of high quality? Why?

9. Could you have created an image such as this one any other way? Why or why not.

10. Did you achieve the goal set by the design challenge? Explain why or why not.

11. How did the restricted range of materials influence your thought and work process?

12. What, if any effects, did you experience in working on this project as a result of not being able to make use of personal or culturally specific materials?

Appendix 1.3.1

Lesson Notes for the Comparison of Travellers Among Mountains and Streams by Fan K’uan and High Tide at the Outer Harbour of Port-en-Bessin by Georges Seurat.

Introduction

The teacher should introduce the lesson by explaining that much of the analytical vocabulary used in the West in relation to the elements and principles of design simply do not have exact parallels in the Chinese experience. In comparing these two works, the visual elements and principles of each painting should be considered as products of its own cultural tradition. Corresponding elements and principles are compared with a view to establishing what features make them particularly Chinese or particularly Western. Students will find the Checklist for the Comparison (Appendix C) useful in tracking the similarities and differences between the Eastern and Western aesthetic.

The Rendering of Space and Depth

The teacher should begin by showing Fan K’uan’s painting Travellers Among Mountains and Streams. Guide students through the composition step by step as outlined below. Fan K’uan uses a convention that can be found in the works of many Chinese artists. Here, space is carefully divided into three sections or planes. In the foreground there is a carefully rendered rock form very close to the picture plane that is similar to the repoussoir of Western art. It acts as a visual foil between the foreground and the middle ground. The middle ground is comprised of rocky hills and trees through which a roadway takes its course. Three waterfalls are woven into the geological structures. There are travellers and pack animals located on the road to the right. A small pavilion or temple is located among the trees. The background is almost a backdrop of flattened, silhouetted mountains, which are remarkable for their convoluted outlines and brush-covered tops. The mountains are pierced on the left by a deep cleft and on the right by a thin cataract that spills down the face of the rock. Mists that roll around the base of the mountain separate the middle ground from the background. There are a number of spatial ambiguities in spite of the fact that we can clearly determine the visual sequence of depth by the observation of overlapping. The point of view is not consistent throughout the composition. The rock in the foreground is viewed from the side; this view might by challenging for Western viewers because it appears as though we should be looking down on it from the apparently high vantage point assigned to this painting by the artist. This rock could be the top of a high hill that has its base at the same level as the road, or it could be a boulder at our feet as we stand on a cliff that might command this view. Our view of the middle ground is equally diverse. The large tree beside the travellers appears to be in profile view since we are able to see all of the trunk and upper limbs outlined. The temple or pavilion, which we read as being well above this large tree, is not seen from below but from the top with the features of the roof surface visible. Since it does not appear overall that we are looking down on the middle ground, it is the large tree that is not depicted, as we would expect; it seems to be tilted backward. The mountain is not shown as though we are looking up at it. There is no diminution of size or foreshortening of any kind. If we accept the apparent eye level dictated by the pines located to the left of the temple, it becomes evident that we are seeing too much of the tops of the trees and shrubs that cover the mountain peaks. Fan K’uan appears to have tilted the small plateaus at the top of the mountains towards the viewer in what might be construed by a Westerner as a strategy to avoid foreshortening. It is, in fact, a subtle rendering adhering not to Western conventions of linear perspective, but to Chinese principles such as k’ai ho, a term that translates as coherence.

Appendix 1.3.1 (Continued)

Continue the comparison by showing High Tide at the Outer Harbour of Port-en-Bessin by Georges Seurat. While viewing this work, encourage students to volunteer their observations about the use of linear perspective. Remind students that perspective is mathematical in nature. Structure questions for students so they can review principles of perspective such as:

· Consistent vantage point (e.g., boats viewed from above appear below the horizon line);

· Diminution of size follows orthogonals that meet at a point on the horizon line (e.g., mountains);

· The horizon line cuts across subject matter consistently (e.g., distant mountains).

Summarize the differences in spatial treatment by emphasizing that while Fan K’uan’s space is mathematically discontinuous and Seurat’s space is continuous, nonetheless both are entirely convincing and engaging compositions. The difference lies in the emphasis used by the two artists. The western stance put forward by Seurat is that all is to be measured; humankind is central and everything in nature has its place. The Eastern stance addresses principles such lung-mo and ch’i-fu, which translate approximately as scale and sequence. Nature is instead a reality not to be measured but to be understood. Fan K’uan gives us a painting about a mountain, not a view of a mountain. One cannot escape the fact that this seven-foot high painting has a four-foot high mountain in it. The travellers cannot escape the immense and fantastic tree directly above them. These features contribute to a philosophical view that while nature is not easily measured, it can be successfully appreciated.

Composition

Return to Fan K’uan’s work and examine two striking features for western eyes concerning composition. First, is the set of visual pathways and openings along which we are invited to move and experience the motifs in progression through time and space. Second, is the absence of axial thrusts, geometric balance, or mathematical relationships in the deployment of motifs. The viewer is invited to descend the slope to the road, follow the road, cross the stream, and climb the hill to the temple. Fan K’uan achieves structures in his composition by using subtle spacing. The famous Ming period artist Ch’i-ch’ang claimed that spacing was the most important principle of a landscape.

Display Seurat’s composition and invite students to make an inventory of the axial thrusts and geometric forms present. These are easy to observe; the reversing shoreline, the parallel diagonals of the roofs, the convex and concave sails, and the two wharves are all easy to find. William Homer has documented Seurat’s use of 6-, 9-, 18-, 36-, and 72-degree angles in Seurat’s work; this would make an excellent visual scavenger hunt for any students interested in geometry in art.

Line

The use of line is a stylistic point on which Fan K’uan and Seurat differ completely. For the Chinese, line has always been a central part of painting. Ku-fa, which can be translated as “bone means” relates to line. Allied with the importance of line is the importance of the brush (pi) and the brush stroke itself. Many brush strokes are named and much can be said in Chinese art with just one stroke. Throughout Fan K’uan’s work, line is evident. In particular, draw attention to the use of the convoluted lines in the rendering of the mountain. It would have been inconceivable for Fan K’uan to discard the brushstroke, something Seurat came close to doing.

Seurat comes very close to eliminating the conventional brush stroke in his work. For Seurat, the brush is a device for delivering small, precisely mixed dots of colour that are designed to work harmoniously. The famous artist mentioned above, Tung Ch’i-Ch’ang, advised against working from small to large because to do so would violate shih, the Chinese term that means structural integration. Tung would certainly have disapproved of Seurat’s technique of piecing together numerous small studies and then painting them by means of thousands of dot-like brushstrokes.

Appendix 1.3.1 (Continued)

Colour

A discussion of colour in a Chinese monochrome painting may appear odd at first. The issue of naturalism in colour has not been a cause for great concern in Chinese art. In fact many scholars have argued that black ink can display the qualities of the five colours in the Chinese palette. Each of the five colours of the Chinese palette corresponds with a season, an earthly element, and a piece of the artist’s equipment or experience:

COLOUR	SEASON	EARTHLY ELEMENT	ARTIST’S EQUIPMENT/ EXPERIENCE
· Green	· spring	· wood	· brush
· Red	· summer	· fire	· inspiration
· Yellow	· late summer	· earth	· pigment
· White	· autumn	· metal	· ink-stone
· blue/black	· winter	· water	· water

Georges Seurat’s painting, on the other hand, is deeply concerned with colour and the science of colour. In Seurat’s painting, the vibrancy of the colours is not accidental; it is achieved through the use of thousands of dots formed from eleven specially selected spectral tube colours and their tints. Seurat read a great deal to develop his painting and understanding of colour, including authors such as Blanc, Henry, Rood, Suller, de Superville, Chevreul, and Helmholtz. Herman Helmholtz’s original research on the irradiation of colour in his Treatise on Physiological Optics was a major influence on Seurat. George Rowley observes that the art of the west was directed by reason, science, and emotion whereas the art of China was influenced by intuition, imagination, and mood.

Conclusion

In the conclusion, encourage questions and observations while adding some general terms to the guided viewing. Emphasize that Fan K’uan and Seurat were doing fundamentally different things while painting landscapes. For Fan K’uan, the landscape was a type of icon through which the viewer might contemplate and come to a spiritual understanding of li, or a universal principle. Li is the principle whereby all natural things were seen in concert; what Taoism called the Tao or the Way. Landscape for the Chinese means “water-mountain picture” and it integrates these two opposite elements according to the principle of yin-yang. For the Chinese, all components of the landscape have a life force or sheng. Mountains, which westerners often think of as immoveable, have sheng by their erosion by the formless moving water.

Contrast Fan K’uan’s view of the landscape with the intellectual climate of the Impressionist period in which Romanticism was rejected, the role of science in art was expanding, and much of modern life was seen as transitory and fleeting. End the lesson by reinforcing that Seurat is attempting to capture and analyse nature whereas Fan K’uan is giving us a mystical and intuitive appreciation of nature’s way. Leave the last word for Fan K’uan who said, “…a still better teacher than material objects is the heart.”

Appendix 1.3.2

Checklist for Comparison of Chinese and Western Art

Principles of Chinese Art	Western Terminology
Basic Concepts
CH’I (spirit)
YUN (resonance)
Fruits of CH’I – YUN (selected examples)
KU-FA (structure)
LI (universal principle)
SHIH (structural integration)
SHEUNG-TUNG (life movement)
MO (ink)
PI (brush)
	Elements of Design
	Line
	Shape
	Colour
	Texture
	Value
	Space
	Principles of Design
YIN-YANG	Balance
	Emphasis
	Unity
	Contrast
	Repetition
	Movement
	Rhythm
K’AI – HO (coherence)
LUNG – MO (sequence)
CH’I – FU

Questions:

What aspects of F’an Kuan’s painting did you find intriguing and why?

What aspect of F’an Kuan’s painting did you find challenging to understand and why?

How has F’an Kuan used spatial organization or perspective?

What are the advantages of the use of shifting viewpoints?

What features of the F’an Kuan do you think might be useful in creating a composition of your own? Elaborate.

Appendix 1.5.1

Rubric – Monotype Print

The following expectations are evaluated in this rubric:

THV.02 - demonstrate an understanding of modern and contemporary art, especially Canadian (including Native Canadian) art, as well as African, Oceanic, and Central and South American art;

CRV.02 - choose the materials, tools, techniques, themes, and processes best suited to their fine art, applied design, or craft forms, and use materials and tools safely;

CR1.01 - research and describe historical and recent works of art from around the world that specifically relate to the processes used and the issues and concerns expressed in their own work;

CR2.02 - demonstrate competence in painting, planographic printmaking, conceptual sculpture, and new technologies;

CR2.05 - create and transform visual images, using both new and traditional technologies;

AN1.02 - analyse the visual, symbolic, and conceptual aspects of specific fine art, applied design, and craft works.

Category	Level 1 (50-59%)	Level 2 (60-69%)	Level 3 (70-79%)	Level 4 (80-100%)
Knowledge/ Understanding Demonstrates an understanding of the design motifs used by at least three non-Western cultures	- demonstrates a limited understanding of facts and sources	- demonstrates some knowledge of facts and sources	- demonstrates a considerable knowledge of facts and sources	- demonstrates a thorough knowledge of facts and sources
Application Chooses monotype techniques that are appropriate	- uses equipment and materials appropriately only when prompted	- uses equipment and materials appropriately with some prompting	- uses equipment and materials appropriately	- demonstrates and promotes an appropriate use of equipment and materials
Application Shows evidence of research in the choice of patterns for print	- transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with limited effectiveness	- transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with moderate effectiveness	- transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with considerable effectiveness	- transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with a high degree of effectiveness
Application Creates images that integrate cultural influences in an original manner	- applies the creative process with limited effectiveness	- applies the creative process with some effectiveness	- applies the creative process with considerable effectiveness	- applies the creative process with a high degree of effectiveness, and with confidence
Thinking/Inquiry Analyses the success of combining cultural influences in a single work	- uses critical analysis with limited clarity and effectiveness	- uses critical analysis with moderate clarity and effectiveness	- uses critical analysis with considerable clarity and effectiveness	- uses critical analysis with a high degree of clarity and effectiveness

Note: A student whose achievement is below Level 1 (50%) has not met the expectations for this assignment or activity.

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