Symmetrical Monochromatic Paintings 2012

(I cropped these in Picasa, but for some reason it didn't show up here. Sorry)

I LOVE this lesson.
So many kids are successful and I think they really have fun mixing the paint.
This year I attempted to talk about color, line and emotion, but since they took so long to complete, the idea got lost in translation. Original line choices and color were supposed to be based on an emotion.
I'm really proud of my students and hope that this lesson has set the tone for the remainder of the year.

Seventh Grade Mandalas

This was my second time doing this lesson. I found it before school started last year in Arts and Activities (September (?) 2011).  In the magazine the name design is called a kaleidoscope design and originally I did it in order to learn my new students names. This year, I knew my student's name (although I am still having trouble with the twins! I feel awful about that) and attempted to link the activity to social students. I introduced a "mandala" as an ancient design used for meditation and reflection, that represents us and our inner world.

Class #1
After introducing the term mandala, I displayed an example using my brand new, spectacular document camera. I asked how the example is a reflection of me? After a couple seconds of silence, a few rumbles started and I poinedt out to students that I spelled out my name. I then asked how balance was used? (We had reviewed the elements and principles the week before, so balance was fresh in their minds) I drew on the whiteboard, over my projected image, all the lines of symmetry and introduced radial symmetry. At that point, I passed out photocopies of a 45 degree triangle and walked students through the steps:

1. Write name in block or bubble letters inside the triangle. Think about how your name will be reflected. If you want your letters to touch, where should you draw it?
2. Add lines and shapes to break up the remaining negative space.
3. Trace lines heavy and dark.
4. Fold paper along the bottom line of the triangle.
5. Keeping the paper folded, trace the lines that can be seen through, making sure to apply pressure in order to make the lines "jump" to the blank space on the inside of the folded paper. (Hopefully at the very least, students can finish up to this step in 40 minutes)
6. Open the paper and retrace the lines that "jumped" so that the photocopier can see them.

That should bring the class to the end of a 42ish minute period. At the end of each day, I made 4 photocopies of the completed pages. I made sure students knew upfront that I needed the pages done, so that I could help them by photocopying. If they didn't finished, it would make more work for them. At the very least, if students finished step 5, you could photo copy the front and the back four times each.

Class #2

1. Pass out 12x12 paper and instruct students to divide the page evenly into four quadrants.  I did a quick refresher how to draw tally marks and connect the dots.
2. Each photocopy will be cut and pasted into a quadrant.
3. Review symmetry including  how to apply color symmetrically and go for it! We used a combination of Crayola classic and bold conical and thin tip markers. For the background/ negative space students could use color pencils

 

 Sorry these pictures are on a weird angle. The bulletin boards I hung these up on are above lockers!

Symmetrical Monochromatic Paintings

Another gem from school years passed AND based on a lesson from Making Amazing Art.
I think these paintings were by fifth and sixth graders my second year of teaching, as a way to introduce color, value and balance.

1. Create a symmetrical drawing.

The original lesson called for an outline of a butterfly. I didn't want these preteens to be insulted, so we stuck to abstract, tessellated designs.

a. Fold a piece of paper in half hot dog or hamburger, and draw any kind of line that starts at the top and ends at the bottom. This was a great way to review kinds of line as well. 
b. Add five more lines to break up the two shapes. Remember to use a variety of lines to add more interest. Keeping the number of lines limited helps to not make the final composition an overwhelming design. (As it was, these took weeks!)
c. Re- trace all the lines heavy and dark with pencil.
d. Fold the paper in the opposite direction and apply pressure in order to make the lines "jump" to the other side. There are multiple methods to transfer the lines, but you don't want to spend a ton of time with retracing everything perfectly because painting takes the most time.

2. Pick a color and paint!

• Make sure to introduce or review value and monochromatic color schemes. 
• Remind students that for their paintings to be truly symmetrical, whatever value they paint in one shape, they must paint the corresponding shape the same value.
• Demonstrate the process you want your students to use when mixing their own paint values and clean up procedures. 

In my room, each student gets their own "palette" or Styrofoam lunch tray and is responsible for their own materials. Tables are labeled by color and each are called to the sink by me. Clean up time has to be an orchestrated event for chaos not to ensue. My students know the routine and know my expectations. (And it took a lot of patience and learning on my behalf to figure out what works!) 

3. Retrace original lines in black if desired.