After the discussion I introduce 4 main theories of art:
Approved Art, Aesthetics & Creativity Courses (A 190)
TEACHING ABOUT THE ARTS
Introduction to the importance of the arts in the elementary school curriculum. Students are given a foundation of methods and materials in art and music that will enable them to integrate the arts into the general curriculum, supplement art lessons given by school specialists, and encourage student discussion and understanding of art and music in the world today.
ENG-A 190
THE ART OF IMITATION
Contemporary literature is full of re-tellings and re-imaginings, from Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad to Seth Grahame-Smith’s Pride And Prejudice and Zombies, but this isn’t a new phenomenon. Writers, including Shakespeare and Mark Twain, have always recycle plots and characters from other’s works. In this class, we’ll explore writing stories and poems by retelling, recycling and re-imagining oft-told tales. We’ll discover how writers take familiar material to make it both new and personal as we look at contemporary examples of re-tellings in fiction, poetry and graphic novels. We’ll also discuss how re-telling relates to issues of intellectual property and originality. Students will research myths and fairytales, write a brief analysis of one published reinterpretation, and write and revise a portfolio of creative work. The class will also create an online literary journal of their work.
CREATIVE WRITING: AFTER WORDS
In this class students will try different approaches to creative writing, using a variety of imitation exercises to create poems, prose poems, flash fiction, essays, and graphic narratives. One of the first practices artists learn is imitation, creating pieces “after” an established artist. Imitations are then labeled according to the work they take after: “After Picasso.” We’ll read work in a variety of forms and styles to guide us in shaping our own content and subject matter. Students will submit a portfolio of writing and keep an ongoing journal of their progress.
EXPLORING STORIES AND POEMS THROUGH IMITATION (ALSO “IMITATING STORIES AND POEMS)
One of the first practices artists learn in imitation, or the creation of an artistic work “after” that of an established artist. Imitations are then labeled according to the work they take after: “After Picasso”. In this class students will try different approaches to creative writing, using a variety of imitation exercises to create poems, prose poems, flash fiction, essays, and graphic narratives. We’ll read work in a variety of forms and styles to guide us in shaping our own content and subject matter.
“JUST” A GENRE CLASS
“Trashy” romance novels, “sensationalized” crime fiction, “bizarre” fantasy worlds—popular writing genres are often dismissed as pulp fictions that have nothing substantial to say about our world or human nature- often simply because they are so enjoyable (how could they possibly be important?). Because each genre follows specific conventions, it is commonly thought that there is no room for exploration, creativity, or true artistic excellence. But, perhaps, those same conventions allow not only for the kinds of subversive ideas that delight literary scholars, but do so in a way that reaches a larger audience. If the latter is true, then such writing is not only a delightful way to spend an afternoon, it has the potential to do incredibly important cultural work. In this class we will read novels from two to three key genres and explore the ways that they conform to/trouble their genres and do important cultural work. Students should expect to research a genre of their own choosing (and read a novel from that genre; again of their own choosing), write short fiction in a genre, and participate in group presentations.
THE MAGIC OF IMAGE
Contemporary society is a feast for the eye through the sensory details found in poetry as well as Hollywood movies. This is a course for budding aesthetes as we look at beauty in a variety of genres: poetry, print advertising, photography, and cinema. Students will explore what makes art so alluring, and learn to appreciate these genres by developing a more critical, intellectual eye. Some written assignments as well as two photography projects: self-portrait and urban/rural landscapes. Students should have access to a digital camera.
MY DAILY LIFE EXTRAORDINAIRE!
Description: This course explores artistic interventions within the fabric of everyday life. We will first start by rediscovering and reclaiming objects of our daily lives to give them a renewed sense of purpose and meaning. Literary texts, the study of graphic design, and art works will help spark our artistic launch. The second half of the semester is dedicated to the study and production of slide shows. Originally, slide shows – the old-fashioned kind using a carousel – were both a high-tech form of family entertainment and an artistic medium used by experimental artists from the 1960s onward. You may be asked to produce your own slide show using Power Point and to screen it for public viewing at IUSB.
OF (SUPER)MEN AND MYTHS: WRITING FOR COMIC BOOKS
In this course, we will be taking an intensive look at the mythology of comic books. Students will spend part of the course studying comic books with the same detail with which they would study any other literary form. They will study how comic writers create and refine their own mythologies, like Jeph Loeb does in Batman: The Long Halloween or Brian K. Vaughan does in the first collected volume of his acclaimed Y: The Last Man series. Students will also explore the ways comic writers draw from and re-imagine world mythologies and folk tales in their works, like Mike Mignola’s reworking of Russian folk tales of the Baba Yaga and Koschei the Deathless in Hellboy: Darkness Calls and Neil Gaiman’s blend of Greek, Egyptian, Babylonian and myriad other mythologies in his seminal Sandman series, along with reading some of the original stories these writers are adapting in their books. Students will also spend the semester creating their own comic book, moving from creating their own character(s) and mythologies to plotting their first story arc to scripting and drawing the first issue of their books.
POETRY AND AUTOBIOGRAPHY: THE AUTHENTICITY OF SELF IN THE LYRIC POEM
Students will examine their own lives through the prism of “autobiographical” poetry texts (as well as other art forms, including movies, the visual arts, music, etc.). We will examine the idea of poetic “persona” in contemporary poetry by reading various authors, as well as exploring film and visual art, and you will learn through various writing projects, and possibly a visual art project or two, how to determine, in your own autobiographical poems, what you need to do to get the most “truth” out of language through means of concision, music in language, exaggeration, and by eliminating cliché. The influence of class, gender, and race will all be germane to a deep understanding of how we authentically express and/or build into a complex language construct a representation of the self. You will write imitation poems as well as poems wholly your own. Additionally you will keep a journal of reader responses to the various readings and films, and write two short analytical response papers.
WORD PAINT EXPERIMENTS
This course will explore the intersections of art and literature, paint and words. We will study painters who try writing (Rothko called it “this wrestling with the typewriter”), writers who would rather paint (Virginia Woolf thought painting a higher art form than writing), writing that paints with words, and painting that communicates with and without text. We’ll cover a broad sweep of time and various artists—from seventeenth century painter Johannes Vermeer to contemporary poet Mark Doty—to study the evolving interaction and conflict between painting and writing. We’ll also experiment with our own creations in art and language, seeing what connections and tensions we find.
ADVENTURES IN IMAGERY
More than anything else, the one thing that separates poetry from prose is its use of imagery, or language meant to appeal directly to the senses. This is one of the things that makes contemporary poetry challenging to readers who aren’t that familiar with poetry—the work of image-driven poets tends to be elliptical, non-linear, non-narrative, and often times virtually impenetrable. In this class we will be taking a close look at the work of several poets whose work relies particularly heavily on image and imitate them by writing image-driven poems of our own. We will augment our reading by watching several image-rich films in order to examine the way that images can function in the place of traditional narrative. The final projects in the class will be a portfolio of revised poems and a group storyboard project.
FINA-A 190
EXPLORING THE CITY
Focuses on the forces which are shaping cities today. Students will make use of local resources, local records and historical collections in their research projects. They will make measured drawings, elevations and site plans of their research topics. Topics such as local history, industrialization, main street America, racial and ethnic segregation, organic and engineered growth, and environmental issues are considered, especially as they affected the South Bend-Mishawaka area and Chicago.
HISTORY & PRACTICE OF PRINTMAKING
This course combines a survey of the social critiques of printmakers from 15th to 21st century, technical innovations and a studio practicum of printmaking processes. The overview is intended to assist students in their appreciation and understanding of visual culture and political contexts as well as the technological changes of the media. The “studio practice” provides “hands-on” demonstrations and engagement to investigate the technical and expressive processes of printmaking (including papermaking, relief printing, etching and multi-media design).
POINT AND SHOOT: AN INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
This introductory level course will explore digital technology for capturing, enhancing, and producing still lens-based images. The course will address the visual language of camera-generated images, computer output techniques, the connoisseurship of digital image output as well as basic digital camera operations. The course assumes no prior knowledge or experience with digital imaging technologies or materials. Students must provide a digital camera. TEXT: Stone& London, A short Course in Digital Photography Prentice Hall, 2009.
RUSSIAN AND SOVIET MODERN ART FROM REALISM TO SOCIALIST REALISM
Russian and Soviet Art will introduce students to the major modern art movements of Russia and the early Soviet Union, from 19th century realism to early 20th century modern art developments and then to the post revolutionary decline of avant-garde art and the emergence of Socialist Realism. The art will be analyzed within the historical and social contexts of late Russian and early Soviet periods. The political milieu of Russian and Soviet art will be critiqued for its influence on and its influence by the development of the various modern art movements. In addition, the cultural context of the art will be examined for how it affected the production of art and how the art itself affected the larger cultural context.
SOCIAL IMPACT OF PRINTMAKING
This course combines a survey of the social critiques of printmakers from 15th to 21st century, technical innovations and a studio practicum of printmaking processes. The overview is intended to assist students in their appreciation and understanding of visual culture and political contexts as well as the technological changes of the media. The “studio practice” provides “hand-on” demonstrations and engagement to investigate the technical and expressive processes of printmaking (including papermaking, relief printing, etching and multi-media design).
THE SURREAL IN MODERN ART & LITERATURE
This course will explore the Surreal in 20th century art and literature focusing on key issues–the dream, the transformed object, the self, love/sex, and automatism—as manifested in the works of Breton, Duchamp, Kafka, Dalí, Kahlo, and others. The emphasis in the course will be on visual literacy both through looking at and interpreting works of visual art and through art projects which develop students’ creativity. Critical thinking will be used to understand and evaluate surreal writings and artworks and the issues they raise. Students will engage in creative writing as part of the projects.
VISUAL CULTURE
Study of our visual culture including photography, advertising, avatars, and video.
MUS-A 190
EXPLORING MUSICAL COMPOSITION
This course will introduce students to the materials of music – pitch, rhythm, melody, harmony – and to the notational tools used by musicians to represent these materials. Throughout the semester each student will use the tools and skills learned to compose simple musical pieces. No previous music education is required.
THTR-A 190
INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE
This introductory course examines the theatre, plays and playwriting, the actor, designers and technicians, the director, traditions of the theatre, the modern theatre, musical theatre, the future of theatre, and the critic. This is a participatory class.
INTRODUCTION TO ACTING
Beginning acting; introduction to auditioning, scene work, improvisation, and solo dialogue.
THE SECRET LIFE OF PUPPETS
This course will explore the use of puppetry in the performance arts of theatre, television and film. Topics will include exploring the history and diversity of puppetry in world culture, appreciating various puppet styles and performance methods and research master puppeteers and their contribution to the field. This is a participatory class where students perform basic techniques in puppet movement, explore storytelling devices, create dimensional characters and design and build a basic hand puppet. The combination of these efforts will be demonstrated in a final group performance.
Art History and Aesthetics
“We need people with skills in critical thinking, analytical reasoning and problem solving. We need people who can communicate. We need to enhance the richness and diversity of the workforce, and we need people with the confidence to face the future.” Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) is a curriculum and teaching method for students and teachers, founded on the premise that finding meaning in works of visual art involves a rich range of thinking skills. VTS encourages:
- a personal connection to art from diverse cultures, times and places
- confidence in one’s ability to construct meaning from it
- active class discussions and group problem solving
- development of thinking and communication skills
- development of writing skills
- transference of these skills to other subject areas
Aesthetic Valuing
- artistic perception
- creative expression
- historical and cultural context
- aesthetic valuing
- connections, relations, and applications
One of the most challenging objectives for visual arts education is to help children truly “see” art. We can begin that process by teaching them the elements of art so they can “see” line, shape, space, color, value, texture, pattern in works of art. We can give them to tools to create their own art. We can give them hands-on experience with art, teach the historical and cultural significance of different styles and media in art. Aesthetic valuing is often the biggest challenge to educators. Wikipedia defines aesthetics as “a branch of value theory which studies sensory or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment or taste. Aesthetics is closely associated with the philosophy of art.” ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesthetics ). Gardner discusses Key entry points for understanding concepts and developing intelligence in the different domains. These three entry points, in particular, are essential for the “artistic” intelligence domains.
The performing arts clearly offer hands-on experiences and interpersonal, collaborative activities. We discussed the “aesthetic experience” in the textbook. You may wish to look again at the discussion of aesthetics and the “role of wonder.” The California standard for the visual and performing arts – aesthetic valuing – gives us our biggest challenge. How do you teach aesthetic discrimination and appreciation for the arts? That depends on your own concept of aesthetics and values.
What is beauty? The famous quote – “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” – truly applies to the arts. What is artistic quality? This depends on your own personal experience, exposure, training, cultural sensitivity, etc. These questions are subjective and personal. How do you assess this standard in your students? How do you evaluate your proficiency with this standard as a teacher? You can expose your children to the many forms of visual and performing arts. You can teach them the elements of each art – and give them opportunities to be creative within the arts. You can introduce them to visual artists, musicians, dancers, actors, playwrights, but how do you know they will understand and comprehend – let alone appreciate and value the arts? The value each of us places on each different arts experience in terms of aesthetic appreciation is personal and subjective. Below are the aesthetic valuing standards for 1st through 6th graders in the visual and performing arts. You will be selecting one grade level to discuss aesthetic valuing for your week nine discussion.
First Grade: 4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING – Responding to, Analyzing, and Making Judgments About Works in the Visual Arts
Students analyze, assess, and derive meaning from works of art, including their own, according to the elements of art, the principles of design, and aesthetic qualities.
Derive Meaning
4.1 Compare and contrast selected works of art and describe them, using appropriate vocabulary of art.
Make Informed Judgments
4.2 Identify successful and less successful compositional and expressive qualities of their own works of art and describe what might be done to improve them.
4.3 Select an artist’s work and, using appropriate vocabulary of art, explain its successful compositional and communicative qualities.
Second Grade: 4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING – Responding to, Analyzing, and Making Judgments About Works in the Visual Arts
Students analyze, assess, and derive meaning from works of art, including their own, according to the elements of art, the principles of design, and aesthetic qualities.
Derive Meaning
4.1 Compare ideas expressed through their own works of art with ideas expressed in the work of others.
4.2 Compare different responses to the same work of art.
Make Informed Judgments
4.3 Use the vocabulary of art to talk about what they wanted to do in their own works of art and how they succeeded.
4.4 Use appropriate vocabulary of art to describe the successful use of an element of art in a work of art.
Third Grade: 4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING – Responding to, Analyzing, and Making Judgments About Works in the Visual Arts
Students analyze, assess, and derive meaning from works of art, including their own, according to the elements of art, the principles of design, and aesthetic qualities.
Derive Meaning
4.1 Discuss works of art created in the classroom, focusing on selected elements of art (e.g., shape/form, texture, line, color).
4.2 Identify and describe various reasons for making art.
Make Informed Judgments
4.3 Describe how and why they made a selected work of art, focusing on the media and technique.
4.4 Select something they like about their work of art and something they would change.
Fourth Grade: 4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING – Responding to, Analyzing, and Making Judgments About Works in the Visual Arts
Students analyze, assess, and derive meaning from works of art, including their own, according to the elements of art, the principles of design, and aesthetic qualities.
Derive Meaning
4.1 Describe how using the language of the visual arts helps to clarify personal responses to works of art.
4.2 Identify and describe how a person’s own cultural context influences individual responses to works of art.
4.3 Discuss how the subject and selection of media relate to the meaning or purpose of a work of art.
Make Informed Judgments
4.4 Identify and describe how various cultures define and value art differently.
4.5 Describe how the individual experiences of an artist may influence the development of specific works of art.
Fifth Grade: 4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING – Responding to, Analyzing, and Making Judgments About Works in the Visual Arts
Students analyze, assess, and derive meaning from works of art, including their own, according to the elements of art, the principles of design, and aesthetic qualities.
Derive Meaning
4.1 Identify how selected principles of design are used in a work of art and how they affect personal responses to and evaluation of the work of art.
4.2 Compare the different purposes of a specific culture for creating art.
Make Informed Judgments
4.3 Develop and use specific criteria as individuals and in groups to assess works of art.
4.4 Assess their own works of art, using specific criteria, and describe what changes they would make for improvement.
Sixth Grade: 4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING – Responding to, Analyzing, and Making Judgments About Works in the Visual Arts
Students analyze, assess, and derive meaning from works of art, including their own, according to the elements of art, the principles of design, and aesthetic qualities.
Derive Meaning
4.1 Construct and describe plausible interpretations of what they perceive in works of art.
4.2 Identify and describe ways in which their culture is being reflected in current works of art.
Make Informed Judgments
4.3 Develop specific criteria as individuals or in groups to assess and critique works of art.
4.4 Change, edit, or revise their works of art after a critique, articulating reasons for their changes.
Visual Arts Video Resources Structured Drawing Programs – Young Rembrandts
- http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=KVtqPhOat4Y
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pQuLpsdoVE
ADAPTING A PROJECT
How do you take this discussion of aesthetics and translate it into a project? You have to release control. I have two design-focused projects that allow students the freedom to explore their tastes. Both use free online programs and are quick projects. I love introducing these at the start of the semester to allow students to start honing in on their style from day one.
DESIGN COLLAGE
Using Adobe CC Express students start with a collage base, and build their own aesthetic into it. Before diving straight into the collage, they complete a research assignment to find inspiration and pull together images and colors into an inspiration reference. In addition, they have to come up with a quote, song lyric, or text as the anchor of their design.
Once they have their references pulled together students select a collage template on Adobe CC Express. From there, they must alter the collage enough to make it their own. They add their text, images, and colors to create a collage that aligns with their aesthetic. This is a quick and easy art project for middle school art or high school art students. I used this as the first project in my Introduction to Design course, but it’s appropriate for any art class. Check out the full lesson pack here.
VISION BOARD ASSIGNMENT
With this project, students dive a little deeper into their aesthetic by developing a 3-page vision board. Similar to the collage project, they must complete research to find inspiration and verbalize their aesthetic before diving in. Page one should have text and images that align with their style. The second page highlights colors and adjectives that reflect their style. Page three includes graphics and images that show their style. Check out the full lesson pack here.
Using aesthetic-based assignments early in the art course is a great way to help students gain confidence in talking about the philosophy art and their own taste in art. I often refer students back to these assignments if they need inspiration.
Thanks for stopping by and reading how I introduce aesthetics and the philosophy of art and encourage discussion in my art class. Just like definitions of art, there is no right or wrong way to teach art, as long as students are engaging in creating, expressing, and developing an appreciation for this amazing craft. Don’t forget to check out more blog posts here, subscribe for updates straight to your inbox, join me on Facebook, or see daily posts on Instagram and Tik Tok.
