FIREBIRD ILLUSTRATIONS

Firebird Illustrations 

Learning Targets

I can...

• Create an original Firebird Illustration using drawing techniques learned in class
• Use traditional colors (red, blue, green, white, yellow), line types (contour, outline, sketch), and  space (positive, negative) inspired by The Firebird a Ukrainian Folktale with excerpts of performance from Stravinsky's Firebird Suite
• Use multimedia techniques (text, image, audio, video, animation) and design principles (harmony, balance, contrast) based on 19th century art movements
• Define Iconography (interpretations of symbols, themes, and subject matter in visual art)

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

1. Catching Firebird's Feather (1937) Ivan Bilibin
2. Read Children's Book Firebird by Jane Yolen
3. Discussion Questions "What are some ideas you would like to share about this story? Who were the key characters? What was the main conflict? How did the story end? Why does a certain section of The Firebird Suite sound happy? What makes a piece of music sound angry or suspenseful? What is your hometown? What is your earliest musical memory? What person has had the greatest influence on you as an artist, and what have you learned from them? What music do you enjoy playing for fun? What music do you enjoy listening to- classical and otherwise? How did this music make you feel? How would you describe this artwork? Where do we experience music? How do people create? How can music or art communicate a theme? How do artists tell stories and convey messages in their work? What factors influence an artist's work? How do people express meaning through music? How do people interpret meaning in music? How does music reflect the time and place in which it was created?"

Lesson Activities

1. Choose 8 X 12 Drawing Paper 
2. Add line types (contour, outline, sketch) to positive space (people, animals, magical feather) of firebird drawings
3. Outline positive space (animals, people, magical objects) with metallic colors (gold, silver) of firebird drawings

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Firebird Illustrations for Assigned Table
2. Ivan and the Firebird 2 (1937) Ivan Bilibin
3. Discussion Questions "How do the fine arts use conflict and harmony to help show emotion? How do we experience conflict and harmony through the different arts disciplines? How does a composer express conflict and harmony through music? How does music, ballet, and art evoke emotions? What is the connection between color in the visual arts and tone color in music? What emotions do you feel when you look at this painting (chaos, conflict, confusion)? What is happening in this painting? Does this painting portray anything in particular? In what ways has the artist been able to translate the idea of conflict through this painting? What emotions do you feel when you look at this painting (calmness, serenity, harmony)? Can you share examples of harmony in our world?"

Lesson Activities 

1. Use traditional colors (red, blue, green, white, yellow) to fill in the positive space (people, animals, magical objects) of the firebird drawings
2. Use traditional colors (red, blue, green, white, yellow) to fill in the negative space (mountain, scenery, background) of the firebird drawings
3. Use metallic colors (gold, silver) to outline the negative space (mountain, scenery, background) of the Firebird Illustrations

Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Firebird Illustrations for Assigned Table
2. Set Up Studio Area (pencils, erasers, metallic paint)

Lesson Activities

1. Add highlights (light source, reflective light) to fill in the positive space (people, animals, magical objects) of the firebird drawing
2. Add shadows (reflective shadow, cast shadow) to fill in the negative space (mountain, scenery, background) of the firebird drawing
3. Add details to positive space (people, animals, magical objects) of Firebird Illustrations 

Artist Examples

Student Examples