FRANKENCRAYON COLLAGES

 Frankencrayon Collages

Learning Targets

I can...

• Create an original Frankencrayon Collage using drawing techniques learned in class
• Use complimentary colors (red green; blue orange; yellow purple), shape variation (geometric, organic, free form), and space (positive negative) inspired by Michigan Author (2015-Present) Michael Hall
• Use collage techniques (overlapping, layering, assemblage) and design principles (composition, variation, balance) based on Frankencrayon by Michael Hall
• Define Scribble (a piece of writing or a drawing that is done quickly or carelessly)

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

1. Garfield Orange Crayon (2024) Hoang Tran

2. Read Frankencrayon by Michael Hall

3. Discussion Questions "What color would you feed your scribble monster? What else could you feed a scribble monster? What color is Frankencrayon? What color is Frankencrayon's head? What color are Frankencrayon's arms? What color is Frankencrayon's body? Who is your favorite character in this story? What else could you make with broken crayons? How do we combine shapes, colors, and different materials to create art? What solutions to the scribble could you have come up with in that situation? Have you heard of Frankenstein? What do you know of this story? What are the different crayons in this story? How do they create a new taped-together character?" 

Lesson Activities

1. Choose 12 X 15 Drawing Paper 

2. Draw three thumbnail sketches of crayons using observational drawing skills (outline, contour, continuous) for the crayon collages

3. Add details (eyes, hair, mouth, shadows, highlights) to the positive space (crayon) of the Frankencrayon Collages

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Frankencrayon Collages for Assigned Tables

2. Mario Carvings (2023) Hoang Tran

3. Discussion Questions "Have you read Red: A Crayon's Story by Michael Hall? If so, what expectation do you have about this book? What do you recall about the author's style? What clues do readers get from this page to help make predictions? Were your predictions correct? What do you know about the Frankenstein story? Why has he told the story from so many perspectives? How has this added to your reading experience? Why are the crayons dressed in old-fashioned costumes? How important is the interjection from Frankencrayon, explaining details of the story that the narrator omitted? Why is it left to Frankenstein to show the reader a different side to the scribble? What is the author saying about acceptance and relationships?"

Lesson Activities

1. Use collage techniques (overlapping, cropping, layering) to add basic shapes (cylinder, cone, cube) of the crayons for the crayon collages

2. Use design principles (composition, repetition, gradation) to fill in the positive space (crayons) of the crayon collages

3. Use collage techniques (overlapping, cropping, layering) to add basic shapes (cylinder, cone, cube) to the negative space (background) of the Frankencrayon Collages

Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Frankencrayon Collages for Assigned Tables

2. Set Up Studio Area (glue sticks, construction paper, scissors, oil pastels) 

Lesson Activities

1. Use complementary colors (red, green; blue, orange; yellow, purple) to fill in the positive space (crayons) of the crayon collages

2. Use complementary colors (red, green; blue, orange; yellow, purple) to fill in the negative space (background) of the crayon collages

3. Add design details (overlapping, enlarging, cropping) to the negative space (background) of the Frankencrayon Collages

Artist Examples 

Student Examples