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

 Kandinsky Corn 

Learning Targets

I can...

• Create an original Kandinsky Corn using drawing techniques learned in class
• Use warm/cool colors (red orange yellow; green blue purple), shape variation (free form organic geometric) and space (positive negative) inspired by Russian Painter (1866-1944) Wassily Kandinsky
• Use color theory (mixing, harmony, combinations) and design principles (composition, proportion, repetition) based on Abstract Art
• Define Maize (a type of corn that grows large grains set in rows on an ear or cob)

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

1. Color Study: Squares With Concentric Circles (1913) Wassily Kandinsky

2. Read The Life And Times of Corn by Charles Micucci

3. Discussion Questions "What is going on in this picture? What makes you say that? What more can you find? What would this painting sound like? What do you think is the subject of this painting? Can you eat this kind of corn or it is just for show? What kinds of food are there on the food pyramid? What group do you think corn is? What type of food is corn bread? Do you eat all the foods on the food pyramid every day? What did you notice about the popped corn compared to the regular corn? Was your prediction about how many people corn could feed correct? How does corn grow?"

Lesson Activities

1. Choose 12" by 15" Drawing Paper

2. Draw three thumbnail sketches of corn using observational drawing skills (contour, outline, continuous) for corn paintings

3. Use pencils to draw details (husks, patterns, string) to positive space (corn) of Kandinsky Corn

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Kandinsky Corn for Assigned Table

2. Farbstudie Quadrate (1913) Wassily Kandinsky 

3. Discussion Questions "If this art could talk, what would it say? If you could ask this artwork a question, what would you ask it? How might your interpretation of this artwork be different from someone in another culture? What does this artwork teach us about the past? Was this intended to be a work of art or not? Why do you think that? How does that impact your understanding of the artwork? If you could change this artwork, how would you change it? Who do you know that would really like this artwork? How can you connect this artwork to your own life? Do you personally connect or relate to this picture? What does this artwork remind you of? What would it feel like to be in this artwork?"

Lesson Activities

1. Use drawing techniques (contour, outline, continuous) to add basic shapes (cone triangle rectangle) to corn paintings

2. Use design principles (composition, repetition, gradation) to fill in the positive space (corn) of the corn paintings

3. Use drawing techniques (contour, outline, continuous) to add details (shadows, reflective light) to Kandinsky Corn

Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Kandinsky Corn for Assigned Table

2. Set Up Studio Area (oil pastel, eraser, pencils)

Lesson Activities

1. Use warm colors (red orange yellow) to fill in the positive space (corn) of the corn paintings

2. Use cool colors (blue green purple) to fill in the negative space (background) of the corn paintings

3. Add design details (shadows, reflective light) to the negative space (background) of the Kandinsky Corn 

Artist Examples

Student Examples

 Wheatfield With Crows

Learning Targets

I can..

• Create an original Wheatfield With Crows using drawing techniques learned in class
• Use line types (horizontal, vertical, diagonal), warm/cool colors (red orange yellow; green blue purple), and space (positive, negative) inspired by Dutch Painter (1853-1890) Vincent Van Gogh
• Use mark making techniques (dashes, scratches, loose lines) and design principles (composition, movement, variation) based on Impressionism
• Define Brush Stroke (a mark made by a paintbrush drawn across a surface)

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

1. Wheatfield With Crows (1890) Vincent Van Gogh

2. Read Van Gogh And The Colors Of The Wind by Chiara Lossani

3. Discussion Questions "Who is Vincent Van Gogh? Do you know who he really was? Would you like a painting of sunflowers in your room? Why did Vincent Van Gogh become so famous? What did Van Gogh like to paint? Do you like dark colors or bright colors? How can we paint the sky like Vincent Van Gogh? Where do you think Van Gogh was when he painted this picture? What colors did Van Gogh use in this painting? What kind of place do you think this was? Where is the moon? Where is the crows? What do you see in the background? Where did Vincent Van Gogh grow up?"

Lesson Activities

1. Divide the canvas into three parts (foreground, middle ground, background) of wheat field drawings

2. Use observational drawing techniques (contour, gesture, outline) to add basic shapes of wheat field drawing

3. Add directional lines (diagonal, vertical, horizontal) to remember light source direction for Wheatfield With Crows

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Wheatfield With Crows For Assigned Table

2. Wheatfield At Sunset (1889) Vincent Van Gogh

3. Discussion Questions "What does a crow look like? How would Van Gogh paint a crow? How can we create the same feeling of movement in the night sky to tell our own story? What is happening in this painting? Do you see any similarities between our traditions and customs? Where did Van Gogh get his inspiration? Do you think Van Gogh was inspired by the harvest work? Is the bird a profile (from the side or facing the viewer)? What is the setting of the painting? What do you see in the sky of the painting? How many paths do you see cut through the wheat? Which way do you think the crows are flying? If you had to take one of three paths, which one would you take?"

Lesson Activities

1. Use warm colors (red orange yellow) to fill in the positive space (Wheatfield) of the wheat field drawings

2. Use cool colors (blue green purple) to fill in the negative space (background) of the wheat field drawings

3. Use different mark making techniques (dashes, scratches, loose lines) to add colors to Wheatfield With Crows

Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Wheatfield With Crows for Assigned Table

2. Set Up Studio Area (tempera paint, oil pastel, erasers)

Lesson Activities

1. Use different mark making techniques (dashes, scratches, loose lines) to add details (moon, sun, stars) to wheat field drawings

2. Add highlights (light source, reflective light) and shadows (cast shadow, shadow) to positive space (wheat field) of wheat field drawings

3. Add black oil pastel as crows to positive space (wheat field) and negative space (background) of Wheat Field With Crows 

Artist Examples

Student Examples

Contrasting Printmaking Leaves

Learning Targets

• Create an original Contrasting Printmaking Leaves using techniques learned in class
• Use shape (complex, simple), line variation (thick, thin, outline, contour), and complimentary colors (red, green; blue, orange; purple, yellow) inspired by British Sculptor (1956-Present) Andy Goldsworthy
• Use design principles (balance, composition, repetition) and printmaking techniques (etching, engraving, screen printing) based on Ecological Art
• Define Monoprint (form of printmaking where lines or images can only be made once)

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

Lesson Activities 

• Initials & Home Teacher on Back of Paper

Day Two, Art Start

1. Use engraving tool to outline line variation (thick, thin, contour line) of leaf parts (stem, veins, twig)
2. Use complimentary colors (blue, orange; red, green; yellow, purple;) to fill in the positive space of the Contrasting Leaves
3. Use complimentary colors (blue, orange; red, green; yellow, purple) to fill in the negative space of the Contrasting Leaves

Day Three, Art Start 

1. Retrieve Contrasting Printmaking Leaves for Assigned Table
2. Set Up Studio Area (brayer, printmaking plate, speed ball ink)

Lesson Activities

1. Use printmaking paper to print one monoprint of every complimentary color (blue, orange; red, green; yellow, purple) of Contrasting Leaves
2. Add highlights (reflective light, light source) to positive space of Contrasting Printmaking Leaves
3. Add shadows (cast shadow, shadow) to negative space of Contrasting Printmaking Leaves

Artist Examples

Student Examples