Love Is In The Airplane Collages

Learning Targets

I can...

• Create an original Airplane Collage using drawing techniques learned in class
• Use line types (horizontal vertical diagonal), shape variation (geometric organic free form) and texture (actual implied visual) inspired by Modern Artist (1890-1973) Stanton Macdonald-Wright and American Painter (1898-1922) Elsie Driggs
• Use collage techniques (pasted paper, decoupage, photomontage, assemblage) and design principles (movement, rhythm, balance) based on American Modernism
• Define Overlap (placement of objects over one another to create the illusion of depth)

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

1. Aeroplane Synchron In Yellow-Orange (1928) Stanton Macdonald-Wright

2. Read Becoming Modern: American In The 1920s Primary Sources In History, Literature, and The Arts by The National Endowment For The Humanities

3. Discussion Questions "How did the airplane with its marvel and mystery symbolize modernism in the twenties? What are benefits and downsides of snapshot views of a historical period? How did "machine age" innovations change American life in the twenties? What makes the paintings modernist interpretations of the Machine Age? On first look, what impression of the airplane do you get from each painting? Why do you see in each painting? What do you hear in your head? What movement do you feel? Would you fly in the airplane? How would you rename each painting to reflect your answers to these questions? What are the core visual elements in these works? What impression of an airplane do you think Macdonald-Wright intended to convey in Airplane Synchromy? What impression of flight in the year 1920? How did he convey the marvel of the airplane? How did he convey the mystery of the airplane? How does Airplane Synchromy reflect Synchronism? How does it use color and abstraction to portray the airplane as a symbol of modernism?"

Lesson Activities

1.  Choose 12" X 15" Drawing Paper 

2. Use geometric shapes (triangles, circles, rectangles) to draw the exterior (outside) of the airplane collages

3. Use geometric shapes (triangles, circles, rectangles) to draw the main parts (wings, flaps, rudder, spinner, tail) of the Love Is In The Airplane Collages 

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Love Is In The Airplane Collages for Assigned Tables

2. Aeroplane (1928) Elsie Driggs

3. Discussion Questions "What impression of the airplane do you think Driggs intended to convey in Aeroplane? What impression of flight in the year 1928? How did she convey the marvel of the airplane? How did she convey the mystery of the airplane? How does Aeroplane reflect Precisionism? How does it use simplicity and clarity to portray the airplane as a symbol of the modern? How do they differ in presenting he airplane as a symbol of modernity, human daring, and the unknown future? How can images as abstract as Macdonald-Wright's and as realistic as Drigg's both reflect modernism? Why might the artists have used the word aeroplane instead of airplane? Why might Macdonald-Wright have emphasized movement through air while Driggs emphasized stillness in air? Why might the artists have done this? What role does the pilot play in each painting? What role does the airplane play in each? How does the surrounding environment support these roles? How does the painting influence the viewer's response?"

Lesson Activities

1. Use line types (horizontal, vertical, diagonal) to outline neutral colors (black, grey, brown) of the airplane collages 

2. Add decorative patterns (dots, stripes, swirls) to the positive space (airplane) of the airplane collages 

3. Add line types (horizontal, vertical, diagonal) to the negative space (background) of the Love Is In The Airplane Collages 

Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Love Is In The Airplane Collages for Assigned Tables

2. Set Up Studio Area (tissue paper, glue sticks, scissors, cotton balls)

Lesson Activities

1. Use warm colors (red orange yellow) to fill in the negative space (background) of the airplane collages

2. Use cool colors (blue green purple) to fill in the positive space (airplane) of the airplane collages

3. Add highlights (lightness, darkness) to the positive space (airplane) of the Love Is In The Airplane Collages

Artist Examples

Student Examples

 Ashley Bryan Collages

Learning Targets 

I can...

• Create an original Ashley Bryan Collage using drawing techniques learned in class
•  Use shape variation (circle triangle oval), line types (contour continuous outline) and space (positive negative) inspired by American Illustrator (1923-Present) Ashley Bryan 
• Use collage techniques (overlapping, cropping, layering) and design principles (contrast, movement, gradation) based on African American Art
• Define Collage (sticking various materials (paper photos fabric) together)

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

1. Beautiful Blackbird 2-3 (2002) Ashley Bryan

2. Read "Let It Shine: Three Favorite Spirituals" by Ashley Bryan

3. Discussion Questions "How do people find purpose? What makes life worth living? Does this change as we get older? If so, how does life change? What inspires artists to create? Can art be used to help people? Do you know anyone older than ninety years old? What d you know about their life story? What questions would you like to ask a person who was born nearly one hundred years ago? What comes to mind when students hear the word "artist"? Can you think of any artists who make more than one form of art? How many mediums were mentioned in total? Did you name them all? What medium was your favorite?"

Lesson Activities

1. Choose 12" X 15" Drawing Paper

2. Use ordinary objects (buttons, shells, scrap paper) to fill in the negative space (background) of the paper collages

3. Use ordinary objects (buttons, shells, birds) to fill in the positive space (foreground) of the Ashley Bryan Collages

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Ashley Bryan Collages for Assigned Table

2. The More A Song Is Heard, The More It Is Appreciated (1999) Ashley Bryan 

3. Discussion Questions "What does Ashley Bryan mean when he describes himself this way in his poem? Is he childlike, and if so, how? Why might it be difficult for people to stay "childlike"? Did you notice any deeper meaning to Bryan's Beautiful Blackbrid book? Can stories like these be effective in sending messages about serious topics? Why or why not? What obstacles did Ashley Bryan overcome on his journey to become a successful artist? Have those obstacles influenced his art? Why does Ashley Bryan love to paint? Do any of these found objects have special meaning related to the subject?"

Lesson Activities

1. Add fabric (cloth, mesh) to fill in the positive space (middle ground) of the Ashley Bryan Collages

2. Add stitching (running, basting, zigzag) to fill in the positive space (middle ground) of the Ashley Bryan Collages

3. Add found objects (paper clips, twigs, pins) to fill in the positive space (middle ground) of the Ashley Bryan Collages

Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Ashley Bryan Collages for Assigned Table

2. Set Up Studio Area (glue sticks, printed paper, foam pieces)

Lesson Activities

1. Use highlights (reflective light, light source) to fill in the positive space (foreground) of the Ashley Bryan Collages

2. Use shadows (cast shadow, shadow) to fill in the negative space (background) of the Ashley Bryan Collages

3. Add embellishments (glitter, sequins, rhinestones) to the positive space (foreground) of the Ashley Bryan Collages 

Artist Examples

Student Examples

 Interlocking Hearts

Learning Targets

I can...

• Create an original Interlocking Hearts using drawing techniques learned in class
• Use analogous colors (blue red purple), form (two dimensional three dimensional) and value (lightness darkness) inspired by Street Artist (1929-2013) Burhan Dogancay
• Use perspective techniques (overlapping, cropping, vanishing point) and design principles (composition gradation proportion) based on Street Art
• Define Perspective (drawing objects with height, width, and position on a two-dimensional surface)

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

1. Sweet Hearts (1972) Burhan Dogancay

2. Read The Shape Of My Heart by Mark Sperring 

3. Discussion Questions "What is going on in his artwork? What was your first reaction to this artwork? Does your opinion change the longer you look at this artwork? What type of lines are in this artwork? What type of colors are in the artwork? Which area of the artwork is emphasized by the artist? What choices did the artist make to make that happen? How would you describe this armor koto someone who has never seen it? what elements of this painting seem real? What adjectives would you use to describe this artwork? What elements seem dreamlike or imaginary? What do we know about the artist after viewing this artwork? How do you think this artwork was made? What do you think the artist it trying to say in this artwork? What emotions do you feel when looking at this? What emotions do you notice in this artwork? How do you think the artist was feeling when he created this artwork?"

Lesson Activities

1. Choose 12" X 15" Drawing Paper

2. Use template to trace a geometric shape (hearts) in the center of the drawing paper

3. Use colored sharpie marker (blue purple red) to outline various lines (horizontal vertical diagonal) of Interlocking Hearts

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Interlocking Hearts for Assigned Table

2. Four Hands And Two Hearts (1984) Burhan Dogancay 

3. Discussion Questions "If art could talk, what would it say? What would this artwork want to do when it grows up? If you could ask this artwork a question, what would you ask it? How do you think this artwork was used by the people who made it? if you could change this artwork, how would you change it? What is beautiful about this artwork? What do you like about this artwork? How might you feel differently about the world after looking at this artwork? What does this artwork remind you of? How do you personally relate to and connect with this picture? What do you think happened next? How do you think the artist was feeling when he created this artwork? How did the artist use line, shape, and color to contribute to the mood or meaning? What title would you give this artwork? What symbols do you nice in artwork?"

Lesson Activities 

1. Use black oil pastels to outline various lines (horizontal vertical diagonal) for the positive space (hearts) for the heart drawings

2. Use analogous colors (red blue purple) to fill in the positive space (heart) of the heart drawings 

3. Use analogous colors (red blue purple) to fill in the negative space (background) of Interlocking Hearts

Day Three, Art Start 

1. Retrieve Interlocking Hearts for Assigned Table

2. Set Up Studio Area (colored pencils, sharpie markers, markers)

Lesson Activities

1. Add highlights (reflective light, light source) to positive space (hearts) of Interlocking Hearts

2. Add shadows (cast shadow, shadow) to negative space (background) of Interlocking Hearts

3. Add embellishments (glitter, metallic colors, templates) to positive space (heart) and negative space (background) of Interlocking Hearts

Artist Examples

Student Examples