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Architecture Composite using Sharpies and Watercolor |
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Contributed by AECadmin
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In this lesson students develop an understanding of the nature of nineteenth century architecture and its "borrowing" of other period architecture by creating their own composite.
Lesson: Architecture Composite
Grade Level: grades 1 through 5 but easily can be done with older students
Duration: Three class periods (which for me are fifty minutes each)
Objective: Students develop an understanding of the nature of nineteenth century architecture and it’s "borrowing" of other period architecture by creating their own composite.
Standards:
Mass. Art Frameworks 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 2.1, 3.1, 3.3, 4.3, 4.4, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 and 5.4. Connections strand 7.2 and 8.2.
Materials:
Watercolor Paper (I use a good piece of my budget on high quality watercolor paper)
Watercolor Brushes
Watercolor Paints (for the younger children I generally pre-mix cups of washes in the primary colors to prevent too much saturation on their images)
Graphite Pencils (2H or 4H)
Ultra Fine Sharpie markers
References: A variety of books and images portraying architecture from the nineteenth century.
Procedure: I begin this lesson with an art history image of a Medieval Beast from a tapestry reproduction. We discuss the variety of characteristics from different creatures we see in this beast (head of a lion, horns of a ram, etc.). I explain to the students that this is called a composite. Next I bring up the idea of buildings sometimes being composites. I have many books of ancient Greece, Asia and other cultures and time periods available for them to look through. In particular we notice how the buildings of Ancient Greece often reflect things we see in our famous buildings of today. All of the kids enjoy comparing some of our landmark architecture to these old structures.
I explain that the nineteenth century was a particularly ripe time for these composites in buildings and show them pictures of some buildings. The assignment is to create a composite image using a variety of architectural references.
Step one is to choose a picture from a book (encyclopedias and visual dictionaries are also great resources) and sketch it lightly with pencil on the watercolor paper. Students are told to draw at least three buildings on the paper, though they may have more. At least one of those buildings must be a nineteenth century structure. They are also shown how to create space by placing buildings higher up on the page and using “hills” to create a sense of distance.
Step two is to trace over the pencil lines with the ultra fine Sharpie. Next students should erase all of their pencil lines. If they do this lightly the paper will not be damaged.
Step three is to use light watercolor washes to color the image. Students are encouraged to let the watercolor flow outside of the lines and shown examples f illustrators who use this technique in their work.
Assessment: All students are expected to contribute to the critique by sharing their work with the group. This means all work hangs up. Generally I ask students not to sign their work right away so that it doesn’t turn into a popularity contest. I have found with elementary level that is not as much of an issue as it may be with older students. I have sturdy colorful paper paintbrushes with painters tape on the back, which we use to notice things about the artist’s work. For example, one of the criteria was to draw at least three buildings. Students are chosen lottery-style (I have their nametags shuffled before me) to place a “paintbrush” below any work that fulfilled those criteria.
Thus we go through the critique noticing which work erased neatly, chose buildings from other cultures, etc. Usually by the end of the assessment we have at least three or four pieces of work that have several “brushes” below them, signifying all of the assigned criteria met. The final brush is what I like to call the “golden brush” (just that…a paper brush I have painted with gold acrylic). Every student is given one of these and encouraged to place it on a work, not necessarily because it met all of the structure I created for completion, rather that it contains a “quality” that goes beyond the given structure. This is our chance to discuss esthetics and the personal responses people have to color. We notice that color cannot be given a grade of merit other than for its application.
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