/Being-an-Artist-Sample by Community Learning LLC

To learn more, please visit www.CommLearning.com

Being an Artist

Introduction

Table of Contents Lesson 1:

Collage Chronology ..............................................................1

Lesson 2:

Warming Up!

Lesson 3:

Glued to the Painting

Lesson 4:

Inspired by the Masters

Lesson 5:

Looking at Still Life

Lesson 6:

Creating a Still Life

Lesson 7:

What Do You Think?

Lesson 8:

Construct a Figurative Collage

Lesson 9:

Photomontage

20th Century Culture and History

The Elements of Art and Principles of Design .....................14 The History of Collage ............................................................ 26 Synthetic Cubist Collage..........................................................33 The Synthetic Cubist Paintings of Braque and Picasso .......41 Earning Your Artistic License................................................ 48 Picasso Wraps Up Cubism and Plays with Surrealism....... 56 The Angles of Cubism or the Surprises of Surrealism ....... 66 The Art of Romare Bearden ....................................................74

Lesson 10: Making a Photomontage

Creating an Emotional Space ..................................................82

Lesson 11: Collage of Choice

What is Your Message? ........................................................... 88

Lesson 12: Art on Exhibition

A Community Event ............................................................... 92

Copyright ÂŠ Community Learning LLC 2005. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher.

To learn more, please visit www.CommLearning.com

Being an Artist

Introduction Student Introduction to

Being an Artist

(Read text in shaded area aloud.)

Welcome to “Being an Artist.” You are already an artist, whether you realize it or not. Some of you are in disbelief. Everyone can be an artist. Granted, some people are more talented artists than others. Through this course, you will learn how to be a better artist. Your eyes will be opened to the world of art.

You will be examining eight works of art. You will not see the originals but rather large scale reproductions of the artwork. You will get to make five different types of collages and experience what is called an “art opening.” An art opening is the first day an art show (an exhibition of artwork displayed for an audience) is open to the public. There is usually a celebration that accompanies an art opening. Special guests are invited to see the show and meet and greet the artists. Refreshments are generally served. These are very fun events and sometimes, can be very fancy events at museums or galleries. Museums exhibit art. Galleries do too, but they also represent artists and sell their artwork for a commission which is a percentage of the price of the artwork. A gallery’s commission may range from 40 – 60% of the selling price. By the end of this course, you will be able to look at a work of art and intelligently critique the work. This means that you will be able to describe, analyze (break it down), interpret (figure out what it means), and judge a work of art. Now you can probably say whether you like a work of art or you don’t, but it might be difficult to explain why. At the course’s completion, you will probably look at most artwork with an open mind and you will be

III Instructor’s Guide

able to articulate why you feel a work of art is successful or not. This course will inspire you to see more art. As a matter of fact, don’t be surprised if this class changes your life forever. Learning to really “see” is an important part of this course. When you do this, you won’t look at things the same way again. Check out museums and galleries where you live. Many are free or special rates are offered for students. Roam the arts section of your library and check out books about different artists. Videos may be available as well. There are a number of different art periodicals or magazines that are often on display in libraries. You can become an artist as a profession. There are many different career options in the arts. There are animators, illustrators, painters, sculptors, professors, art historians, gallery owners, and forensic specialists, just to name a few. All of them have studied the elements of art and the principles of design which are the visual tools an artist uses to make a work of art. You will learn these too. ENJOY! The results are going to be amazing!

To learn more, please visit www.CommLearning.com

Being an Artist

Lesson 1

Collage Chronology

20 Century Culture and History th

Objectives • Introduce the course, “Being an Artist” • Access students’ prior knowledge of late 19th and early 20th century history and culture • Make visual observations about five works of art to interpret chronology as well as to decipher subject matter, technique and style of particular artists • Discuss history leading to the development of Cubism • Collaboratively develop an over-sized timeline including artworks, artists, architectural achievements, relevant cultural events and art movements • Create individual timelines that students may take home and discuss with their families

Materials Instructor: timeline rope clothespins laminated timeline cards 20 student timelines 8 different colored rolls of paper streamers 4 sheets of pink stickers 2 sheets of green stickers 4 sheets of yellow stickers 1 sheet of gray stickers 3 sheets of blue stickers roll masking tape 5 fine-point black permanent markers blank index cards prints: Picasso, La Bouteille de Vin (1925-26) Picasso, Seated Woman (1927) Braque, Purple Plums (1935) Bearden, Three Folk Musicians (1967) Bearden, Summertime (1967) Eiffel Tower World Trade Center Twin Towers Walt Disney Concert Hall 5 student supply bins 20 student activity books

Students (groups of 4): 4 pencils 4 sets of pink stickers 4 sets of green stickers 4 sets of yellow stickers, divided 4 sets of gray stickers 4 sets of blue stickers Preparation 1. Before class begins, clear an area of the room to secure and stretch the timeline across (approximately 25’). Students must be able to move around it and the entire class should be able to view it simultaneously. Up to eight laminated prints will hang from the timeline; secure it tightly at an appropriate viewing height. 2. Use index cards and masking tape to cover any information on the prints that reveals the artists’ names or dates. 3. Hang the five art prints (not the building prints) along the timeline using clothespins. Don’t hang the prints in chronological order or two works by the same artist next to each other. (See date and artist information above.) 4. Write the numbers 1 – 5 each on index cards and pin one on each art print, starting with “1” on the left. 5. (Figures 1-5) Cut sticker sheets before students arrive. 6. Fill student supply bins for groups of 4 students.

Volunteer Role 1. Assist with timeline installation. 2. Assist students with their personal timeline development.

To learn more, please visit www.CommLearning.com

Instructor’s Guide

Being an Artist

Lesson 1 Note to the Instructor Today’s lesson is a story-telling, interactive discussion to facilitate students’ understanding and excite them about discovering art. Students will be given the opportunity to speculate if one artwork was made before another. They will examine these works; compare artistic style, subject matter and technique to determine which pieces were made by which artists. In this process, they will begin to use one of their most important artistic skills: they will begin to see. As works of art are placed on the timeline in the correct order, dates added, and important events discussed, students will uncover what they know about late 19th and 20th century history and culture. As the over-sized classroom timeline develops, students will also be creating smaller, individual timelines that may be shared with their families. If time permits, suggest that students add other significant events from their knowledge of history, their community environment or their own families into the classroom or individual timelines. (For example, a student may suggest “Hey, what about the Stock Market Crash? 1929!” Use the blank index cards and stickers provided for additions to classroom or individual timelines.) This exercise provides students with a context for the course, helps them understand where their own lives fall in relationship to an earlier time period, and emphasizes the progressive thinking of three important 20th century artists: the Spaniard, Pablo Picasso (1881-1973); the Frenchman, George Braque (1882-1963); and the American, Romare Bearden (1911-1988). The following are points to emphasize in discussion: • Art “isms” or movements are generally understood, defined and labeled in 2

Instructor’s Guide

retrospect. Groupings are more easily identified as historians reflect back through time. Hard and fast “stop-and-start” dates for these movements do not exist. More commonly, movements are described by their placement within a century. For example, modernism began at the end of the 19th century and continued past the first half of the 20th century into the 1970’s. • Similar movements happen across disciplines. For example, Picasso painted the ground-breaking Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (not shown to students because of nudity) which explored new ideas about space and time. Simultaneously, Albert Einstein was working in physics to develop the Theory of Relativity (1905). In 1915, Franz Kafka, the German writer, was developing ideas for The Metamorphosis (1915). Kafka expressed the difficulties of living in a modern society, a theme reflected in cubism. The development of airplanes and automobiles began altering ideas about space and time. Change in the culture (in any era) affects writers, painters, architects, and scientists. Humans react to the world around them. • Often, world-changing events make people reflect. This reflection creates commentary (and change) in an artist’s work be it a writer, a poet, a musician, a dancer or a painter. Similarly, these events create development and change in mathematics and science.

Notes to the Students

(Read shaded text aloud.) Today’s lesson will draw you into the world of art. You may be surprised to know that most contemporary artists spend a great deal of time studying the masters. A master artist generally refers to one who has come before you in time and whose skill and knowledge Copyright © Community Learning LLC. All rights reserved.

To learn more, please visit www.CommLearning.com

Being an Artist

Lesson 1

is respected. Masterworks of art are often shown in museums. Some people who make art do not study the masters. They are referred to as “outsider” artists. Outsider art has become vogue or popular and is now shown in art galleries, a place where art is displayed for sale. The Australian Aboriginal artists are an example of this. They live and make art in a community that is unexposed to the rest of the world; therefore, the artisans have never seen works of art outside of their community. After this course, none of you will ever be considered “outsider,” “naïve,” “primitive,” or “folk” artists. These are all terms used to describe artist that have had little training or exposure to works of art. You will be studying three master artists: the Spaniard, Pablo Picasso; the Frenchman, George Braque, and the American born, Romare Bearden. You will come to recognize (and most likely love) their artwork, wherever you might travel in the world. Picasso, Braque, and Bearden were all progressive thinkers, men who thought and created to make progress or change in the world of art. They were always interested in new ideas. As a matter of fact, their ideas and ways of making art created an important foundation for painting and sculpture being made today. Believe it or not, these artists were born over a hundred years before you but still have a great deal of influence over contemporary artists, the people making art right now. As you study these masters’ artworks and follow the steps in this course to make collages similar to theirs, you will gain extraordinary skill and become a better artist and a very rich thinker. The most important first step in this process is learning how to “see.” As a class, you are going to play a little

game with a clothesline. Imagine that the clothesline is a timeline and you are going to use your eyes as a way to figure out what goes first on the timeline. The Masters Picasso, Pablo: (1881 – 1973) a prolific Spanish born artist who made over 20,000 works of art ranging in style. He was greatly influenced by African and Oceanic art and is credited with the development of cubism, collage, and paper colle (in conjunction with George Braque). Braque, George: (1882 – 1963) French born painter who worked closely with Pablo Picasso and is credited with the development of cubism, collage, and paper colle in 1912. Bearden, Romare: (1911 - 1988) American born collage artist internationally recognized for his attention to social realism and the celebration of the African-American experience.

Vocabulary Bricolage: the post-modern technique of an artist using whatever materials are at hand, even if they are not traditionally thought of as art materials. Chronological: arranged in the order of time. Chronos: a Latin word that means time. Civil Rights Movement: (1955-1968) a national effort in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s to eliminate segregation and gain equal rights for black citizens. Contemporary: marked by characteristics of the present period, current. Cubism: (1907-1920) a modernist movement in art history that was developed in France by artists Pablo Picasso and George Braque. The subject matter and materials used were deliberately modest (i.e. newspaper and wine bottles). The artists were interested in presenting more than one viewpoint at a time and reducing the objects they painted to cubes, cylinders and planes. In simplifying their subject, the space around the objects was equally important and interchangeable with the subject.

To learn more, please visit www.CommLearning.com

Instructor’s Guide

Being an Artist

Lesson 1 Eclecticism: a post-modern artistic method of taking numerous elements or images out of historical context and bring them together in one work of art. Eiffel Tower: an iron observation tower built beside the River Seine in Paris, France as the entrance arch for the world’s fair. It was completed in 1889 and designed by architect, Gustave Eiffel. It stands almost 1,000 feet tall. Folk art: art made by people with little or no formal training in the arts. Traditional techniques handed down through generations, often specific to a region, are characteristic of this style. Industrial Revolution: a change in economic and social organization beginning in England in the late 18th century and spreading for the next 50 years. It was brought about by the replacement of hand tools with power-driven machines and factory production. Juxtaposition: bringing unusual elements together side by side for comparison or contrast. Modernism: a rejection of past tradition in the arts and literature occurring in the late 19th century and continuing through the late 20th century. Numerous styles and movements fall within modernism such as cubism, abstract expressionism, and minimalism. Naïve art: a term usually referring to works of art created by artists with no formal training. Outsider art: works of art by those outside of the mainstream society. In America, outsider art may include folk art, ethnic art, prison art, and art of the mentally ill. Post-Industrial Revolution: a society or economy marked by reduced importance of manufacturing and an increase of services, information, and research beginning in the 1970’s. Postmodernism: art, architecture, or literature developed in the 1970s that reacted against earlier modernist principles by reintroducing traditional or classical elements of style. It encouraged the use of historical elements from various time periods mixed within one work of art. 4

Instructor’s Guide

Primitive art: works of art produced by people who have not developed forms of writing and use only materials provided by nature. Renaissance: a time of great revival of art, literature, and learning in Europe beginning in the 14th century and extending to the 17th century. It marked the transition from the medieval to the modern world. Timeline: a linear presentation of important events in the order in which they occurred. Walt Disney Concert Hall: an acoustically sophisticated music concert hall that is home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic in California. It is an example of post-modern architecture with its stainless steel curved exterior. The initial gift for the building was provided by Lillian Disney. The structure was designed by architect, Frank Gehry and completed in 2003. World Trade Center: a complex of seven buildings developed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and built in New York City’s lower Manhattan financial district. The most notable of the buildings were the twin towers, standing 110 stories tall. The buildings were modern style steel, steel framed skyscrapers designed by architect, Minoru Yamasaki. The construction of the twin towers was completed in 1977 but the buildings were demolished by terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. WWI: (1914-1918) A war fought in which Great Britain, France, Russia, Belgium, Italy, Japan, the United States, and other allies defeated Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, and Bulgaria.

To learn more, please visit www.CommLearning.com

Being an Artist

Lesson 1

Timeline Exploration: Artwork Chronology 20 minutes

1. Hand out pencils and present students with their activity books. Ask them to place their names on the front cover but not to leaf through the book yet (to conceal dates). Direct them to Lesson One, “Collage Chronology.” 2. Ask students to look closely at the art prints hanging on the line. Inform them that these are prints (copies) of works of art, not the “real McCoy.” Quietly, in their own minds, they should try to group the prints by artist. Under “Who is the artist?” in their activity books, ask the student to record the two print numbers they feel belong to Romare Bearden, the two that belong to Pablo Picasso and the one that they feel belongs to George Braque. Of course students may know nothing about these artists; they will be looking hard to see connections. Artists are often said to have a recognizable “artistic style” in their work. This means the unique way a particular artist presents things. Artistic style may be evident in the choice of materials, the method of painting, the use of drawing or collage, the design quality and/or the subject matter chosen. Help them to do this by having them think about the following questions: • Can you recognize similar subject matters in several of the artworks? • Do you see a common technique, the way something is made, in two of the artworks? 3. Select a student to rearrange the art prints on the clothesline, grouping them by artist. You may assist, following the student’s direction. 4. Determine if the rest of the class agrees with this organization. Discuss why or why not. Reveal the correct groupings by moving the prints on the timeline.

• Initially viewers will be inclined to link Picasso’s still life with Braque’s because of the common subject matter. As the students begin to see more of Picasso’s work, they will see the breadth of his style and subject matter. He was a very prolific artist that worked for many years. His paintings and collages spanned a number of art movements. Next, ask the students to refer back to their activity books, turning to ““In what order was the artwork created?” Individually students should list the print numbers in the order they believe to be chronological. • They will be looking for style, technique, and subject matter searching for clues that indicate artistic progress. What changes from one art work to the next? Without art history backgrounds, this is subjective. It does, however, help students begin to look closer at the artwork. Again, select a student to rearrange the prints, this time in chronological order. Place the oldest artwork on the left. Assist the student, following his/her direction. Discuss chronology. • “Chronos” is a Latin word that means time. • A timeline shows events in chronological order. Determine if the rest of the class agrees with this organization. Discuss why or why not. Reveal the correct chronology by moving the prints on the timeline. Pin the correct identification card to each print using the same clothespin that holds up the artwork. You may remove the index card numbers.

To learn more, please visit www.CommLearning.com

Instructor’s Guide

Being an Artist

Lesson 1 Picasso, Pablo La Bouteille de Vin 1925-26 *pink sticker Picasso, Pablo Seated Woman 1927 *pink sticker Braque, George Purple Plums 1935 *pink sticker Bearden, Romare Three Folk Musicians 1967 *pink sticker Bearden, Romare Summertime 1967 *pink sticker

Making a Timeline: What Happened When? 10 minutes

1. Pin up date cards marking every 50 years from 1850 to 2000. Leave several feet blank at the beginning and end of the timeline for before and after events. 2. Hand out timelines to each student. Turn the time line vertically. Students should label his/her timeline with his/her name in the lower left hand rectangle. Title the time line (“Cubism and Collage”) in the lower right rectangle.

Instructor’s Guide

Figure 1 3. (Figure 1) Ask the students to place the yellow date stickers onto their timelines. Begin by turning the timeline to the horizontal position. A circular sticker labeled “1850” should be placed in the center of the second vertical line on the left. The bottom of the circular sticker should rest on the outside edge of the paper. The sticker will cover part of the double line border; this allows room for additional information that will be added to the timeline. Continue adding date stickers in the same manner, marking every decade through the year 2000. 4. Students should place the pink stickers (representing the works of art) vertically in the proper decade directly above the line. Students should consistently place the print so that the top of the letters is on the right side of the timeline. In two decades, students will need to double up the stickers. Place the 2nd sticker above the first. Tell and discuss the story of cubism. Ask student volunteers to help develop the classroom timeline. As words appear in boxed text, place the person, building, Copyright © Community Learning LLC. All rights reserved.

To learn more, please visit www.CommLearning.com

Being an Artist

Lesson 1

war or movement /“ism” on the timeline. Ask the students to place the corresponding stickers onto their personal timelines. • Each artist has two laminated cards: one identifying card for their birth date and one marking their death. The stickers for this are green rectangles and should be placed vertically on the timeline below the center line. Place the sticker to the left of the decade for the first half of the decade and to the right for the second. If there are two stickers for one area, place the second one below the first. • Works of architecture have a print to hang and a laminated identifying card. The building stickers are gray. Place these below the green stickers.

Figure 2 • (Figure 2) Some additions to the timeline span years. They will be indicated with blue stickers on the students’ personal timelines and adhered above the timeline in the top white border, centered in the general time period. Students will be able to center these best after they have seen them added to the larger timeline. (Place the Renaissance sticker in the far left border, as its dates do not appear on the timeline. The Industrial Revolution can be placed directly to the right of this.) In order to display these on the classroom timeline, select a new

color of paper streamer for each war, revolution, movement or “isms.” Clip the paper streamer onto the timeline at its beginning date and loosely stretch it to its ending date, securing with a half knot or clip. Remind the students that specific dates for some of these additions vary from source to source. (Strive to tell an interesting story and create a general understanding of the time and culture.)

A True Story:

Looking Back at Cubism 20 minutes (Read shaded text aloud.) If you were observant, you noticed that this course has a subtitle, “A Cubism and Collage Experience.” These may be a couple of new words to you. Perhaps you have heard them but do not know exactly what they mean. It is difficult to understand cubism if you pull it out of context. Can someone explain what taking something out of context means? Historical events before and after cubism shed a great deal of light onto our understanding of something that was very “avant-garde” or what we might call today “cutting edge.” Cubism in art is the story of several rebels, Pablo Picasso and George Braque. Their artwork was experimental, daring and radical. They rejected artistic thinking that preceded them. Author John Beck says, “It is almost impossible to exaggerate the importance of cubism. It was a revolution (a thorough replacement of the established) in the visual arts as great as that which took place in the earlier Renaissance.” Renaissance means rebirth. In art there was a renewed interest in classical Greek ideas of the figure proportion, perspective, and architecture.

To learn more, please visit www.CommLearning.com

Instructor’s Guide

Being an Artist

Lesson 1 Cubism: (1907-1920) a modernist movement in art history that was developed in France by artists Pablo Picasso and George Braque. The subject matter and materials used were deliberately modest (i.e. newspaper and wine bottles). The artists were interested in presenting more than one viewpoint at a time and reducing the objects they painted to cubes, cylinders and planes. In simplifying their subject, the space around the objects was equally important and interchangeable with the subject. *blue sticker Picasso, Pablo: (1881 – 1973) a prolific Spanish born artist who made over 20,000 works of art ranging in style. He was greatly influenced by African and Oceanic art and is credited with the development of cubism, collage, and paper collee (in conjunction with George Braque). *green stickers Braque, George: (1882 – 1963) French born painter who worked closely with Pablo Picasso and is credited with the development of cubism, collage, and paper colle in 1912. *green stickers Renaissance: a time of great revival of art, literature, and learning in Europe beginning in the 14th century and extending to the 17th century. It marked the transition from the medieval to the modern world. *blue sticker Braque and Picasso were working in France at the beginning of the 20th century. They were experiencing a transformation in the world around them. The Industrial Revolution was bringing about change in the city of Paris. Let’s stop for a moment and talk about what you know about this revolution. The world was moving from an agricultural society to an industrialized society. This meant that 8

Instructor’s Guide

people were not in the fields farming but moving to the cities to find work in factories that mass-produced items. Braque and Picasso began painting uncommon artistic subject matter: objects from everyday life. They were not interested in painting portraits of important people or natural, outdoor scenes. They painted things that were man-made like tables, bowls, bottles, newspapers, and instruments. Many of these items were mass-produced which means they were not hand-crafted, one-ofa-kind objects. Instead, these objects were produced in factories by the thousands. People were not accustomed to objects made like this. There appeared to be mixed emotions about mass-production. There was the regret for loss of things hand-made and unique but also hope and elation for the freedom and advancement that new technology brought. The Eiffel Tower, in the center of Paris, was an awesome example of this. At almost 1,000 feet high, it was the tallest structure in the world until 1918. It was built of modern steel and stood as a symbol of potential. Eiffel Tower: an iron observation tower built beside the River Seine in Paris, France as the entrance arch for the world’s fair. It was completed in 1889 and designed by architect, Gustave Eiffel. It stands almost 1,000 feet tall. *gray sticker Braque and Picasso not only painted massproduced objects but they also included them in their artwork. They glued newsprint and scraps of oilcloth and factory-made wallpaper onto their canvases. They also added sand and sawdust into their paints. Picasso made the first collage in 1912 (Still-life with Chaircaning.) He glued a piece of oil cloth, printed with the image of a woven chair seat, to his canvas. Braque and Picasso used and painted with mass-produced items to communicate to their viewers the changes happening in the world.

To learn more, please visit www.CommLearning.com

Being an Artist

Lesson 1

Picasso, Pablo Still-life with Chair-caning 1912 *pink sticker

Motion pictures also influenced Braque and Picasso. Photography and X-ray had recently been developed. Exciting new technology— like airplanes and automobiles—affected everyone’s perception of space, time and motion. Albert Einstein was working on ideas about space and time and he presented the Theory of Relativity in 1905. You have probably heard the expression, “Nothing happens in a vacuum.” Do you have any thoughts on how that applies to Braque and Picasso? Braque and Picasso were not interested in painting their still life materials using perspective. Perspective is the traditional tool artists use to show what an object looks like in space. Many of you have doodled, drawing three-dimensional boxes or cubes on the corners of your homework papers. You used a perspective technique with converging lines to fool the viewer into thinking the box was not flat. Picasso and Braque were not interested in using traditional perspective with only one viewpoint. They wanted to paint objects from more than one viewpoint at a time. Look at a person. If we only saw each other in profile, looking at one another from the side, we would assume that humans only had one eye. Braque and Picasso were interested in painting that depicted the way humans see or think about objects, perceiving objects from many viewpoints. To illustrate this in their paintings, they initially reduced objects into geometric forms such as cubes, hence the name “Cubism.” This approach was very rebellious, breaking with the traditional, realistic way artists usually painted.

As they further developed their techniques and thinking, objects became less cube-like in their paintings and they became very interested in “flatness,” objects not depicted in space or exhibiting dimension. They invented cubism in their discovery process. In hindsight, cubism is divided into different phases that are now easy for art historians to see. Cubism is an art movement that falls within a larger or longer art movement called “Modernism.” Modernism began in the middle of the 19th century. Modernists believed in progress. As modernism continued to develop aspects of tradition were over thrown. Modernist artists wanted to create differently and rejected ideas and methods that had come before them. For example, Braque and Picasso rejected the use of traditional perspective. Within the modernist movement there were many smaller movements that arose. Each of these movements was about new methods for fresh results. Cubism, Surrealism, abstract expressionism, and minimalism are all examples of this. By the 1930’s modernism had become understood by the general population. As modern became so well known it was questioned whether the movement had lost its power to continue to bring about progression and change. Some people felt that by the later half of the 20th century modernism had died. Some people still hold that is in existence today. Modernism: a rejection of past tradition in the arts and literature occurring in the late 19th century and continuing through the late 20th century. Numerous styles and movements fall within modernism such as cubism, abstract expressionism, and minimalism. *blue sticker

To learn more, please visit www.CommLearning.com

Instructor’s Guide

Being an Artist

Lesson 1 When you hear the term “modern” what does it mean to you? Visualize New York City’s World Trade Center Twin Towers. They are an example of minimalist, modern architecture. Builders completed the towers in 1973. They were designed by the architect, Minoru Yamasaki. World Trade Center: a complex of seven buildings developed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and built in New York City’s lower Manhattan financial district. The most notable of the buildings were the twin towers, standing 110 stories tall. The buildings were modern style steel, steel framed skyscrapers designed by architect, Minoru Yamasaki. The construction of the twin towers was completed in 1977 but the buildings were demolished by terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. *gray sticker Current art work is often called “contemporary art” in order to distinguish it from modern art. Many believe that by the later half of the 20th century, another era—called post-modernism—had begun. Artists and historians define post-modern as a reaction to modern, not a rejection of modern. Modernists rejected what came before them. Post-modernist react to what came before them. As post-modern artists react to the world around them and all that has happened in the past, they typically use two methods. One method is called “bricolage” which is to use what ever materials are at hand, even if they are not traditionally thought of as art materials. Secondly, post-modern artists are characterized by their use of “eclecticism.” Eclecticism is a word that means to collect or take out of context elements or images from various historical styles and bring them together in one work of art. Bringing unusual elements together side by side for comparison or contrast is called “juxtaposition.” For example, contemporary fashion embraces fashion elements from many different decades of the 20th century.

Instructor’s Guide

Postmodernism: art, architecture, or literature developed in the 1970s that reacted against earlier modernist principles by reintroducing traditional or classical elements of style. It encouraged the use of historical elements from various time periods mixed within one work of art. *blue sticker

View the Los Angeles Walt Disney Concert Hall as a post-modern example of architecture. It was designed by architect, Frank Gehry, and completed in 2003. How does this building differ from the other two? Walt Disney Concert Hall: an acoustically sophisticated music concert hall that is home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic in California. It is an example of post-modern architecture with its stainless steel curved exterior. The initial gift for the building was provided by Lillian Disney. The structure was designed by architect, Frank Gehry and completed in 2003.

*gray sticker

This story is told from the perspective of visual art. Similar innovations took place in the other arts and the sciences as well. Many important historical events profoundly affected art-making. WWI had a significant affect on cubism. The originators, Braque and Picasso, were separated as Braque joined the French forces and was seriously injured. Their important day to day friendship, in which they were in and out of each other’s studios, was not regained after the war. The war also dashed some of the hopes that the industrial revolution had provided. WWI: (1914-1918) A war fought in which Great Britain, France, Russia, Belgium, Italy, Japan, the United States, and other allies defeated Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, and Bulgaria. *blue sticker

To learn more, please visit www.CommLearning.com

Being an Artist

Lesson 1

As this course develops, you will become more familiar with another important collage artist, Romare Bearden. Bearden was greatly influenced by Picasso. Romare Bearden is younger than Braque and Picasso. The Civil Rights Movement had a profound affect on his world. You will see how making art in the 1960’s produced a different look than the turn of the century. Bearden, Romare: (1911 - 1988) American born collage artist internationally recognized for his attention to social realism and the celebration of the African-American experience.

*green stickers

Civil Rights Movement: (1955-1968) a national effort in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s to eliminate segregation and gain equal rights for black citizens.

*blue sticker

Discussion and Conclusion 5 minutes

1. Using blank index cards and a black marker, add additions to the timeline. What do the students know? 2. Discuss their observations of the timeline and its expanse. • What century were they born in? • What century were there parents born in? • Have they personally ever met someone born in the 19th century? • If they were to add “Post-Industrial Revolution” to the timeline, where would it go and why? This is also referred to as the “information age.” By the 1980’s the movement of information (via the computer) became faster than the physical movement of information. Post-Industrial Revolution: a society or economy marked by reduced importance of manufacturing and an increase of services, information, and research beginning in the 1970’s. *blue sticker

• Has the invention of the computer and the information age affected art- making?

Clean-up 5 minutes

1. Collect pencils and student activity books. 2. Students may take their timelines home. 3. Leave the classroom timeline intact for awhile, if possible. 4. If timeline must be dismantled, discard paper streamers, store cards, clothesline and clothespins. 5. Remove and store prints. If they can remain flat for the duration of the course, they will be more manageable.

Other Directions, Discussions and Destinations Continue the timeline: (This works particularly well if the timeline can remain intact.) • Send students home with several blank index cards. Ask them to discuss their timelines with their families. Request that they return to the next class with an historical addition to the timeline, written on the index card. What do their families know or remember about these events? (Factor in extra discussion time to address these new additions.) Research the art of the untrained: • “Grandma Moses” Anna Mary Robertson, American painter, 1860 -1961 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandma_ Moses • Folk art, embroidered samplers from 18th Century America • Henri Rousseau, French naïve painter, 1844 -1910 http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/ rousseau

Notes:___________________________________

__________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________

To learn more, please visit www.CommLearning.com

Instructor’s Guide

Student Activity Book

Lesson 1

Being an Artist

Lesson 1 Collage Chronology

20 Century Culture and History th

Examine the five art prints hanging on the timeline. Think about the following questions:

• Can you recognize similar subject matter (the objects in the artwork) in several of the

artworks? • Do you see a common technique, the way something is made, in two of the artworks? • Can you group these prints by artist? On the table below, three artists have been named. You may or may not know any of their work. From your visual observations, group the prints in your mind that you feel belong to the same artist. Guess which artist might have created the paintings that you think belong together. List the print number(s) under each artist’s name. _

Who is the artist? George Braque 1. print # ________________________________

Romare Bearden 1. print # ________________________________ 2. print # ________________________________

Pablo Picasso 1. print # ________________________________ 2. print # ________________________________

Instructor’s Guide

To learn more, please visit www.CommLearning.com

Being an Artist

Student Activity Book

Lesson 1

Examine the prints on the timeline again. Imagine which work of art could have been created first. Look for clues in the techniques and subject matter of each work of art. List the prints in chronological order, the order in which they were created. Begin by listing the print you feel is the oldest.

In what order was the artwork created? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8

To learn more, please visit www.CommLearning.com

Instructorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guide