Student Examples Fall '09

Student Examples Spring '10

Space.

This is about space.

How you see it.

How you use it.

As artists we make decisions about space—both in the positive (figure) and negative (ground). Consciously, we can determine what shapes look like, as well as where they are placed. We can create pieces that are more or less interesting, more or less rhythmic, more or less balanced, and so on.

Choose one Artist (either Matisse, Davis, Miro, Indiana, M.C. Escher, Kandinsky or Mondrian - See links below) whose shapes you wish to explore in this project. You are to create two 5" x 5" compositions that use shapes similar to the artist’s and demonstrate two of the following Principles of Art:

• BALANCE (please choose symmetrical or asymmetrical balance)

• RHYTHM and MOVEMENT

• EMPHASIS

1. Please start by looking at your chosen artist and his shapes; find and draw at least six of his shapes on a separate sheet of paper. Be sure to save this. Decide which 2-3 shapes you are going to use in your two squares.

2. Take time to think about the Principles above and play with the shapes to make the best combination that describe your two chosen Principles.

3. Meet with two other students, one from your table group and another in the class to discuss your ideas. Document feedback on the graphic organizer.

4. You must use at least six shapes/pieces of paper in each composition.

5. Use an x-acto or scissors to cut your shapes and a glue stick to adhere them to the paper.

6. When done with the two, please mount on larger paper.

7. Please type a short description of how you demonstrated understanding of each Principle you chose, include the artist from which you were inspired and neatly glue it below your design. 

8. Please sign your work in the lower right corner.

Craftsmanship:

Please be sure to erase all pencil marks.

Once you have determined your composition, use a glue stick to secure shapes, but take care to not leave any glue showing where it shouldn’t. (Hint: glue shows up on colored paper; put the glue on the shape to be glued, not your background paper)

Cut carefully with the x-acto knife. Always cut with a cutting board under your paper. If your paper is not cutting “cleanly” you probably need a new blade.

List of Artists:

Robert Indiana

http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/indiana_robert.html

Henri Matisse

http://www.henri-matisse.net/cut_outs.html

Joan Miro

http://joanmiro.com/

http://www.mcs.csuhayward.edu/~malek/Miro.html

http://www.spanisharts.com/reinasofia/miro.htm

Stuart Davis

http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/davis/

Piet Mondrian**

http://www.pietmondrian.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piet_Mondrian

M.C. Escher

http://www.mcescher.com/

Wassily Kandinsky

http://www.wassilykandinsky.net/