Fears

Overview

Goal

Objective: Students will explore the concept of fear as a universal human emotion and use visual art to convey their personal interpretation of a specific fear. Through the use of juxtaposition and emphasis, students will develop skills in composition, symbolism, and artistic expression to create an emotional and thought-provoking piece of art.

Materials

MAINLY DRAWING SUPPLIES

Surface: Drawing, Pastel, Charcoal Paper
Materials: Colored Pencils, Drawing Pencils, Oil Pastels, Chalk Pastels, Black/White Charcoal

Requirements

Use Drawing Paper, Pastel or Charcoal Paper, or Canvas Paper
You must illustrate 1-2 unrelated fears that are evocative, creative, and make the viewer think. Make sure to keep things school appropriate!
You must demonstrate your advanced drawing skills – composition, proportion, scale, sizing, angles, edges, correct value transition, and placement, etc.
Your drawing must include emphasis.
You must plan out your idea using your sketchbook.
You must showcase a skillful use of craftsmanship and techniques for the medium of your choice (blending, shading, etc.)

Two Fears: Chocking & Spiders

Step 1: Different Ways to Use Emphasis

Emphasis is used to attract a viewer's attention to the focal point or main subject of an artwork.

In your sketchbook, take notes about each way to use emphasis.
Also, draw a mini thumbnail sketch of each example.

Contrast- differences between things (color, size, shape, texture, value).

Isolation- putting things by themselves to draw attention to them.

Convergence- meeting at a point. This is usually done through line or shape.

Color- making things different colors to draw attention to them. Or making things black/white and making the thing you want to emphasize colorful.

Unusual juxtapositions- creating strange combinations really attracts peoples attention.

Step 2: Understanding Juxtaposition

In your sketchbook, write down the definition of juxtaposition.
Also, draw a mini thumbnail sketch of something that is juxtaposed together.

Juxtaposition is when you combine two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect. Usually these objects/things do not typically belong together.

Step 3: Written Prompts

In your sketchbook, answer all of the following prompts:

Past

Before I was 10, my biggest fear was…
As a child, when I was in the center of this fear and it was foremost in my mind, I would picture ______________ in my mind.
I think the best way to visually communicate this fear on paper would be…
Four possible unusual objects that could communicate my fear are…

Present

Now that I am a teenager, my biggest fear is…
When I am in the center of this fear, I picture _______________ in my mind.
This fear shows up during _______________ (time of day? Situation?)

Future

As I look forward to my future, my biggest fear is…
When I consider my life in 10 years, my biggest fear is…
The reason I fear this so much is…

To do: Research the main words in your fear (ex: Death). The definitions of these words. Go to a Thesaurus and write down three words that are related to this word - define those three words in detail

Knowing what you now know about this fear, write down two unusual ways you could visually communicate this fear

Step 4: Brainstorming

In your sketchbook, brainstorm a total of 3 different ideas for this piece. For each idea, write the fear and describe at least 3 possible executions of the idea. This does not necessarily have to be something that you genuinely fear but the thought of it is repulsive.

10 Examples of Fears and Possible Illustrations

Fear of the Unknown
– Dark, foggy landscapes, open doors to black voids, shadowy figures just out of view.

Fear of Being Watched
– Eyes hidden in walls, mirrors reflecting watchers, security cameras morphing into creatures.

Fear of Failure
– Crumbling ladders, falling trophies, a figure weighed down by broken blue ribbons.

Fear of Isolation
– A person in a crowd turning invisible, surrounded by empty chairs, floating alone in space.

Fear of Time Running Out
– Melting clocks (Dali-style), sand slipping through skeletal hands, cracked hourglasses.

Fear of Death
– Grim reapers lurking in reflections, blooming flowers turning to bones, shadow figures reaching.

Fear of Rejection
– Torn love letters, masks falling off to reveal emptiness, outstretched hands left hanging.

Fear of Change
– Butterflies breaking out of glass jars, morphing faces, bridges collapsing mid-step.

Fear of Losing Control
– Puppet strings tangling around the figure, eyes spiraling, hands trying to grasp smoke.

Fear of Confinement (Claustrophobia)
– Figures trapped in boxes, walls closing in, roots growing over a person’s body.

This artwork will need to be more illustrative in nature, meaning it should carry the message clearly to the viewer and translate the fears accurately. Focus on medium, message, and composition. Then, plan your artwork so that one compliments the other.

Step 5: Planning Your Artwork

Now you will begin planning your artwork.

Using the information from your reflections and research above, in your sketchbook, create two thumbnail ideas (minimum 2x2 inches) for your final piece. Add color or labels to objects/areas so the idea is clearly communicated in each thumbnail.

Use unusual imagery and an original approach to your final artwork. If your fear is spiders, what could you use in your work instead of an actual spider to convey your fear? Where do spiders live? What do they eat? How many legs do they have? All of these questions lead us out into more creative territory.

Planning:

Use your sketchbook as a starting point to:
- - Make a mind map of different ideas.
  - Sketch different thumbnail compositions.
  - Practice refining the techniques you plan to use.
  - Make a list of necessary materials.
  - Make a step-by-step plan.

Think about these things as you are planning:

What is your biggest fear?
What does that look like?
How can your artwork communicate that?
What materials will you use?
What size will your artwork be?

Reflection Questions & Artist Statement

Reflection Questions

What is your fear(s)?
How did you communicate the fear(s)?
What parts of your artwork are most successful?
What problems did you encounter while working on this artwork?

Artist Statement Questions

Use the following questions to write a short paragraph about your artwork:

What did you make?
Why did you make it?
What does your artwork mean?
How did you make your artwork?

Your artist statement can include:

Your inspiration
Themes you explored
Personal connections to your work
Information about the creative process (techniques, materials, etc)

Complete a portfolio that includes:

Title of your artwork
Sketches and planning notes
Progress photos
Written reflections questions
Artist Statement

Rubric

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