Digital @ The Arts Unit Creative Classes
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Developing a concept by making artworks from found objects
Developing a concept by making artworks from found objects
Student visual arts resource developed by The Arts Unit
Years 9 and 10 visual arts
What will I learn?
What will I learn?
You will:
investigate how artist, James Powditch, assembles found objects to create artworks inspired by his love of film
experiment with found objects to express your own conceptual focus
create a found object artwork
share your artwork with an audience and reflect on their response.
Before you begin
Before you begin
You will need:
paper, cardboard or coloured paper
scissors
glue or tape
pencils or markers
a variety of discarded materials from around your current environment: small objects, magazine pages, pages of text, images, recyclables.
Remember to check it's okay to use these in your artmaking!
Useful terms
Here are useful terms to remember:
Hook: the focus or purpose of his artwork.
Concept: an idea or point of view.
Macro: large scale.
Micro: small scale.
Mixed media: use of different materials to create a piece of work. For example: cloth, paper, wood, paint and found objects.
Postmodern art: creates meaning by reference to other texts, like films and novels.
- Investigate
Watch the video James Powditch – finding a hook.
James Powditch – finding a hook
Duration: 03:26Reflect on some or all of the following questions in your visual arts process diary:
Why do you think it is important to think about the macro and micro impact when creating art for an audience?
How can finding a hook help you to come up with a concept for your artwork?
Powditch cares about making art that is beautiful and also expresses ideas to the audience. What kind of art do you find beautiful or appealing?
Powditch says his ideas are often inspired by his love of film. What is something that really interests you that you could use as inspiration for your artmaking today?
2. Examine
2. Examine
James Powditch often uses found objects to create mixed media artworks.
Look closely at the following 2 artworks by Powditch.
What found objects does Powditch use in these mixed media artworks?
Record your answers in your visual arts process diary.
Artwork 1
Artwork 1
Made in West Germany – Munich '72
James Powditch 2009
Artwork 2
Artwork 2
Lord of the Flies II
James Powditch 2007
3. New purpose
3. New purpose
Watch the video James Powditch – using found objects.
James Powditch – using found objects
Duration: 07:47Reflect on some or all of the following questions in your visual arts process diary:
What are found objects and where does James Powditch find them?
Why does Powditch use layering in his work?
How is Powditch’s love of art reflected in his use of frames?
Why do you think James Powditch’s work could be described as postmodern? Give one example of where you can see this in his work.
In the next task you will create your own artwork from found objects.
Reflect on these questions before you begin:
What found objects could you use in your own artwork today?
What popular culture interests you?
4. Create
4. Create
Imagine you are entering an online art competition called There’s no Place like Home. Use this focus to create your own concept statement for making a found object artwork of your own.
Brainstorm possible concept statements in your visual arts process diary.
Consider and collect found objects available to you by looking around your environment for a variety of discarded materials such as small objects, magazine pages, pages of text or images that can be used to spark an idea or express your concept.
Remember to check it's okay to use these in your artmaking!
Experiment by arranging and layering these materials in different ways to create an artwork that communicates your concept.
Add details with markers and pencils. Take a look at James Powditch’s mixed media work, ‘Butterfly Effects’, and use it as inspiration.
Try to create both micro and macro impact in your artwork, making it look interesting from up close and far away.
Tip: Use Powditch’s mixed media artworks as inspiration for how you might do this.
Butterfly Effects
James Powditch 2007
5. Present
5. Present
Present your concept for the There’s no Place like Home art competition by:
Creating a frame for your work. You could use cardboard or more found objects.
Think of a title for your work which may help your audience understand your concept. Write it on a slip of paper and place it below your artwork.
Take a bird’s eye view photo of your mixed media artwork.
6. Through their eyes
6. Through their eyes
Share your artwork with an audience and reflect on their response by asking them and/or yourself the following questions:
What components of your artwork did your audience relate to or have a strong response to?
How did the micro/macro impact of your work change the audience's response to your work?
What did you find challenging about using found objects to express a concept and make a mixed media artwork?
Record the responses in your visual arts process diary.
Extension question
Extension question
How much does the audience response depend on their understanding of the artist’s world? Use Powditch’s work, ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, to support your answer.
A Streetcar Named Desire
James Powditch 2010
Useful links
Useful links
If you would like to learn more about art, check out these useful links:
For conceptual art, visit the MOMA website and How to make a concept map video.
For found object art, visit the Tate website and How artists transform everyday objects video.
Congratulations! You have finished this Digital @ The Arts Unit Creative Class.
We hope you enjoyed learning about mixed media and conceptual art, and making your own found object artwork.
Third-party content attributions
Third-party content attributions
"Made in West Germany – Munich '72" by James Powditch, screen shot from "eClip Arts Unit Virtual Artist Talk: James Powditch More Recent Works" from The Arts Unit library.
"Lord of the Flies II" by James Powditch, screen shot from "eClip Arts Unit Virtual Artist Talk: James Powditch More Recent Works" from The Arts Unit library.
"Butterfly Effects", 2007 by James Powditch, Mosman Art Gallery.
"A Streetcar Named Desire" by James Powditch, screenshot from "eClip Arts Unit Virtual Artist Talk: James Powditch More Recent Works" from The Arts Unit library.
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