Lesson Overview: Due Oct 18

In this lesson, students will engage with the core concepts of digital illustration by participating in a collaborative project inspired by The Monster Project. Each student will receive a child’s drawing of a fantastical creature or figure and use digital tools to recreate and reimagine the character in their own style, bringing it to life with detail, texture, and color.

The project emphasizes the connection between imagination and technology, encouraging students to explore creative expression, digital design principles, and collaboration.

Learning Objectives

• Students will interpret and transform a child’s drawing into a sophisticated digital illustration.

• Students will learn to use digital tools (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator) to manipulate form, texture, and color.

• Students will practice the principles of design: balance, contrast, unity, emphasis, and proportion.

• Students will critique and provide feedback on each other’s work, analyzing how effectively they communicated the child’s vision.

• Students will reflect on their creative process, highlighting challenges and breakthroughs.

• Big Ideas

• Creativity and imagination can transform simple ideas into complex, meaningful artworks.

• Digital tools can enhance the process of creating fantastical characters.

• Collaboration between different artistic interpretations can lead to innovative results.

• Artistic expression fosters individual interpretation of concepts and ideas.

• Essential Questions

1. How can digital tools help enhance and communicate fantastical elements in art?

2. What does it mean to transform a child’s imagination into a digital artwork?

3. How do artists use line, color, and form to bring characters to life?

4. What role does collaboration play in the creative process?

5. How can digital illustration communicate personality, emotions, and stories within fantastical characters?

Instructional Sequence

Day 1-2: Introduction to the Project

• Hook: Show examples of The Monster Project (before and after images).

• Discussion: Explore the big ideas and essential questions, focusing on how artists interpret and build upon others’ work.

• Activity: Distribute children’s drawings to each student. Ask them to analyze the drawing and think about how they will approach the digital transformation (color, shape, personality).

• Homework: Research digital artists who work with character design and prepare to share findings.

Day 3-5: Learning Digital Tools & Sketching Ideas

• Demonstration: Teach essential digital illustration techniques (brush tools, layers, texturing, shading).

• Activity: Students sketch out rough digital ideas for their transformation.

• Reflection: Have students write about their initial thoughts, challenges, and intentions.

Day 6-8: Building the Final Image

• Activity: Students work on their digital artwork, translating the child’s character into a fully developed figure using Photoshop or Illustrator.

• Check-in: Provide individual feedback, emphasizing design principles and creativity.

• Critique: Peer-to-peer reviews on progress.

Day 9-10: Finalizing & Presenting

• Activity: Final touches on the artwork (refining details, adjusting color schemes, adding textures).

• Presentation: Students present their work, comparing it to the original child’s drawing and explaining their design choices.

• Reflection: Class discussion on how they interpreted the child’s imagination and brought it to life digitally.

Day 11: Critique & Reflection

Materials and Technology

• Student-provided children’s artwork (inspired by The Monster Project)

• Digital tablets or drawing tools

• Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator (or similar digital design software)

• Computers with access to the software

• Projector or screen for class critiques

• Internet access for research and inspiration

Georgia Department of Education Standards: Applied Design 1

VAADCR.1: Engage in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas by using subject matter and symbols to communicate meaning.

VAADCR.2: Create artwork reflecting personal solutions to design problems using a variety of techniques, approaches, and tools.

VAADCR.3: Explore various media, techniques, and processes to develop aesthetic criteria.

VAADAR.1: Reflect on and discuss the visual aspects and purposes of artwork from various times and cultures.

VAADPR.1: Create works of art that demonstrate mastery of material, technique, and process.

VAADAR.2: Critique personal and others’ artworks through the application of art concepts.

WIP for Critique Due Oct 8

Final  Due Oct 18