Silhouette

Objective: Concept / Topic to teach:

• Students will learn about the traditional form of art.

• Students will demonstrate their understanding of Silhouettes by creating a series of concept drawing in which they will make their own silhouette and tell a story through image.

• Students will define terms related to Silhouette, Shape and Value.

• Students will create an original final project using one of their concept drawings and paint an original work of art. The imagery is their own creation but must incorporate Values and contrast into the work.

Specific Objectives:

• Create a series of 4 drawings that represent a design using basic shapes.

• Demonstrate basic drawing skills and how to create designs related to the student’s history.

• Define terms: Value, Silhouette, Contrast and Shape.

• Students will create images using basic forms of people or animals that do not have detail but are filled in with a solid color.

• Students will create a final composition in which they take an image from their concept drawings. The image will be enlarged and turned into a painting. Students will create a dark form (like a person walking on the beach) contrasted by a brighter color background image (like a sunset).

Required Materials:

• Paper

• Ruler

• Pencil

• Color Pencil

• Sharpie

• Erasers

• Acrylic Paint

• Crayon

Introduction/ Discussion: Anticipatory Set:

The silhouette is one of the oldest traditional images used in documenting the human condition. In the 1800’s before the widespread use of cameras it was common for people to pose for silhouettes as a way to remember loved ones. Today many artists use silhouettes as artistic tools to tells stories or create a mood. Typical silhouettes are dark forms contrasted by a bright background like a palm tree on the beach at sunset. Students will create an original work of that uses a simple shape or form to tell a story

Step-By-Step Procedures:

1. Start the lesson by asking the students to define terms related to Silhouette.

• SILHOUETTE - The dark shape and outline of someone or something visible against a lighter background.

• CONTRAST - The state of being strikingly different from something else, typically something in juxtaposition or close association.

• SHAPE- an object located in some space with height and length only.

2. This project is designed to connect the students to a traditional art form. The students will begin the lesson by looking at examples of simple silhouettes like the crossing sign and move forward to classic silhouettes to modern day photography and painting silhouettes.

3. Students will take the examples they have learned about and will create a series on concept drawings that use different silhouettes that reflect their own interests and background. Each silhouette will be a shadow or solid dark shape. The background should be of a setting or location using brighter colors to contrast the image. Each drawing will use and entire page and incorporate several colors.

4. For the final part of the project students will be asked take their best concept drawing and turn it into a final painting. Students will enlarge their image before using paint to complete the work or art. It is recommended that the students paint the background before painting the silhouette. The figures dark colors are easier to paint over light colors. The final image should be original in nature and demonstrate their understanding of the concept.

Summary / Closure:

After completing the project students should have mastered a basic understanding of shapes, contrast, Silhouette, etc.

The students will have a completed a series of drawings as well as developed a basic understandings of the historical importance of a famous artist.

A final piece of art will be completed depicting a student’s representation of an image using shape, and contrast effectively in making a silhouette

Evaluation: Assessment Based on Objectives:

The final grade will be based on the evaluation of the art piece, participation, effort, and quality of paper and art work.

• Students will earn a percentage for their Portfolio Review, both as presenter and as audience. Students will complete an Artist Statement and Rubric.

• Quality of the work done will be a large part of the grade based on how well they have demonstrated an understanding of the concepts and their depiction. Overall condition of the final pieces will also have a factor in the grading.

• Effort put into the project will be demonstrated by both the final images and the how well the student worked in class on each project. (Factors include: is the project completed, and does it look like the student worked on it and not other things?)

• The final drawing / painting / etc… as well as the several examples of different images will be combined to make up half of the project’s grade.

• A six week test on the vocabulary will also be used as a grade to determine the student understands of the subject matter.

• The Rubrics are made up of 5 categories: Project completion (30%), Participation (20%), Originality (20%), Quality of art work (20%), and Follows directions (10 %).