Teacher's Corner

Instructional Objective: 

• The students will understand and apply media techniques and processes. 

• The student will reflect upon and assess the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others.

Curricular Integration:

Young children often respond well to themes and projects that are based upon their lives; pets are a thematic unit that is popular with many primary teachers.  This project incorporates the pet theme while also introducing the students to a famous artist.  Utilizing literature as an introduction to this project draws the students into the world of Pablo Picasso through a medium that they enjoy and respond to as well as appropriate for a variety of learning styles. 

Materials and Equipment: 

12”X18” white drawing paper
12”X18” colored construction paper
12”X18” black construction paper
permanent markers
oil pastels
brightly colored cake tempera
9.5”X6.25” oval tracing patterns

Resource Materials:

Picasso and the Girl with a Ponytail by Laurence Anholt
Variety of books and prints of Picasso’s work

Dynasty/FM Brush - Eye of the Tiger Brushes: 

Oval: #4, #6
Flats:  #10, #12

Project Requirements:

1. This project allows the student to explore the elements and principles of design while being introduced to Pablo Picasso’s work.
2. Multi media approach.    
3. Develop a pet design where one half is slightly different than the other in design, pattern, and color, exaggerating some of the characteristics of the pet much like Picasso did in his portraits.   
4. Color awareness discussion.

Project Introduction:

1. Read aloud Picasso and the Girl with a Ponytail by Laurence Anholt.  Reading Laurence Anholt’s book conveys the artist in a way that children can fully understand and begin to appreciate Picasso’s personality and artistic style.  Discuss Picasso’s work through the use of prints and books stressing cubism and his later portrait pieces.     

Art Production:

1. The student’s started this Picasso inspired piece by tracing around the 9.5”X6.25” oval tracing pattern to achieve a uniform size and shape for our pet’s faces.  We then discussed how one side of the face needed to be different from the other side and how this could be accomplished.   It was determined that we could use different patterns, shapes, and placement of body parts such as ears and eyes to accomplish the goal.  It was also decided that we needed to give our pets the appearance of having longer hair and fur and began by using an irregular line to give the appearance of hair and fur.  (See the sample) We then drew a zigzag line down through the center of the face and placed a nose that was different on both sides, perhaps one side was larger than the other; these choices allow the children to express themselves creatively within the confines of the project requirements. 
    
2. The two samples show a long eared dog and a cat however the students could design their own eyes, ears, noses, and tags if they preferred, my sample pieces are only a guide to determine if they have the required elements included in their piece. 
    
3. The students designed the rest of the pet’s facial features while continually being reminded that each side of the face needed to be slightly different and to add line and shape patterns to the ears, eyes, hair, hats, collar, and anywhere else that they thought that a pattern was necessary.  The students were also instructed to add a tag to their pet. 
    
4. As these pieces were meant to be a bold statement of an imaginary pet we outlined the entire pet with permanent marker and then began to outline each section and pattern with brightly colored oil pastels and to color some of the smaller areas such as the eyes, tongue, and dog tags in completely with the oil pastels. 
    
5. The remainder of the piece was to be painted with brightly colored cake tempera making sure that each section was a different color. I only put out the bright colors that the students were allowed to use which lessens the urge to use brown or black and muddy up their colors.  This is also the perfect opportunity to do a color lesson.
    
6. Cut out the completed pets and glue them to an 11”X17” piece of black construction paper and mount that onto a colored sheet of 12”X18” piece of construction paper to frame the piece.  Add a zigzag line with oil pastels to the border piece.

  Evaluation:  Teacher observation and record keeping.

© Christy Hartman 2007
www.chartmandesigns.com