An interesting way to get pupils to understand key points or story lines of a book or play is to get them to create dramatic interpretations from the original text. By limiting them to creating scenes through silhouette photographs. The use of silhouettes was a common Victorian artistic method and the following photographs from the US from the early 1900s show how amateur photographers used them to create stories. Preparation Teachers could prepare a number of key extracts from the book/play that have strong descriptive vocabulary and a sense of action. Tasks A quick research tasks for pupils could be to find as many images and illustrative examples of the play from the Internet to build up a visual picture that can be used as reference and displayed in the classroom. Pupils should also be able to identify key characters, scenary and the context within the story I.e mise en scene. This should assist them in staging and photographing their dramatic moments as silhouettes. They should plan for: - poses and still action shots of scene(over dramatic as opposed to subtle) - costumes or props - background scenery if applicable Set Up A simple white backdrop and with diffused lights shone onto it should provide a good backlit scene to photograph. Pupils can then pose in front of it and will appear as silhouettes provided they are not in front of the lights. Artist Reference Lotte Reiniger is an animator from the early 1900s and worth looking at. Kara Walker makes silhouette and collages about slavery and racism. You can reference early Victorian silhouette portraits to give a context. Extension
This project could involve pupils creating collages that could be placed on acetate and projected onto a larger surface and traced for a permanent display. Or, like Kara Walker, a temporary installation could be created using an OHP. If facilities allow, the silhouettes couldl be animated using iStop Motion and made into short clips. Otherwise, simple gif animations might be an option.
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Using Michael Craig-Martin's famous graphic paintings of everyday objects as inspiration, students will photograph their own everyday objects or trace the outlines to create a layered composition on tracing paper that can then be photocopied and worked into I.e coloured in using a fixed palette of colours. Craig-Martin uses industrial style colours. Alternatively, it could just become a formal still life study. First Hand Studies To challenge the students, you might start by getting them to sketch out their objects individually as line drawings from first hand observation, which can then be traced. Abstract Composition There are further opportunties to cut up the photocopied traced drawings and reconfigure into an abstract composition that could be the basis of a painting. Examples of Student Work In this activity, pupils will use imagery of figures playing a sport linked to the Olympics to create a collage.
Possible tasks include: - photographing themselves posing in action shots as silhouettes using back lighting or against a bright doorway - using their own photos or images from the Internet, they should attach them to coloured paper using a paper clip or strips of masking tape before cutting them out. Tip: Use more than one sheet if multiple figures are needed - creating a collage that has a sense of movement - creating a collage that shows an action scene between two figures - creating a background that is either based on real landscape or abstract shapes that create a mood - using warm-cool or complementary colour combinations Extensions - retracing compositions to then build up into reliefs using mixed media from cardboard, tissue paper, paintings, photographic images, foil, etc - enlarging using an OHP to create a large scale painting/wall mural - cutting out figures on hard card that can be put onto mini plinths through cut and slot techniques This is a great playful stop-frame animation by Hardeen Nijjar, a sixth form art student at Thomas Tallis school. If you like this, you might also like the following animation by PES animators: In this painting task, you will be referring to great art masterpieces from the past and reinterpreting them using your own contemporary imagery to reflect current culture. 1. Start by researching a famous portrait painting that appeals to you. Try looking through the Google Art Project set up by Google, which has examples of work stored by many of the world's most famous public galleries. Collect a number of examples and stick in your sketchbook with the name of the artist, title and date it was made. 2. Imagine how you could add a contemporary/modern twist to the painting. Think about props, hairstyles, facial make-up or jewellery and accessories that are relevant to today. Note down and sketch a few ideas in your sketchbook to refer to. 3. Take some photographs of yourself or a friend in the same pose and lighting set up, which can then be used as a replacement for the original model. You could use Adobe Photoshop to superimpose your new model into place. Alternatively, print out your photos and create some collages where you try different juxtapositions. Remember that your remastered studies need to contain enough information to make the original painting recognisable. 4. Enlarge your most interesting composition study onto a large canvas. You could use an Overhead Projector (OHP) to enlarge it or a grid depending on how much assistance you require. 5. Start painting and use the same colour palette as the original painting. Extension
This project would work equally well as a photography brief, where closer attention could be paid to composition, lighting, poses, costume and props. Using a mixture of your own photos and/or off the internet, create a collage showing a normal, even mundane scene in which you transpose a superhero to create a contrast between the ordinary and extraordinary/supernatural.
Using tracing paper and pen, trace the characters and background and work into using the style of Ian Watson - see artist reference below. Finally, photocopy the tracing paper onto cartridge paper and enlarge to A3. To develop it further, you can add ink washes or use watercolours to add tone/colour. Produce a series of tonal drawing studies or paintings based on yourself or a member of your family growing up. Use photos taken at different periods of time that show the changes. Try to choose images that have a similar point of view and framing I.e close up. To present, you could mount your photos in old frames or those found in £1 shops. See examples below:
The Festival of Photography 2012 has just been launched and you will find many photographic exhibitions and events taking place in venues across London until the end of July. |
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