Modular Unit Repetition

Modular Unit Repetition

Objective: Use toothpicks to create a modular sculpture. Create a series of modular units and combine 20 together to make a free-standing, 3-dimensional form. 

Key Vocabulary: 

Modular: employing or involving a module or modules as the basis of design or construction.

Modular Sculpture: created by joining together standardized units (modules) to form larger, more complex compositions. In some works the units can be subsequently moved, removed and added to – that is, modulated – to create a new work of art, different from the original or ensuing configurations.

Repetition: The Art principle of repetition simply means the reusing of the same or similar elements throughout your design. Repetition of certain art elements in design will bring a clear sense of unity, consistency, and cohesiveness.

Unity: refers to a set of compositional strategies used by an artist to make the parts of the artwork work together as a whole through visual relatedness. Unity always expresses a shared commonality within a painting or sculpture or textile. 

Non-objective art is not meant to look like anything (so don’t turn your toothpicks into a flower or cat!) but it also shouldn’t look like a random hot mess, either! •

ARTIST: Bean Finneran (1947-     ) 

American artist who was born in Cleveland, OH
Their work has featured in numerous exhibitions at key galleries and museums, including the Crocker Any Museum. 

Attended Goucher College, Baltimore, MD, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, Museum School, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, MA, Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, MA

The constructions are abstract rings, lines, cones, circles but often evoke real things: sea anemones, coral reefs, haystacks or wind-blown grasses.   

“I work with a simple elemental form, a curve made from the most basic natural material, clay. I make and build with hundreds or thousands of these forms. The clay curve connects me to time, the earth, the elements, and human culture.” —Bean Finneran

The sculptures cannot be moved without taking them apart and reconstructing them. 

sculptures are built curve-by-curve and disassembled one by one. 

This process of continual and possible change and transformation connects me to the natural world along with the ordered chaos that comes from organizing thousands upon thousands of individual elements into a form. 

CA Art Standards: 

1.5 Analyze the material used by a given artist and describe how its use influences the meaning of the work.

2.1 Solve a visual arts problem that involves the effective use of the elements of art and the principles of design.

3.3 Identify and describe trends in the visual arts and discuss how the issues of time, place, and cultural influence are reflected in selected works of art.

4.4 Articulate the process and rationale for refining and reworking one of their own works of art.

5.0 Develop competencies and creative skills in problem-solving, communication, and management of time and resources that contribute to lifelong learning and career skills.

Project Requirements: 

Sketchbook: Complete observational sketches in your sketchbook. Revisit the work of by artist Sol Lewitt and research the artist Bean Finneran.

Final Project: You will construct 20 of the same modular unit BEFORE combining all 20 into one sculpture. View the modules from several angles as you build. Consider the space created in between the toothpicks. How do light and shadow affect your module?

Students will need a 100 (or more) toothpicks (flat or round) in plain wood. Wood glue ONLY. Hot glue is not allowed as it leaves blobs.  

Sculpture must be at least 4”x4”x4” and be free-standing. 

Can be attached to a base (such as wood, cardboard, or foam core) 

Can be painted one color 

Units should be glued on hard movable surface (book, sketchbook) covered with wax paper. 

Repeated Paper Modules

Repeated Paper Modules 

PROJECT OBJECTIVE: 

Create a repeated Paper Module Sculpture inspired by origami

Fold, curl, twist or crumple paper (magazine pages, printed out photos, maps, book pages, etc.) and create 30-60 of the same form (they can be different sizes). Glue the papers into either a 3D-sculptural form or a relief sculpture on painted cardboard. This piece should emphasize unity/variety and balance.

PRESENTATION: 

Critical to 3-D production, students must consider presentation: 

• Freestanding
• Suspension
• Relief
• Pedestal
• Consider the environment

CA ART STANDARDS

1.5 Analyze the material used by a given artist and describe how its use influences the meaning of the work.

2.1 Solve a visual arts problem that involves the effective use of the elements of art and the principles of design.

3.4 Discuss the purposes of art in selected contemporary cultures

4.1 Articulate how personal beliefs, cultural traditions, and current social, economic, and political contexts influence the interpretation of the meaning or message in a work of art.

4.4 Articulate the process and rationale for refining and reworking one of their own works of art.

5.2 Create a work of art that communicates a cross-cultural or universal theme taken from literature or history.

DISCUSSION: 

• Origami historians argue that since the invention of paper is credited to Ts'ai Lun of China in A.D.105, paper folding must have been invented soon after. 
• Paper was then introduced to Japan in the late sixth century by Buddhist monks, and paper folding was brought along with it. 
• In Japan, paper was considered an expensive commodity, and it was used in many aspects of Japanese life, most notably in architecture. 
• Historians claim that origami is definitely a Japanese invention. 
• Regardless of its ultimate origin, Japan is recognized as the country that most fully developed the traditional art of origami.
• The Japanese transmitted their designs via an oral tradition
• Recreational designs being passed from mother to daughter. 
• Because nothing was ever written down, only the simplest designs were kept. 
• The first written instructions appeared in AD 1797 with the publication of the Thousand Crane Folding 
• The name origami was coined in 1880 from the words oru (to fold) and kami (paper). Previously, the art was called orikata ("folded shapes”).

Origami generally involves folding a square piece of paper into a two or three dimensional object. 

Folding paper in origami is typically performed by hand only on a smooth surface, but can include tools: including a scorer, embosser, paper clips and tweezers.

Origami has a strong link to mathematics, and can be seen used in practical solutions such as airbags in vehicles

Origami has been a common subject of copyright issues, as designs have been often stolen and republished.

ARTIST: 

• Richard Sweeney was born in Huddersfield, England in 1984. 
• He discovered a talent for sculpture at Batley School of Art and Design in 2002
• He studied Three Dimensional Design at the Manchester Metropolitan University, 
• He concentrated on the hands-on manipulation of paper to create design models, which ultimately developed into sculptural pieces in their own right.
• Richard’s practice combines the disciplines of design, photography, craft and sculpture, resulting in a varied output of work including graphic design and public sculpture commissions. 
• Richard seeks to maintain an experimental, hands-on approach, utilizing the unique properties of often mundane materials to discover unique sculptural forms. 
• He regularly holds workshops to share his knowledge of paper folding and construction techniques

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS: 

• Create a repeated paper modules sculpture
• Fold, curl, or origami paper (your choice of paper: magazine pages, printed out photos, maps, book pages, etc.) 
• Create min: 50-100 of the same form (they can be different sizes). 
• Sculpture should emphasize unity, variety, and balance.
• Student must consider presentation: suspension, relief or free standing on floor/base

Tessellation Pattern Project

Lesson Objective

Work with elements of art: Line, shape

Work with Principles of Art: Pattern 

Draw connections between Art and Math to increase Engagement.  

Key Vocabulary: A tessellation is created when a shape is repeated over and over again covering a plane without any gaps or overlaps.

"tessellate" means to arrange small squares in a checkered or mosaic pattern. 

The word "tessellate" is derived from the Greek word "tesseres," which in English means “four."

Regular Tessellation: made up of congruent regular polygons. 

Regular means that the sides and angles of the polygon are all equivalent: EQUAL.

Materials: 

12x 12 Tag Board 

Pencil

4”x4” template 

Scissors 

Focus Artist/s: MC Escher

Project Requirements: 

Create a repeated Tessellation pattern. Complete the pattern with a changing mammal 

Assessment: 

Informal: Sketchbook studies

Formal: Oral Self Critique

Formal: Artist Statement

Formal: Grading final sculpture

CA STANDARDS: 

1.4 Analyze and describe how the composition of a work of art is affected by the use of a particular principle of design.

Impact of Media Choice

1.5 Analyze the material used by a given artist and describe how its use influences the meaning of the work.

2.1 Solve a visual arts problem that involves the effective use of the elements of art and the principles of design.

2.2 Prepare a portfolio of original two-and three-dimensional works of art that reflects refined craftsmanship and technical skills.

3.3 Identify and describe trends in the visual arts and discuss how the issues of time, place, and cultural influence are reflected in selected works of art.

4.5 Employ the conventions of art criticism in writing and speaking about works of art.

5.4 Demonstrate an understanding of the various skills of an artist, art critic, and philosopher of art (aesthetician).

Modifications: 

English Language Learner: Handout for project, project samples, Power point with visuals, Critique for additional understanding, Demonstration of techniques, group activities to check for understanding

Special Needs: Handout for project, project samples, Power point with visuals, Critique for additional understanding, Demonstration of techniques

Accelerated Learner: Expand on skills learned to create a unique project. 

Advanced art students will be asked to increase the difficulty of their final tessellation They will also be expected incorporate more details and art principles into the final project

Scaffolding adaptations: 

Students will revisit  shape from the earlier learning for cubism. We will use similar visuals to refresh earlier learning.  Notes on Art history, Key Vocabulary and artists will be taken throughout discussions for added understanding. Creating sketchbook plans and Constructing final project.  will be demo step by step instruction in class using guided instruction. 

Anticipatory Set: Art Link: 

Art Link: Are Math and Art Related? 

Complete Handout and turn it in for sketchbook grade. 

Pre-assessment  form

Students fill out pre-assessment on their own

Large Group Activity

Address pre-assessment questions as a large group to assess prior knowledge

Large Group Discussion on Art and Math 

OBJECTIVE: Introduce the concept of Art and Math Connection through the artwork of M.C. Escher. Allow students to solve the visual arts problem of creating a Repeating pattern using the tessellation format. 

DIRECT INSTRUCTION:

Power Point Presentation Tessellations

Pre-assessment: Questionnaire Art and Math Connection

Discussion: Art and Math 

Art History: Maurits Cornelis (MC) Escher (1898-1972) 

One of the world's most famous graphic artists. 

He was born in the Netherlands

Fourth and youngest son of a civil engineer. 

Failed his high school exams

He attended School for Architecture and Decorative Arts in Haarlem.

M.C. Escher 

Illustrated books

Designed tapestries

Postage stamps

Murals

Created 448 lithographs, woodcuts & wood engravings 

Over 2000 drawings and sketches. 

M.C. Escher was left-handed like Michelangelo &  Leonardo da Vinci

Key Vocabulary: A tessellation is created when a shape is repeated over and over again covering a plane without any gaps or overlaps.

"tessellate" means to arrange small squares in a checkered or mosaic pattern. 

The word "tessellate" is derived from the Greek word "tesseres," which in English means “four."

Regular Tessellation: made up of congruent regular polygons. 

Regular means that the sides and angles of the polygon are all equivalent: EQUAL. 

a tessellation of triangles       

a tessellation of squares

a tessellation of hexagons

Escher elaborated patterns by distorting the basic shapes to render them into animals, birds, and other figures. 

These distortions had to obey the three, four, or six-fold symmetry of the underlying pattern in order to preserve the tessellation.

Irregular tessellations: all other tessellations, including the tiling in the main image.

Teacher Models 

Examples of vocabulary on the board throughout discussion 

Students take notes in their sketchbooks 

Teacher Monitors room throughout discussion

Step by Step modeling on how to create tessellations: 

Project Steps: “Translation” pattern - where you attach the cut out pieces to an   opposite side of your shape:

After you sketched the shape - cut out the pieces. 

Do not throw away any cutouts!

They should be attached to the opposite sides.

Slide down the top piece and tape it to the bottom side of the square.

Slide the left cutout to the right side of the square and tape it.

Trace your tessellation onto a drawing paper:

Add Details

Check for Understanding: 

Monitor room during Pre-assessment in sketchbook

Monitor throughout discussion ensure comprehension and active note taking 

Various Activities Designed to check/enhance student comprehension

Activity:  Remaining studio time day 1 and day 2

Sketchbook Drawing: Students will begin thinking about their ideas for tessellations  in their sketchbooks. 

FINAL PROJECT: Students will have 4 studio days to complete Tessellations

Project Requirements: 

Sketchbook: 

Student will practice using the 4” square format

Student will construct design ideas in sketchbook

Student will complete design ideas by creating a person, animal or 

                            creature

Student will practice shading techniques

Originality: Student will work at making each mammal slightly different

Final Project 

Student created a full page of tessellations

Student used the 4” square format

Final tessellation creates a person, animal or creature

Each tessellation is completed with detail and accuracy 

Student used multiple shading techniques to complete

Student used time wisely and displayed full effort in final project results. 

Pattern Sugar Skulls with Folk Artists

I do not normally encourage coloring pages for any art project but I needed a starting place for this age group. I wanted the preschool students to focus on pattern and not worry about drawing/painting a skull. Time and age were major factors in this decision and the results are wonderful. 


DISCUSSION:  Pattern 
What is pattern? 
Where do we find it? 
What does it need to be a pattern? 
Repetition Who has a pattern on today 
Lets make some patterns on paper. 
Day of the dead Sugar skulls  


ARTIST: Sugar Skulls Artisans, Folk Artists.
Sugar art was brought to the New World by Italian missionaries in the 17th century. 
Mexico, abundant in sugar production and too poor to buy fancy imported European decorations, They learned quickly from the friars how to make sugar art for their festivals. 
Clay molded sugar figures of sheep and sugar skulls go back to the Colonial Period 18th century. 
Sugar skulls represented a departed soul the name is written on the forehead and was placed on the gravestone to honor the return of a particular spirit. Sugar skull art reflects the folk art style of big happy smiles, colorful icing and sparkly tin and glittery adornments. 
Sugar skulls are labor intensive and made in very small batches in the homes of sugar skull makers. 

PREPARATION: for PRESCHOOLERS: print skull coloring page (I used this one: http://www.artyness.co.uk/skull-stencil.html) and glue it to construction paper of any color. 

PROJECT: Create paper sugar skulls 
Step1: fill the eyes with a flower 
Step2: fill the forehead with lines or dots 
Step3: fill the nose with a plaid 
Step4: fill the rest of the face with more patterns. (this is tough for first year preschoolers, age 3 but much easier for 4 and 5 year olds. MOST IMPORTANT that ALL students have fun). 

MATERIALS: 
copy paper with printed skulls 
Construction paper in any color but black 
Glue sticks 
Oil pastels

Line, Pattern and Repetition with Alexander Calder

DISCUSSION: LINE, Repetition, Pattern

What is a line? 

What kinds of lines can you think of?

Where do we see line in Nature?

         What happens when you repeat the same line over and over?

            pattern like fish scales. 

  Look at Alexander Calder, Gold Fish Bowl, 1929, wire, 16 x 15 x 6"

                    talk about all the different lines you see.

ARTIST: Alexander Calder

(22 July 1898 – 11 November 1976)

American sculptor and artist

famous for inventing the mobile. 

Alexander Calder also created paintings, lithographs, toys, tapestry and jewelry.

Salmon:  Show the pictures of the fish

What do you see?

How do it’s colors protect it?

                 The gray on the top of the fish protect it from predators above.

                 The pink on the bottom of the fish protect it from predators below.

             Where do you see line/shape/texture?

PROJECT: draw Salmon using lines inspired by Calder

WORK TOGETHER ON THE PROJECT SO YOU DON’T LEAVE ANYONE BEHIND

Sharpie:

Step 1: draw the oval shape of the fish body

Step2: draw each of the fish fins and it’s eye

Step3: use the letter C  lines to create scales on the bottom of the  body

Step4: use straight lines to define each of the fins

Step5: use  a curved line to draw in the gills

Step6: draw circles on the top of the body to look like rocks

Step7: use simple lines to create plant life on the bottom of the page

Watercolor:

Use grays and greens for the top of the body

Use: pinks  for the bottom of the body

Use: any colors you choose for the plant life

Use: blues to fill in the remaining white of your page for water

METALLIC WATERCOLOR:

Use silver to  add some  metallic shine to your fish body

MATERIALS: 

Watercolor tins,      sharpies,      brushes,       water,       cups

Liquid watercolors in: pink, blue, green, grey, orange, one mettalic

Organic and geometric Repetition Animals with Maija Peeples-Bright

 3 Day Project

Day 1

Take a look at the work: Woodpecker Wimea with Weightlifters

Oil on canvas 1982 by Maija Peeples-Bright

Discussion:

What do you see in this piece

What is repetition

Do you see texture

How many different colors are used

Are the birds always painted the same?

If you can forget for a  moment that they are birds what does the painting look like?

do you see any shapes? what shapes do you see?

What is a shape? Name some

What is an organic shape? Can you name some of those? Where do we see them?

Artist: Maija Peeples-Bright  (1942-)

Maija was born in Riga, Latvia in 1942.  Maija and her parents then moved to Northern California when she was 8

She is known for paintings, prints and ceramic sculptures of zany lovable animals and bright flowers.

She was well into completing her math degree at UC Davis in 1963 when her counselor advised her to take an art class to fulfill general education requirements. 

On her first day in the class, she unknowingly stepped right into the middle of what's known today as the California Funk movement. 

Eventually she ended up palling around with such notables as Robert Arneson, William T. Wiley, Peter VandenBerge, David Gilhooly and Roy DeForest. 

"I was so lucky that Davis was just this hotbed of art at the time that I was there," says Peeples-Bright,    

In 1967, Maija lived in San Francisco in a house she helped paint every color that Dutch Boy produced and called her work "The Rainbow House."  

"I do art in just about everything—my shirts, crochet my blankets. 

Maija studied under Wayne Thiebaud, William T. Wiley and Robert Arneson to gain her Master's in only one year at the University of  Davis.  Maija prefers to isolate herself from the art world and work in her garage studio in Eldorado Hills, California.

Project: over several days and steps create a work inspired by the work of Maija Peoples-Bright

Step1: Blue Tape 1/2 inch border around a large piece of thick paper, tape to a board

Step2: Draw three large geometric shapes the same or different

Step2: Draw three large organic shapes within and around the geometric shapes

Step3: fill in any blank spots with shapes both Geo and organic

Step4: using tempura paints, Paint shapes both organic and geometric of different colors

Materials: 

Thick paper 12x18

tempura paint

pencil

Day 2: 

Discussion: revisit all discussion topics from day 1

Focus on repetition 

Tint: adding white to colors

Value: what is value 

what happens when you add white to colors?

Make Paint: 

Give each student a bowl of different color paint and a brush

add a portion of white to each bowl and have the student create the new colors

Project: 

Step1: using a pencil, choose one shape and fill it in with at least 2 of the same animal

Step2: in another shape, fill it with at least 2 of another animal

Step3: continue on until all shapes are full, some shapes could be filled with only one animal

Step4: put the new paint colors one on each table in the studio.  Have the students move about to the studio to each table to add the new paint colors to the animals

Day 3

revisit the previous two days discussions

Oil Pastels: what are they?

How do we use them?

When and how were they created?

Value: Shade

What happens when you add Black to a color?

Make Paint: 

Give each student a bowl of different color paint and a brush

add a small portion of black to each bowl and have the student create the new colors

Project: 

Step1: using oil pastels add details to your animals

             eyes, scales, contour lines, etc.
Step2: put the new paint colors one on each table in the studio.  Have the students move about to the studio to each new color
Step3: using a q-tip add dots around each original shape


Materials:
Oil pastels
Q-tips
Paint Brushes
Black paint
White Paint
pencils
bowls