Deductive reasoning and the 'unseen' artwork

For my Grade 11s and 12s ......

Critical thinking is defined as a reflective and reasonable thought process embodying depth, accuracy, and astute judgment to determine the merit of a decision, an object (like a new artwork), or a theory (Alwehaibi, 2012). 

Creative thinking involves analysis, evaluation, and a synthesizing of facts, ideas, opinions, and theories. 

Possessing the capacity to logically and creatively exercise in-depth judgment and reflection to work effectively in the realm of complex ideas exemplifies a critical thinker (Carmichael & Farrell, 2012).

So - let's use a question from a National past paper to look at the technique of deductive reasoning as it applies to the 'unseen' artwork.
From a past paper ..... Link to November 2012

Fig. 3a - Jane Alexander Untitled 1982

Bone, plaster of Paris, wax, paint, wood & steel.

Fig. 3b - Paul Stopforth Death in Detention 1978 (Life-size)

Plaster bandages, wax floor polish, false teeth.

QUESTION 3: 

ART AND POLITICS: RESISTANCE ART OR PROTEST ART

Mute, yet menacingly threatening in their presence, the sculptures presented in FIGURES 3a and 3b, 'silently' suggest both violence and helplessness.

3.1 Study the images in FIGURES 3a and 3b and write a short essay (at least ONE page) in which you discuss the message/meaning of the sculptures by referring to the following:

• The manner in which body language suggests power, violence and/or helplessness

• The disturbing appearance of the figures

• The title of the work and what it communicates to you

• The deliberate use of distortion in the works

• The relationship of the figures to each other and the space within which they are exhibited

    (10 marks)

We will use the guidelines above to arrive at the meaning/message communicated by these two artworks. These guidelines help you to think about the 'unseen' artwork and deduce possible meanings by identifying visual clues and reflecting on them. You MUST mind-map as you think!

Please use the 'chunking' method to construct a mindmap for your rough plan.

Look at the link to the presentation used in class....... LINK

You could work on the blank sheets provided, if you prefer a digital mindmap.

THEN .... write the essay for homework. Please concentrate on your writing style - aim for coherence and accurate grammar.
You could email a digital copy to me, or write it out by hand and submit it in 7 days. 

Snap this QR code with your camera phone to get your homework!

Perceptions of Power

For my Grade 9s ........

“We must look at the lens through which we see the world, as well as the world we see, and understand that the lens itself shapes how we interpret the world.”
― Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

Overview:

Our perceptions are lenses through which we view the world.

We will be looking at the idea of people (human figures) .....

...... existing in a landscape 

...... in relationships based on our perceptions of POWER

We will use our school to get inspiration for the landscape - 'schoolscape'.

Step 1: Our 'schoolscape'

AYV shot composition link

• Photograph our schoolscapes bearing the tips from the link above in mind. Work out your 'photoshoot' before you go out!
• You may need to use Photoshop (on the desktop PCs) or Pixlr Editor (for online netbook work), to edit your photos.
  
  
• Work out and research strategies to create illusions of space that emphasize the feelings of empowerment OR disempowerment in our environment.
  Link to 'Illusions of Space' infographic.
• 
  
• Draw ONE of your scenes using some of these strategies.
  Use a 2B pencil. Format size: +/- A4
• Scan your drawing at 150ppi, and save in the class folder as a .jpg with your name as a filename.

Step 2: 

• Use the tracing paper provided to create small figures (or one figure?) that fit into your schoolscape. The idea is to focus on  perceived ideas of some people being in power, and others not. You may use exaggerations and distortions to create these situations. They don't have to match the scale of the 'schoolscape'. e.g huge head looming over the top of the stairs?
• Make use of your pencil & eraser to make these figures, and use the 'mannikin' method that you will be shown. 
• Tutorial ..... Mannikin tutorial

Step 3:

• Put your figures into your schoolscape to express your intention. You can use EITHER a physical collage method or a digital 'cut & paste' method.

Surreal egg paintings

For the Grade 10s ..........

We will start our surreal egg paintings by creating  illusions of form and space using one set of complementary colours and white. (A 'monochrome' painting) This is a very old traditional technique used by Vermeer.

Girl with a Pearl Earring - monochrome copy

Link to a tutorial

Here is another tutorial using fruit (persimmons)
Fruit tutorial

However, we will use acrylics for our monochrome because it dries faster. Mix your own chromatic greys - try and avoid using black. Remember to work into both figure and ground.

We will work over the monochrome (the 'grisaille') with  local (representational) colours. Lastly, we will use oil paints to blend and adjust the colours and tones.

Nursery Tales - a PAT5 brief

For my Grade 11s and 12s ........

I have set this brief as a Practical Assessment Task (PAT) before, so please look on my website for some background.
Link to old brief - Nursery Stories

Interesting new post on 'The three little pigs'

Link to the Studio 2-41 blog

Remember - there are TWO parts to this PAT - your process work (LO1) and your artwork / product (LO2).

Grade 12: Your LO1 deadline is 2nd August
Grade 11: Your LO1 deadline is 9th August

Your rubric for LO1 - your process work - is below. Your artwork / product could range from a literal illustration for a child's book, to a sophisticated allegory. Make sure you emphasize the relevance of the story/rhyme to our contemporary life.

Your tonal drawing should show what your composition will look like. Don't forget to consider your  elements and principles of art & design.

There is a new rubric for LO1 attached to the latest Matric final exam. Let's give it a try.

Your response will be on-line and will automatically go to the Term 3 mark spreadsheet.

Evaluate your sourcebook HERE ....

or use the QR tag with your phone (if you have downloaded an app like Google Goggle  or Blackerry Code Scanner)....

Follow the link above and click on the button for your rating. This will give you a rating out of 25. This will be automatically doubled to 50. 
Let's do this together in class .....
Screenshot below .......

Link to LO2 self-evaluation
Your self evaluation will provide the foundation for the teacher evaluation, so analyse your work thoughtfully - it is in your own best interests.

Art & the Spiritual Realm for Grade 11

For my Grade 11s ....

Link to PowerPoint

Virgin & St Ann by da Vinci - Renaissance

A composition for the Grade 10s

Try this in watercolours .......

Question  2 [2 hours] [50 marks]

You will be given a sheet of watercolour paper with a layout already printed on it. Show your skills with watercolour washes – adjusting hues, intensities and values – by mixing your choice of washes and floating them onto the paper.

Work on the other questions if you need to dry your washes.

When they are dry, come back to the painting and work into it with black ink. Don’t overdo it!

Egg photo

Beautiful egg 'landscape'  by Grade 10 learners. (Tayla & Taylin?) Look at some of Dali's landscapes to appreciate how 'surreal' this photo already is.

Egg project

For my Grade 10s .....

Try this composition of mine in watercolours. 

Look at your collage and watercolour 'cloud' for paint guidance.

Now try your own photoshoot.....

Use the photographic references you have taken.

Start the painting by drawing in soft, light pencil. Remove the excess graphite.

Do the under-painting with watercolour washes – work over the whole page with the lightest value colours. Pat out some whites.

Let dry.

When dry, add darker transparent washes over some of the under-painting to add illusions of form. Hard edge = no wet paper; blurry blended edges = on dampened  paper.

Repeat as necessary………

Scan to document the painting as it grows.

Lastly,  work over the painting with pen & ink.

Surreal eggs

For my Grade 10s ...

Look at these surreal eggs by Thor Lineneg for inspiration - but don't copy!
Thor Lineneg link

Create your own A6 sketches of possible ideas which could be translated into watercolour and ink.

Your final painting will be A5 or A4 in size.

Gender Issues

For my Grade 11s & 12s

Everything you read about Gender Issues will increase your reasoning ability to handle your 'unseens' in your Exams. It will also make you an intelligent, well-read person! Past exams have been very focused on 'femininity'. What about 'masculinity'?

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