18. Animal Skulls
Level Four
Here are some examples from a project aligned
with the systems unit that level four were
focused on in class.
There was significant ICT input with an
interactive website where the students were
able to rotate virtual skulls 360 degrees.
After preliminary drawings the students made
their own animal skulls in white clay
referencing the knowledge gained on the
relation between form and function.
19. Letter Composition
Level Four
Here the students were looking at the
abstract qualities of common letters
and how they can be arranged to
make patterns.
An important understanding was the
relation between positive and
negative space. When the letters
were repeated additional elements
appeared in the overall composition,
produced by shapes that may have
not been obvious when looking at the
letters one at a time or in small
numbers.
20. Tonal portraits
Level Four
These paintings were done
over a photocopied image
of faces mostly taken from
the media. The objective
was to look at the image
and break it into large
areas of tone.
There was a limitation
specified of around three
tones, so the students had
to reconfigure the face and
simplify somewhat in
order to keep to this.
Important here was the need to
look carefully, and to mix
tones of one colour and
apply them so that the
three dimensional aspect
of the face was retained.
21. Volcanos
Level Two
We started with discussion of Volcanoes and showing a loop of a Volcano erupting.
After talking about the elements that might be reproduced as paint, eg lava, smoke, fire and
so on we set to work to the sound of electronic music that we agreed sounded like a
Volcano would if it could sing!
22. Water and Land
Level Three
This project was not primarily meant
as an aesthetic exercise, however
when the results were shown as a
suite the effect was beautiful.
The children were shown images of
water as it flows across landforms
like mountains, cliffs, ravines and
so on. Particular reference was
given to how the flow of the water
is determined by the underlying
structure of the land.
The children then produced a
scratchback of a landform of their
own devising with simple lines as
indicators. The challenge here was
to draw the water as it might flow
over this form. The works were
mounted with white paper and
shown as a frieze.
23. Level Four
This project encouraged the students to think in
abstract three dimensional terms.
The main elements were the opposition and interplay
between block, plane and line with reference to vertical
and horizontal orientation.
The balsa wood was easy to manipulate and glue
without the need for hammer and nails. These
constructions were light enough to be fixed to the wall
using Blu-tac only.
Balsa Wood Sculpture
24. Life Drawing
Level Four
The students took turns being the model in
the middle of the room.
I gave some instruction on how to look for
the main lines and areas of interest and
concentrate on the essentials.
25. Colour and Shape
Level Two
These compositions were intended to further the
children's understanding of relationships of
colour and shape in a pattern.
