We can learn to see the world around us as shapes. How can recognizing the simple geometric shapes that we see lead to improved art-making?
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Inquiry Question
We can see the world around us as shapes. How can recognizing the simple geometric shapes that we see lead [students] to improve art-making?
Goal:
Help students break down complicated images into simple shapes and to see the relationships between the shapes. To encourage students, with little confidence or children with developing motor control, use cut circles, eggs and ovals out of tag board. Have the students move these basic shapes (or use the geometric stencils) into position on drawing paper and trace around the shapes, to get the first steps of each drawing. Just like swimming, riding a bicycle, or playing the piano, drawing gets better and better with practice.
I created several new lessons that focused heavily on starting a drawing (art-making) with the simple geometric shapes that you see in objects/compositions. I stressed to students that they should always start with big, simple geometric shapes. Work from big simple shapes in order to get size, placement and proportion correct before they start working on the details (embellishment/texture). Students have a tendency to want to just draw the entire outline of an object. As a result they [students] end up with a disproportionate drawing/object. Students usually focus on drawing the outline of objects and start by attempting to draw the details first.
The goal of my new lessons is for students to not draw the outline, start with the big shapes, add the details (curves etc.), the texture, and then show me the habitat or place that the object was in. I even modified my existing lessons to include students focusing on drawing big to simple geometric shapes.
Modifications:
Geometric shapes stencils.
Poster: important tips, shapes.
What did I learn?
I thought that I was stressing to students to use simple geometric shapes as the foundation for their drawings and compositions throughout my teaching career. To my shock and amazement I discovered that many of the students really didn't understand the concept. So, I decided to create several lessons that focused solely on the concept of starting a drawing (making art) using simple geometric shapes you see in the objects, the composition and the world around us. I did this with 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades.
How have I used what I learned?
I created several new lessons that focused heavily on starting a drawing (art-making) with the simple geometric shapes that you see in objects/compositions. I stressed to students that they should always start with big, simple geometric shapes. Work from big simple shapes in order to get size, placement and proportion correct before they start working on the details (embellishment/texture). Students have a tendency to want to just draw the entire outline of an object. As a result they [students] end up with a disproportionate drawing/object. Some students would also neglect to add the details. It is so interesting to me that they just focus on the outline. The goal of my new lessons were for students to not draw the outline, start with the big shapes, add the details (curves etc.), the texture, and then show me the habitat or place that the object was in. I even modified my existing lessons to include students focus on drawing big to simple geometric shapes. We also discussed that the simple geometric shapes are the foundation of
3-dimensional geometric forms.
How have the changes I made impacted students?
I have definitely seen a difference in the students’ work for the better. Most of the students are working with large geometric shapes as the foundation of their drawings. As a result the drawing’s size, placement and proportion are mostly “correct” before students start working on the details; this is an improvement from past work. I noticed that I am constantly referencing the "flamingo project" when students are working on new projects. The flamingo project was a new lesson that was solely designed to teach the students how to draw using simple geometric shapes as the foundation of a drawing. Being able to reference a project when working on another project was extremely helpful when students got off track. We would discuss how they could use what they learned in the "flamingo project" in the project they were currently working on.
In addition, I hear students discussing what they are discovering, using this new vocabulary (oblongs, geometric shapes, texture, details), and eager to share and look at each other’s artwork.
What are my next steps?
The "Flamingo project” frame of reference was extremely helpful and it is something that I will continue to use in every project going forward. Although I may not use the same “flamingo project” I will create other lessons and switch out the flamingo for another object; I'll do this every year. My hope is that the concept will become rote (second nature) for me as well as my students.
We can see the world around us as shapes. How can recognizing the simple geometric shapes that we see lead [students] to improve art-making?
Goal:
Help students break down complicated images into simple shapes and to see the relationships between the shapes. To encourage students, with little confidence or children with developing motor control, use cut circles, eggs and ovals out of tag board. Have the students move these basic shapes (or use the geometric stencils) into position on drawing paper and trace around the shapes, to get the first steps of each drawing. Just like swimming, riding a bicycle, or playing the piano, drawing gets better and better with practice.
I created several new lessons that focused heavily on starting a drawing (art-making) with the simple geometric shapes that you see in objects/compositions. I stressed to students that they should always start with big, simple geometric shapes. Work from big simple shapes in order to get size, placement and proportion correct before they start working on the details (embellishment/texture). Students have a tendency to want to just draw the entire outline of an object. As a result they [students] end up with a disproportionate drawing/object. Students usually focus on drawing the outline of objects and start by attempting to draw the details first.
The goal of my new lessons is for students to not draw the outline, start with the big shapes, add the details (curves etc.), the texture, and then show me the habitat or place that the object was in. I even modified my existing lessons to include students focusing on drawing big to simple geometric shapes.
Modifications:
Geometric shapes stencils.
Poster: important tips, shapes.
What did I learn?
I thought that I was stressing to students to use simple geometric shapes as the foundation for their drawings and compositions throughout my teaching career. To my shock and amazement I discovered that many of the students really didn't understand the concept. So, I decided to create several lessons that focused solely on the concept of starting a drawing (making art) using simple geometric shapes you see in the objects, the composition and the world around us. I did this with 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades.
How have I used what I learned?
I created several new lessons that focused heavily on starting a drawing (art-making) with the simple geometric shapes that you see in objects/compositions. I stressed to students that they should always start with big, simple geometric shapes. Work from big simple shapes in order to get size, placement and proportion correct before they start working on the details (embellishment/texture). Students have a tendency to want to just draw the entire outline of an object. As a result they [students] end up with a disproportionate drawing/object. Some students would also neglect to add the details. It is so interesting to me that they just focus on the outline. The goal of my new lessons were for students to not draw the outline, start with the big shapes, add the details (curves etc.), the texture, and then show me the habitat or place that the object was in. I even modified my existing lessons to include students focus on drawing big to simple geometric shapes. We also discussed that the simple geometric shapes are the foundation of
3-dimensional geometric forms.
How have the changes I made impacted students?
I have definitely seen a difference in the students’ work for the better. Most of the students are working with large geometric shapes as the foundation of their drawings. As a result the drawing’s size, placement and proportion are mostly “correct” before students start working on the details; this is an improvement from past work. I noticed that I am constantly referencing the "flamingo project" when students are working on new projects. The flamingo project was a new lesson that was solely designed to teach the students how to draw using simple geometric shapes as the foundation of a drawing. Being able to reference a project when working on another project was extremely helpful when students got off track. We would discuss how they could use what they learned in the "flamingo project" in the project they were currently working on.
In addition, I hear students discussing what they are discovering, using this new vocabulary (oblongs, geometric shapes, texture, details), and eager to share and look at each other’s artwork.
What are my next steps?
The "Flamingo project” frame of reference was extremely helpful and it is something that I will continue to use in every project going forward. Although I may not use the same “flamingo project” I will create other lessons and switch out the flamingo for another object; I'll do this every year. My hope is that the concept will become rote (second nature) for me as well as my students.
The Flamingo Project
Drawing on left was timed 3 minutes. Students were given a photograph to work from. Drawing on the right was done after we discussed using simple geometric shapes to construct their drawing; also timed 3 minutes.
