Christina's Digital Methods in Art Ed Blog

Short Stop Motion Animation

2009-12-22T04:24:00Z

Using PhotoBooth and an owl cookie jar named Melrude I created a short stop motion animation. Melrude Music.mov

UMD Art Education

2009-12-22T03:23:57Z

Digital Methods in Art Education is a class offered by the University of Minnesota Duluth that introduces art education students to various media techniques that may be later used in their careers.

Here is the link to the class website: http://www.d.umn.edu/%7ejrock2/digitalart/ and the following description is from that site.

Digital Methods in Art Education introduces students to theoretical and practical experiences with emerging visual technologies. Art projects will use the computer as a creative tool and incorporate digital media in their process and delivery format. Projects may include digital photography, mixed media, illustration, animation, digital video and sound editing. This course provides a forum for the creation and testing of digital art instructional resources for children and youth. Participants will be required to develop lesson plans and make visits to educational sites as volunteer instructors. Digital Methods assignments will integrate contemporary pedagogical theories of visual culture and current standards for media arts literacy in art education.

Limited Computer Lab Lesson Plan

2009-12-22T03:18:38Z

Christina Johnson, Fall 2009

Rauschenberg Inspired Collage

Grade Level/Age: 5th grader/10-11 years old

Time Needed: 3 Days

Focus:

Collage is an easy and fun method for students to explore in art making. The students will use collage to create imaginative works of art.

Objectives:

A.) 4.1.1.5.2. The student will describe how the principles of visual art such as repetition, pattern, emphasis, contrast and balance are used in the creation, presentation or response to visual artworks.

B.) 4.1.3.5.2. The student will describe how visual art communicates meaning.

C.) The student will have a better understanding of how to create a successful composition using various materials.

Motivational Resources:

Posters and postcards of collage focus on ones with a lot of contrast between background and subject, Collage books, Example by teacher or past student,

Art Materials:

Camera, computer, printer, paper, scissors, glue sticks, cardstock or construction paper in a variety of colors for cutting and for mounting in the end, magazine and newspaper scraps (all images much be age appropriate),

Introduction to the Lesson:

Traditionally collage is looked at as the gluing or pasting of multiple pieces of paper together and in fact comes from the French word "coller" meaning to paste or glue. Throughout history collage can be found from paper and fabric glued together by ancient Japanese calligraphers to Italian painters working with jewels and gilded paper in their works. Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque are generally given credit for beginning collage in fine art as we know it today. These artists desired a more real form of painting and decided to incorporate objects and images that were from their day-to-day lives such as newspapers, hair, and old matchbooks among other things. This led to other artists using objects in three dimensional collage works. For example, Robert Rauschenberg created works that he called "combines" which are essentially three-dimensional collages, because they consist of a variety of objects acting as one piece.

Rauschenberg has worked with both two and three dimensional pieces. Some of his collages begin with newspaper backgrounds that are built up with paint and other scraps of paper. His paintings contain objects such as dirt, tissue paper, or gold leaf. Fabrics and other found items find their way into his compositions to make beautiful works of art.

Instructional Procedure for Art Making:

Day One: Today is an introductory day for the students. The first fifteen minutes will involve a presentation on the history of collage with a focus on Rauschenberg's work. Principles such as repetition, pattern, emphasis, contrast and balance will be pointed out and discussed during the presentation. After that explain to the students that they will be working on a collage of their own but starting with their own picture. The picture will be digitally taken, printed off, and then they will be able to cut and paste Then each child will have their photo taken individually and encourage them to be as creative as they want. While the children are taking turns getting their photo taken have the students who are waiting work on drawings of what they want their final portrait to look like. All of the pictures should be saved in the computer for day two. Allow five to ten minutes for the students to put away their drawings and clean up.

Day Two: Have the printed pictures ready to go for the students. The tables should be set up with scissors, glue sticks, construction paper, and other available collage materials. Instruct the students to cut their photos into any shapes they want and combine them with other paper to create a new self portrait. Re-emphasize the principles of visual art and encourage them to think about them while creating their portraits. The students should complete the project today. Allow ten minutes for clean up.

Day Three: This is the last day for this project. Each child will take out their portrait and a piece of paper. Allow five to ten minutes for them to write about what they learned about collage and the principles of art. Then have them hand in their work. The next project can be introduced.

Evaluation/Assessment:

The final project should be a collage portrait that displays the student's knowledge of the principles of art. Composition is important and it should be clear that over the course of the project they put thought into how the collage was arranged.

DBAE Checklist:

Art History: Collage Art

Art Production: Collage

Aesthetics: Learn to create original collage imagery

Art Criticism: Written paragraph

Bibliography:

"Collage History." <http://www.sunnyday.org/art_lesson_plans/collage_history.htm>.

Krieg, Susan. A brief history complied by Susan Krieg-Collage Artist.

<http://www.kriegartstudio.com/nesting_cranes/susan_krieg_history_collage.htm>.

"Robert Rauschenberg-About the Artist." PBS.org.

<http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/robert-rauschenberg/about-the-artist/49/>.

Guggenheim Museum. "Robert Rauschenberg Biography"

<http://www.guggenheimcollection.org/site/artist_bio_133.html>.

Full Computer Lab Lesson Plan

2009-12-22T03:15:24Z

Self-Portrait Collage in Photoshop

Grade Level/Age: 7^th Grader/12-13 years old

Time Needed: 5 Days

Focus:

Photoshop can be used to create very expressive and original images. The students will explore and learn aspects of this program that will enable them to make a unique image.

Objectives:

A.) 6.1.2.2.1. The student will demonstrate use of a variety of tools, materials and techniques in media arts based on the characteristics of the hardware and software.

B.) 6.1.1.5.2. The student will analyze how the principles of visual art, such as repetition, pattern, emphasis, contrast and balance are used in the creation, presentation of, or response to visual artworks.

C.) The student will have a better understanding of digital art and media techniques.

Motivational Resources:

Posters and postcards of collage or self-portraits that were designed digitally, books on Photoshop (beginners) and collage

Art Materials:

Paper, pencils, scanner, Mac computer, Photoshop, flash drive and disks for saving work, image bank (consisting of various textures and patterns prepared ahead of time)

Introduction to the Lesson:

Throughout history collage can be found from the paper and fabric glued together by ancient Japanese calligraphers to Italian painters working with jewels and gilded paper in their works. Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque are generally given credit for beginning collage in fine art as we know it today. These artists desired a more real form of painting and decided to incorporate objects and images that were from their day-to-day lives such as newspapers, hair, and old matchbooks among other things. This led to other artists using objects in three dimensional collage works. For example, Robert Rauschenberg created works that he called "combines" which are essentially three-dimensional collages, because they consist of a variety of objects acting as one piece. Even though traditionally collage is looked at as the gluing or pasting of multiple pieces of paper together and in fact comes from the French word "coller" meaning to paste or glue, Rauschenberg looked at collage as the piecing together of other objects.

Collage is seen in both two and three dimensional work, but today a lot of it is seen in digital work. One of the basic tools used to create digital collage is the program Photoshop because it allows the user to work with various layers of imagery. This is not unlike traditional collage methods. Tools the students will focus on learning will be the move tool, brush, eyedropper, paint bucket, magic wand, rectangle, and zoom. Each one does something different. The move tool can move layers and other objects while the rectangle tool is used to create rectangles by default. Other shapes can be created besides rectangles, and the brush tool lets the user paint free form objects. The paint bucket is great for filling in spaces with color, and the eyedropper is used to pick up previously used shades and tones. When those blocks of color have been made the students will find that the magic wand will help them to easily select them in order to move them around for their collage. Zooming in and out of the image can also be a great tool to understand because it allows for the opportunity to have more precise lines and sharper images. Photoshop is a great program that offers a variety of options for creating imagery and once learned it opens up many possibilities.

Instructional Procedure for Art Making:

Day One: Today is an introductory day for the students, so the main focus will be on a Photoshop tutorial. First there will be a ten-minute presentation on the history of collage. This will include pictures of works by Picasso, Braque, and Rauschenberg. Then they will follow along at their own computers as we go over the main Photoshop tools we will be using: move, brush, eyedropper, paint bucket, magic wand, rectangle, and zoom. The images they will be working on for the day will be created as they follow along and experiment will the tools. If after the tutorial there is time have the students continue to become comfortable with the tools. Explain that for the next class period they will be working on a self-portrait collage and they should come prepared with ideas.

Day Two: This is a student work day. Have Photoshop open on all computers and make sure that before they arrive all motivational resources are made available or on display. Also have the image bank pulled up on each computer. Explain that if they would like to begin with a hand drawing or outline that there are paper and pencils available and the images can be scanned in. All scanning should be done today so the students have all of next class period to work in Photoshop. Allow ten minutes to fifteen minutes for saving work to a class flash drive.

Day Three: Again, have the classroom set up like the previous day for the students before they arrive. Today is a work day. Allow ten minutes to fifteen minutes for saving work to a class flash drive.

Day Four: Follow day three procedure.

Day Five: Today is the final day of the project. Each student will pull up their own work on their computer and then the class will get a chance to walk around and see each other's work. Then when they have finished with that have them take out a piece of paper and write down what they learned about collage and Photoshop through doing this project. After they have finished go around the room and have each person share one thing that they've learned with the class. Make sure all work is saved to the flash drive and to collect all the papers.

Evaluation/Assessment:

The students will be creating collaged images using Photoshop to create self portraits so the final image should appear to be a portrait. While creating the images they should use a variety of Photoshop tools as well as relevant hardware used such as scanners. The students should also display knowledge of the principles of visual art within their own work and within the written critique of their work. They will also share one thing they learned about Photoshop with the class. Over the few days of the project the student should show a good amount of effort put into the assignment.

DBAE Checklist:

Art History: Media and Collage Art

Art Production: Collage (in Photoshop)

Aesthetics: Learn to create original collage imagery using Photoshop tools

Art Criticism: Written paragraph

Bibliography:

"Collage History." <http://www.sunnyday.org/art_lesson_plans/collage_history.htm>.

Krieg, Susan. A brief history complied by Susan Krieg-Collage Artist.

<http://www.kriegartstudio.com/nesting_cranes/susan_krieg_history_collage.htm>.

"Robert Rauschenberg-About the Artist." PBS.org.

<http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/robert-rauschenberg/about-the-artist/49/>.

WordPress. Tommy Maloney. "Photoshop Tool Basics." Photoshop Lab. Posting.

<http://www.photoshoplab.com/Photoshop-Tool-Basics.html>.

Digital Art Workshop

2009-11-24T21:47:05Z

Part of our Digital Methods in Art Education class is to participate in the Digital Art Workshop for Youth. This is a program that children from the ages of ten to fourteen sign up for and there are five once a week after school sessions where children come to learn about animation and digital techniques. Exploration in Photoshop, iMovie, and GarageBand will occur and children will also be able to work with other animation materials such as sand, paint, and clay. Using these methods and techniques the children will create an animation that tells a unique story focused on the idea of transformation.

Digital Art Workshop Day 5 Reflection

2009-11-24T21:35:26Z

Day five was our last day to work with the students. Because of time constraints, the other mentors and I went through and animated the majority of the piece prior to this last meeting. We saved the last scene because we thought it was important that the two students get more time with actually animating and moving the characters around. They had already done this a little in the beginning, but we wanted them to review and really feel like they knew how it was done.

When they finished with that we moved into GarageBand and iMovie HD. The girls had a great time picking out sounds and music and even at the end of the day they were giving us suggestions for what they wanted to see in the final project.

Another decision that was made was that the full sand animation that was created was used in the beginning and the end of the piece to pull the whole thing together.

As they were leaving I felt that they were really proud of their work and so was I. We all made the best with the time we had. I feel like the students really learned a lot and had a great time doing it!

Digital Art Workshop Day 4 Reflection

2009-11-24T21:26:51Z

Because I was working at the Sand and Paint animation station in the Tweed on day three, another mentor had joined our group. The three of us presented to our two students the paint animation they had created. We decided as a group to use it as the backdrop for our characters to move around on, and with the characters finished we could begin animating.

But first they agreed that the background needed to be more than just paint. The image was interesting, but the thought of using collage to add more colors and different elements such as flowers and lily pads was very interesting. We had the girls look at some of Monet's paintings and had them pick out parts they wanted. In Photoshop we cut and pasted those parts onto the background for the animation and then showed them various tools to help them play with the colors. At the very end of the day we began to really get into the actual act of animation. Ideally they would have been faster at creating the background and then they would have been able to move into the animation process sooner, but as mentors we decided it was more important for them to spend time with the images. They were learning so much about Photoshop and even just about basic composition and 2D design elements that there was not any rush to get them into the tedious process of animation.

Digital Art Workshop Day 3 Reflection

2009-11-24T21:17:21Z

Day three was the day where I worked with one other mentor in the Tweed and operated the Sand and Paint animation station. After setting up the light table we made sure all of the tools needed were ready to go and placed out on a nearby table for the students to use.

What was different from this animation station is that throughout the couple hours of the workshop we had three groups scheduled to come in and film part of their animation with either sand or paint.

The first group worked with sand, and we showed them techniques they could use. For the most part my job was to make sure everything was ready for the next group and to clean up after the last one. We did not really help animate anything because the other mentors were there working with their students. My group, The Frog Prince, actually came in so I did have some involvement in that animation, but for the most part my job was mostly clean up.

As with anything that has the potential to be messy, the children had a great time playing with the sand and paint. They really embraced the different tools and explored various techniques, so overall I think the sand and paint animation station was a success.

Digital Art Workshop Day 2 Reflection

2009-11-24T20:56:53Z

Day two was the big day where we the mentors pitched our stories of transformation to the children. Then they would pick the story that they wanted to help animate for the rest of the workshop. I was working with one other mentor on the story of The Frog Prince, and two girls eagerly signed up to work on our project.

After everyone has selected a group, we sectioned off parts of the room and got to work. As mentors we further explained our visual plan that we had just presented to them. Monet was our artist for style inspiration, and we asked them about what they wanted to see in the animation. The girls suggested we update the story and have it be about a teenage girl who loses her iPod and the frog retrieves it for her out of the pond. It was very exciting to start to see them make the story their own.

Our main goal for day two was to complete the creation of the characters. The Frog Prince consists of ultimately three necessary characters: the princess, the frog, and the prince. Because neither of our students had worked in Photoshop before, we decided the fastest way to create the characters would be to draw them on paper, scan them into the computer, and then add color and do any alterations in Photoshop. Starting a big project can be difficult, and it took the entire time remaining for the girls to get a solid start to their character creations.

Digital Art Workshop Day 1 Reflection

2009-11-24T20:36:33Z

On day one I was part of the meet and greet crew. As the children arrived I made sure they were checked off the attendance sheet and helped guide them into the Tweed Museum. Surprisingly all the the children arrived around the same time and instead of having them filter in and out of the animation station and then up to the classroom, it turned into a mini-animation lesson with all the children at the Tweed. When it was time to bring them upstairs the other meet and greet people and I led them up to the classroom.

The students were introduced to a quick form of animation using Photo Booth and Photoshop. My role that day was to observe and take notes on how everything was going. Some of the things I noticed that day were that the students were very eager to learn and jumped right into the project. The only negative aspect of the day had to have been the layout of the classroom. It was difficult for the students to watch what they were being taught and to look at their own screens. Also, the middle aisle of the classroom became very crowded and tight.

At the end of the day I helped walk the children back down to the Tweed and made sure that they left with their parents. Overall it was a very successful first day to the workshop, and I think it helped make the students very excited to come back the following Tuesday to start the big project.

Sand and Paint Animation

2009-11-03T01:30:00Z

For our second project we were asked to research and present a specific type of animation to the class. This was in part for our own learning experience but also in preparation for the Digital Art Workshop for kids. My group looked into sand and paint animation techniques.

Here is our demonstration that we did with our classmates: PaintAnimation.mov

Before this class I had never heard of sand animation. I discovered it involved moving sand or paint around on top of light table and documenting it. Some people film live performances of this artwork or another option would be to use a stop motion technique. This would involve taking still pictures every time a portion of the image is changed, not unlike the creature collage animation.

My group and I experimented with both sand and paint. With both mediums it is important to keep in mind where the image is starting and where it is going. Often it works best to work from the background and move to the foreground. When making the shapes it is important to think of how the "lines" of paint or sand that create your image will be used to morph the figures or shapes into something else. Contrast is also key to making beautiful sand and paint animations because the difference between light and dark is what makes the image.

Here is the powerpoint used in our presentation and following are the video examples of famous sand and paint artists. Sand and Paint Animation PPT.pdf

If you're interested in experimenting with sand and paint animation there are a few supplies you'll need:

*Light table (avoid plexiglass, it will cause static electricity)

*Clear acetate transparency paper to place on top of glass

*Sand or paint (try mixing up colors!)

*Paint brushes, cotton swabs, popsicle sticks, etc.

*Camera

*Tripod

Looking back on this project I think that it was really beneficial to experience a variety of animation techniques and have the opportunity to share with the class. Now I have some familiarity with sand and paint animation as well as the techniques my classmates presented and in the future I can potentially use that in the classroom.

Creature Collage

2009-10-08T03:04:36Z

For our first assignment we were asked to use Photoshop to collage an imaginary animal and a made-up landscape for it to exist in. Images used in the process were from photos depicting various textures, landscapes, faces, animals, and mechanical objects. My particular creature has the head of human, a body of a deer, and the tail of a fish. While my Photoshop skills are nothing amazing, the creature has a certain humor as it interacts with the landscape.

This would be a great project to introduce children to Photoshop. Instead of a random animal, maybe the students could create the creature based on what they would want to be if they were an animal.

animate_christina_web.mov

CGI used in movies

2009-09-17T15:34:58Z

One thing that makes or breaks a movie for me is the graphics. If I am constantly aware that I am watching imagery that someone created on a computer it is a complete disappointment when watching a film.

Recently I saw District 9 and I was very impressed with the graphics. Everything looked real and in the right place and I didn't even think "Wow those are great graphics" because I didn't notice them right away. The graphics had an ability to trick me and transport me into the film.

Of course in a few years I'll look back on this and technology will have advanced so much farther I might forget why I was so impressed, but that's kind of how it is with any aspect of technology. Right away it is amazing and new and the "it" thing, and before you know it no one finds it that intriguing and it may even be obsolete.

About this Blog

2009-09-10T22:02:39Z

This blog is maintained by Christina Johnson for the Digital Methods in Art Education course at the University of Minnesota Duluth, fall semester 2009.