Sunday, October 28, 2007

 
WebQuest on the Traditional Seven Elements of Design

The Elements of Design




In the Compass Learning Odyssey you read about the main elements of art we use to create good design. (Principles and Elements of Art/ What is Good Art?)

This is also known plainly as GOOD ART. The use of these ingredients in any work of art whether abstract or representational, give a solid completeness to the work that is lacking if the artist does not pay attention to basic good design.

An artist or someone viewing artwork should be able to recognize these elements and point them out in many different artworks. Now, not every piece of art contains every element, but you should be able to discover a few of the major elements in any piece you come across.



IMPORTANT: In class we talk about art and visual creativity using MANY different methods. Looking at the good design of a work of art is only one method. We can look at art in terms of its history, its message, its symbolism, its context in our time or the time it was created, the joy or other emotion we get from it, and so on...

This WebQuest will ask you to explore a large number of art-focused websites and choose 7 examples of art. Each will portray one element particularly well. Your finished assignment will be a collection of seven examples, each displayed in a creative manner that best displays the piece.

Here are some ideas of how you might present your findings:

A scrapbook with notes and evidence from your research.

A website (does not need to be published) that teaches someone about your examples.

A brochure for a new museum.

A series of postcards.

An article in an art magazine.

A series of short interviews with each artist.

An advertisement for an art history class.

PLEASE DO NOT USE POWERPOINT.
This assignment is challenging you to try a different format,
so choose a method that you are less comfortable with.

The CLO reading uses Paul Gauguin's painting "Market Day" to point out these seven elements of art:

Variety

Repetition/pattern

Movement/rhythm

Proportion

Emphasis

Unity

Balance




1. Print out the worksheet included in What is Good Art? and use it to help you analyze the painting for each element. Make notes to help you remember how each element of art affects the artwork.

2. On the Art Links page you will find a list of museums and other references. Spend a while looking through the different museums, reference pages, and art collections, taking notes and making bookmarks for each example of art that you like. This is the WebQuest self-directed part of the assignment.

3. Make a final selection of seven pieces of art. You may choose 2D and 3D art. For each piece, you need the title, the artist, and the medium (what materials the art is made from). You should also know exactly what website each example came from.

You are choosing one example of art that is a good representation of one element of art. Do this for all SEVEN elements.

4. The best way to capture a picture of each example of art is to CONTROL-CLICK on the image, and select the choice SAVE PICTURE AS... and then name the image and save it in a folder where you can keep your WebQuest organized.

5. Now you have your seven examples, one for each element of art. Decide how you would like to present your findings. There are a few ideas listed above, but you can try to come up with your own concept too.

6. Your WebQuest should be thorough, interesting, fun, unique and intelligent, and it should showcase the seven elements of art in a way that is easy to understand. Save your project as username_webquest1.doc (or whatever file type you need to use) and submit it to the instructor.




Comments:
The practice of looking at art is quite a quest, and using the framework of the traditional seven elements presents some great subjective discussion points. The multiple choices for presentation help to support each student's viewpoint in the most expressive way. It would be interesting, based on these elements to also discuss:
What is bad art?
Is it lacking in these elements?
Etc.
 
i like how you challenge your students and don't allow them to work inside their comfort zone. how did they react when you told them no power point and to use a different application?
 
I am always looking for new ways to teach the principles. I really enjoyed the suggestions you provided and I am likely to try them out!
 
I like that this webquest motivates students to step out of their "comfort zones" and experience a new way of creating. Great way to introduce the everyday art topic of the elements of art!
 
teaching the elements of art through the computer did not seem possible to me a month ago, but now it all make sense. Your web quest is great.I enjoyed it so I know that students will too.
 
Post a Comment



<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?