My students need plaster and sharpies to complete a Pop Art unit we do in 8th grade. We create Oldenburg Sculptures of everyday objects and Lichtenstein Cartoon Heroes.
"Pow! Wham! Poof!" Our art supplies and budget are going up in smoke each year! Our Pop Art projects need the "Umph!" to really make our audience go "Oooo...La la la!"
My students are from a suburb that does not have its own library, community center, or art center.
Hands-on actitivities thrill my students, and help them problem solve. Creating projects like sculptures have helped my students who are now in the high school and college art classes. It was a positive experience that they remembered and were able to keep with them to display for years to come.
My Project
The plaster and plaster of Paris will enable my students to take their two dimensional ideas and turn them into sculpture in the round. Using plaster teaches students the process of art in the classroom-prep, work, and clean up. Students will use hand-eye coordination and scale to build up their creations.
The Pop Art Cartoon Hero is a replica of cartoon characters first thought of by Pop Artist Roy Lichtenstein. Students create giant posters using a limited color pallette, various contour lines, benday dots, text balloons, and action shapes. The students use a grid system and measurements to draw the heroes to scale. The sharpies are great because they are the best marker to outline all of the details. Students are not constantly throwing away sharpies because they last longer than any other marker we use!
Students will have a foundation on how to use the techniques of marker rendering and sculpture building for future projects in art and other classes.
These projects allow students to break down a large "problem" into steps to create their own answer to the problem. No two projects are a like, and that is what gives students a unique voice and also builds confidence. They cherish their time in the art room, and value what they learn.
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