Elements of Art Mixed Media art project

Here's a great first project for the beginning of the year that I do with my mixed high school class. I call it the elements of art design. Essentially, students divide their paper into 7 sections- one for each art element. Then, using media and theme of their choice, they try to visually represent each element, trying to keep the whole artwork cohesive. It's very challenging!

The elements of art are the fundamental components that artists use to create visual art. These elements, often referred to as the building blocks of art, include line, shape, form, space, color, value, and texture. Understanding and utilizing these elements allows artists to express their ideas and create visually engaging works. 

I love how this project allows for alot of creativity and personal choice. 

I always get so many varied designs by my kids!

 

Elements of Art Word Design

 

This is a project that reviews the elements of art with my high school class.

I previously posted the projects steps HERE. 

Students can choose to use whichever media they want and divide the paper 

in whatever way they choose.

Below, you can see this student did the quote on a separate sheet of cardstock and has it raised above the background using cardboard squares.

This student did his digitally.

Elements of Art Word Design

This is a project I give to any new class I teach.  I found it on the Artsonia website- from the Lewis & Clarke Middle School page. This term I taught it to my Grade 8 and 9 students. 

It is a very good introduction to the Elements of Art (line, space, form, colour, space, texture, shape). 

It also gives students a chance to use a variety of art media to create a unique mixed media piece. 

This project is definitely alot of information in one artwork- it takes a while to complete- it took us about 2 weeks.  Here's how we did it:

First, find the middle of your paper- mark the middle at the top and bottom. Then, using a ruler, measure diagonal lines from the bottom corners to the top middle dot, and the same with the bottom.  Does this make sense?  It's an easy way to create a symmetrical design of 7 sections- one for each element to be represented in.  I told the kids they could break it up any way as long as they had 7 sections.

Then fill the whole page with one giant word or a phrase- any language. Use interesting fonts.

Essentially, you're trying to have a bit of word in each of the sections. In the end, though, the word(s) is quite obscured and difficult to read and that's totally okay.

Students could add images as well.

Now, here the student has planned out where she wants each of the elements, the colours she might use and the materials she might use and how she is going to show her understanding of the element. 

(ie- for Value, use a pencil to show a variety of values... etc.)

Then, when you've planned it out, start your good copy.

Students could use a variety of materials including: markers, chalk pastels, pencils, oil pastels, pencil crayons, watercolours, and anything they wanted for texture (some conveyed implied texture and some used real texture by gluing on things...)

Here are some Grade 8 and 9 results: can you identify the Elements of Art in each artwork?

Grade 9

Grade 8

Elements of Art Cube

line, shape, form, space, texture, value and colour

Otherwise known as the Elements of Art. I've always somewhat struggled with teaching these concepts in a fun and interesting way. I find as soon as I start to mention the phrase 'the elements of art', some students (well, high school students) start to tune out and their eyes glaze over. Some are not keen to learn anything 'academic', so to speak, about Art.

Nonetheless, I forge ahead and tell them it's important to know these because knowing the elements will allow them to analyze, appreciate, write and chat about art, as well as being of help when they create art.

In this project, I had Grade 10 and 11 students cut and assemble a cube (just Google Image "cube template", print a copy, then photocopy) out of cardstock, and in each of the squares, they needed to visually represent one of the elements. They don't need to include form because the cube itself is the form! (plus, a cube only has six sides and I needed 7, so told the kids just to omit form... heh, heh)

The kids could use any media they wanted. 

 

The biggest challenge with this project, for most students, 

was accurate cutting (with a ruler and x-acto knife) and folding (scoring) of the cube.

Here is one example viewed from all sides:

shape

line

colour

space

texture (used salt)

this student made his using digital photos- very precise and professional cutting.

coloured pencils and markers