Write about your life in diary/journal entries. Then, create a composition that illustrates several meaningful moments in your life, ideally in the past year or so. Include multiple events. Then, incorporate some of the actual text you have written into the artwork in an artistic and unifying way. Apply all your knowledge about good design to make the artwork as dynamic and visually interesting as possible. Do your best to make this a thoughtful and idea-filled artwork.
Steps:
1. Brainstorm. Come up with several events and ideas.
2. Write "diary" entries.
3. Draft your compositions by drawing a number of thumbnail sketches.
4. Develop your best composition into a finished full-sized drawing.
5. Refine your image. Add detail, ink, and color.
Project Length:
One week
Size:
Any size between 11 x 14” and 18 x 24”
Media:
Drawing in pencil, then black ink, color (watercolor, acrylic, color markers, color pencils, or a combination), or mixed media.
Style:
Any
Objectives:
- Represent multiple events in a single, strong composition
- Convey mood and meaning
- Show off your strongest skills
Step One:
In your classroom journal or your sketchbook, write in detail about important moments and memories. The more detailed content you develop, the better.
Some things to consider:
- What are your most vivid memories? Go into as much detail as you can remember.
- What physical/visual details do you remember?
- Describe an emotional or dramatic moment.
- What important things happened to you in recent months?
- In what way(s) have you grown or changed?
- What have you learned from the experiences? What have you discovered about yourself?
Grading Criteria
- Creativity
- Content (Development and communication of ideas)
- Design
- Technical Quality (“Finished”)
- Studio Work Habits
This is a pre-assessment to find out what you already know, and I will be observing work habits and your process, your final work, and your participation in the final critique of student work. By observing your approach to the project, I will gain insight into your strengths and of how you could grow throughout the year.
Apply what you know about the elements and principles of art, and pictorial composition, to this complex image.
As the measuring tool, I will be using this rubric:
Rubric: Art Studio Habits of Mind
Self-Assessment:
Please answer these questions after you've completed your artwork:
- Remember that the objective was to illustrate multiple events. What multiple memorable events did you include and how did you arrange them into a single composition?
- How detailed and thoughtful was your written journal entry? Did you use it as a method of informing and enriching your visual work?
- In what ways did you convey feelings/mood in your work? How did you convey the drama of your personal events?
- What are some of the deeper meanings you've tried to convey in your piece? How is this a thoughtful, idea-filled artwork?
- One of the objectives of this project was to apply what you know about good composition. How is this a good composition? Which of the principles of design did you consider in developing the composition? How have you used contrast? Emphasis? Balance? Visual movement? Positive and negative space? Etc.
- Did you draw thumbnail sketches to test out ideas and develop the composition before you began your larger image?
- Which of your skills and strengths did you show off in this piece?
- When did you know this was finished? How does this fit your idea of a high-quality, finished artwork?
- What do you like best about your final piece?
- What do you think needs further work?