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Project 1: Learning the Language of Art

Description | Competencies | Steps by Step | Topic Choices | Requirements | Resources

Description of Project 1

Students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of elements of art and principles of design by combining original graphics and descriptive text to create a reference for the Language of Art Resource.

Competencies:

Students will demonstrate competencies in the following areas:

  • General graphic skills demonstrated by:
    • Choosing correct file formats
    • Choosing appropriate selection area
    • Choosing appropriate size
  • General design skills demonstrated by:
    • Selecting appropriate type style and size
    • Chunking text to improve readability
    • Creating appropriate balance between text, graphics and white space
  • Adobe Photoshop skills demonstrated by:
    • Opening images
    • Resizing images
    • Cropping images
    • Adjusting brightness and contrast
    • Saving files

Step-By-Step

1. Look at Elements of Art and Principle of Design.

2. Choose one element of art, then take photographs that illustrate this element.

For example, you might choose motion as your element. You would then take photographs that illustrate this element.

  • Take at least 5 pictures with a camera (regular or digital) that all illustrate (very strongly) one element.
  • If regular film:
    • Have the pictures developed and bring them to Class 2.
    • Scan the pictures and save to disk.
  • Open the saved pictures in Adobe Photoshop and enhance by resizing, cropping and adjusting brightness and contrast.
  • Save in .jpg format

3. Research your topic

  • Interview art educators
  • Read information (online and print-based)
  • Find at least 2 examples of your strong element and principle in artwork in online museums

4. Choose one principle of design that is also illustrated in each of your 5 photographs. You may choose different principles for each photograph, but concentrate only on one element.

5. Write a summary about your photographs in a word processing program like Microsoft Word.

  • 500-1000 words total words:
    Components:
    • 200-300 word overview
    • 75-150 word description of each photograph - specifically how does this photograph show this element and principle?
  • at least 3 bibliographic references (book, article, interview, web page)
  • Find 2 illustrations of the element/principle in a piece of artwork in an online museum and write a short annotation why this artwork exemplifies your topic. You will hyperlink to the site - do not include the artwork.

5. Bring your summary and your 5 photographs to class when the project is due. We will use an online form to submit them to a database.

6. We will give round-robin feedback during class, and you will write a reflection on your project and the comments you received immediately afterward.

Topic Choices

Element      Principle
Point   Simplicity
Shape   Clarity
Space   Balance
Light   Harmony
Motion   Organization
Direction   Emphasis
Scale   Legibility
Dimension   Unity
Line   Perspective
Form   Point of View
Texture   Framing
Color    
Hue    
Saturation    
Value    

Requirements

Project 1: Language of Art

Each resource should include the following:

  • Photographs:
    At least 5 color photographs which depict different instances of that element - resized or cropped to not more than 400 pixels wide, saved as jpgs.
  • Text Component:
    Overview: 200-300 words
    Each image: 75-150 words

    Bibliography: The summary should have at least three bibliographic references which could include a book citation, interview with an expert such as an art teacher, an article or a web page.

    The summary should also include 2 examples of the concept as evidenced in a piece of art in an online museum. Write a brief paragraph that describes that instance, and include the specific URL for that piece of art.

    • Resources

    Elements of Art and Principles of Design

    Glossary: Using Art Terms

    Language of Art