For Design I’s final project, we focused on time and motion. With technology speeding ahead these days, it is beneficial to challenge students to try this as a school project.
Students had to produce a one-minute stop motion animation consisting of photography and sound. Creativity wise, the sky was the limit! The best video-editing software available to them were Apple iMovie and Windows Movie Maker. The more frames per second that were compiled, the smoother the video appeared. To put this into perspective, the Wallace & Gromit 30-minute shorts were shot close to 20 frames per second, adding up to be around 35,000 shots per video. That’s a bit extreme for my students, so they were encouraged to place at least two frames per second. We also watched short films by Disney and Tim Burton, and the hilarious YouTube classic “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On“.
It was a challenge for students to work on an art project of this scale, especially if they were new to Apple iMovie & Windows Movie Maker video-editing software. However, they were very proud of themselves for figuring out such a feat. We had a lot of fun in both sections eating snacks and watching everyone’s videos, and celebrating the end of another school year!
Below are some examples of what was submitted. So turn up your audio and be entertained by these one-minute shorts!
* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.
For Design I’s fifth project, we focused on texture. Students collected an assortment of black and white textures including…
• found (photography, magazines, books)
• rubbed (charcoal rubbing of physical texture on paper)
• created (using a range of mediums to invent a texture).
Then they collaged and glued them together into a quilt block pattern of their choice. They had to be precise and mindful of their workmanship. Since they were working with a grid and pattern, slight mistakes would be noticeable.
Below are some of the composition sets that were submitted. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!
* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.
For Design I’s fourth project, we focused on value. Students chose a photograph, magazine ad, or calendar photo, and were challenged to extract color from their chosen area, leaving only value. They painted 20–25% of the photo with white, black, and grey acrylic paint, following the original values so closely that their painted shape fit seamlessly on top of its unpainted photograph. This challenge was much like a “paint-by-number” activity. If a well-done solution is photographed or Xeroxed in black and white, it should be difficult to distinguish the area painted in greys from the original.
Below are some of the pieces that were submitted. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!
* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.
For Design I’s third project, we focused on balance. Students constructed 4 compositions based on the following options of balance: symmetrical, asymmetrical, radial, and pattern. Their theme had to be inspired by the lyrics of a song or poem of their choosing. The medium used to depict these shapes was black construction paper, and good craftsmanship was emphasized. They also had to implement the elements and principles of design in their work. Some students even accepted the challenge of making 3D pop-up elements.
Below are some of the composition sets that were submitted.
* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.
Song: “Good Morning Baltimore” from “Hairspray”; Design by Abby JenkinsSong: “Hakunamatata” from “The Lion King”; Design by Ashley BakerSong: “Loverman” by Train; Design by Breanna RochelleSong: “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John; Design by Cassidy JonesPoem: “Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou; Design by Dylan TurnerSong: “The House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals; Design by Kaleb BakerPoem about space by unknown writer; Design by Kimberly KazmarkSong: “Pianoman” by Billy Joel; Design by Lexi BennettSong: “Escape” by Rupert Holmes; Design by Mary Beth McClungSong: “Death of a Bachelor” by Panic at the Disco; Design by Bes ReillySong: “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” from “Cinderella”; Design by Jillian LovatoSong: “A Whole New World” from “Aladdin”; Design by Samantha MarshallSong: “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” from “The Lion King”; Design by Taylor FikesSong: “Huntin Fishin Lovin Everyday” by Luke Bryan; Design by Wes Edgeworth
For Design I’s second project, we focused on geometric and organic shapes. Students constructed 3 compositions: 1 for all geometric, 1 for all organic, and 1 for a combination of geometric and organic. The medium used to depict these shapes was black construction paper and white Bristol cardstock. Good craftsmanship was emphasized. They also had to implement the elements and principles of design in their work.
Below are some of the composition sets that were submitted. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!
* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.
Combo by Abby JenkinsCombo by Breanna RochelleGeometric by Breanna RochelleOrganic by Breanna RochelleGeometric by Dylan TurnerGeometric by Forrest RussellCombo by Kaleb BakerOrganic by Kimberly KazmarkCombo by Landen RuckerCombo by Lexi BennettGeometric by Lexi BennettGeometric by Forrest BeasleyGeometric by Jillian LovatoOrganic by Jillian LovatoCombo by Laken BeasleyOrganic by Laken BeasleyCombo by Samantha MarshallGeometric by Samantha MarshallCombo by Taylor FikesGeometric by Taylor FikesGeometric by Wes Edgeworth
This semester I teach 2 sections of Design I. A new experience for me is teaching an overwhelming number of Landscape Architecture majors, along with Fine Art, Photo, Interior Design, and Floral Management. Also in semesters past I have taught more girls than boys, but this semester’s numbers even out more.
For their first project, we focused on line and the psychological meanings of straight and curvy line work. Students chose 1-3 adjectives to illustrate using line, creating a “line explosion.” The medium used to depict these lines included Sharpies and Micron pens of different thicknesses, and good craftsmanship was emphasized. They were to also implement the elements and principles of design in their work.
Fall 2016: For Design I’s final project, I wanted to do a collaborative vinyl installation similar to one my class did a couple years ago as blogged about HERE, but in a location with more permanency to be enjoyed by the public. Getting students outside of the classroom to put their skills to use opens them up to the realization that the things they are learning in this freshman level class has meaning and a place in the world.
I contacted Suddeth Elementary School in Starkville, MS to gauge their interest in the project. They happily accepted, and they considered windows throughout their campus that would be an inviting place for colorful vinyl stickers. This hallway with two sets of windows was chosen by their faculty committee for this project:
Next we had to determine a theme. Suddeth’s faculty committee decided to illustrate quotes based on kindness per set of windows: Plant Kindness, Grow Love and Throw Kindness Around Like Confetti.
My class was split so half were to work on one quote, and the other half focusing on the other quote. Each student brainstormed with a series of thumbnails, and I helped them narrow down to their best idea to be drawn in more detail on proportionally gridded spaces on typing paper in relation to the window dimensions. Then my students voted on the strongest sketches in the class, 3 designs for each quote for a total of 6 ideas.
I invited Principle Mosley to come to our class for a presentation of the top 6 sketches to choose the top theme for each quote. School counselor Mrs. Caradine joined her. After the presentations, they consulted their faculty committee and chose the final designs (labeled as WINNERs below).
Below are images of the top 6 sketches and presentations :
Meghan and Melissa were so excited to have their designs chosen!
I scanned in their designs and worked on various color combinations using Adobe Illustrator, only using yellow, blue, red, and green. I also added a fun elementary-feel typeface for the text in place of their sketched handwriting.
Meghan Norman’s design with colorMelissa Sones’ design with color
The vinyl was ordered and shipped, so it was time to cut out the stickers! The digital images were projected to scale onto our classroom wall. Students traced off the shapes onto the corresponding colors of vinyl with Sharpies, and handed them off to another group who cut out the shapes with an X-acto knife and peeled away the unnecessary background vinyl. Then large-surface masking tape was applied on top of the vinyl sticker and labeled to be fully prepped to operate as a sticker for installation day.
Finally it was installation day! Students carpooled over to the school that rainy morning and we got to work.
Organizing (and sometimes improvising) stickersPhoto by Megan Bean, MSU Public Affairs PhotographerPhoto by Megan Bean, MSU Public Affairs PhotographerWorking together to separate, organize, and install stickersPhoto by Megan Bean, MSU Public Affairs PhotographerPhoto by Megan Bean, MSU Public Affairs PhotographerThe finished product!The finished product!The whole crew: (Top left–right) Mary Katherine Swindoll, me, Tess Frazier, Savannah Martinez, Meghan Norman, Karleigh Harfst, Anna Terry, Hayden Hunt, Dee Triplett & Eric Lindsey. (Bottom left–right) Ashtyn Carpenter, Melissa Sones, Megan Henry, Caroline Fitzwater, Haley Lawrence & Elise Sears.
We greatly appreciate the opportunity of Suddeth Elementary School opening up their hallway for us to use as canvases, and hope the children and faculty enjoy these art installations for many years to come!
Fall 2016: For Design I’s fifth project, we focused on value. Students chose a photograph, magazine ad, or calendar photo, and were challenged to extract color from their chosen area, leaving only value. They painted 20–25% of the photo with white, black, and grey acrylic paint, following the original values so closely that their painted shape fit seamlessly on top of its unpainted photograph. This challenge was much like a “paint-by-number” activity. If a well-done solution is photographed or Xeroxed in black and white, it should be difficult to distinguish the area painted in greys from the original.
Below are some of the pieces that were submitted. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!
* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.
by Anna Terryby Ashtyn Carpenterby Haley Lawrenceby Karleigh Harfstby Megan Henryby Meghan Norman
Fall 2016: For Design I’s fourth project, we focused on texture. Students collected an assortment of black and white textures including…
• found (photography, magazines, books)
• rubbed (charcoal rubbing of physical texture on paper)
• created (using a range of mediums to invent a texture).
Then they collaged and glued them together into a quilt block pattern of their choice. They had to be precise and mindful of their workmanship. Since they were working with a grid and pattern, slight mistakes would be noticeable.
Below are some of the composition sets that were submitted. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!
* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.
by Anna Terryby Ashtyn Carpenterby Karleigh Harfstby Mary Katherine Swindollby Megan Henryby Meghan Normanby Melissa Sones
Fall 2016: For Design I’s third project, we focused on balance. Students constructed 4 compositions based on the following options of balance: symmetrical, asymmetrical, radial, and pattern. Their theme had to be inspired by the lyrics of a song or poem of their choosing. The medium used to depict these shapes was black construction paper, and good craftsmanship was emphasized. They also had to implement the elements and principles of design in their work. Some students even accepted the challenge of making 3D pop-up elements.
Below are a few of the composition sets that were submitted.
* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.
Song: “Georgia on My Mind” by Ray Charles; Design by Hayden HuntSong: “Poor Unfortunate Souls” from Little Mermaid; Design by Megan HenrySong: “A Whole New World” from Aladdin; Design by Meghan Norman
Brittany Spencer // Papermaking & Graphic Design 