Studio Projects

Action Painting
Appliqué Banner
Group Mural
Pinhole Camera Photography
Pop-Up Cityscape
Print Motifs
Wire Sculpture

ACTION PAINTING

Jackson Pollock created his own technique to accomplish a style of painting known as action painting. The colors in his paintings related to his feelings when he began the work. The lines in his works appear to move or follow his feelings by being very quickly applied. Sometimes they are slowly dripped and drawn into his canvas. He did not use drawings or color sketches for his works but worked directly on the canvas.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
You will create an action painting using tempera on a large sheet of white paper. Choose colors that reflect how you are feeling before you begin to work. Warm colors can be used for feelings of happiness, excitement, or anger. Cool colors can be used to reflect calm, peacefulness, sadness, or serenity.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

• Sheet of white paper, 12 x 18 inch (30 x 46 cm)
• Tempera paints
• Brushes, varied sizes

WHAT YOU WILL DO

1. Select a color scheme that represents how you feel before you begin to paint. You can create striking art work by combining colors in ways that use tints or shades of the same hue (monochromatic). You may want to combine colors that share a hue, such as green, blue-green, and yellow-green (analogous). Or you might choose a third way to combine colors using a complementary color scheme to achieve contrast colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel, for example, yellow and purple.
2. Put a layer or two of newspaper down on the floor and on your work area for protection. Tape the corners of your white paper to the newspaper. Tape the newspaper to the work surface to keep it from moving.
3. Load your brush with the paint. Hold the brush over your paper and let the paint drip from your brush. Let the paint drip to relate to your mood—fast or slow drips. Whether you have fast or slow drips depends on how full your brush is and on the consistency of the paint. A brush full of thin paint will result in fast drips. A brush that is not as full will have slower drips. Also, if the paint you use is thick the drips will be slower.
4. Observe that lines of color will probably dominate your work, but try to create shapes by accident. Be sure to create balance and harmony in your composition.
5. As you examine your art, also check to see if you are achieving balance and harmony. To check for balance look at your entire composition and see if any one area is too overpowering. However, keep in mind that balance need not be symmetrical. Next check for harmony. Make sure the various elements in your work (drip patterns, dark versus light, size of spatters) are blended in a pleasing way to create a harmonious whole.
6. Stop occasionally while you work to look at the parts from every side of the paper.
7. When you feel your art work is finished, make sure to give the painting enough time to dry in a flat position. If you must move the work to a drying area, carefully carry your painting (still attached to the newspaper) to a flat surface. Let the painting dry and then remove the tape and trim the edges to give a clean professional look to your painting.
8. Show your work to classmates and ask them to interpret your feelings.

EVALUATING YOUR WORK

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APPLIQUÉ BANNER

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
You will create a personal banner by sewing fibers and fabrics and small found objects onto a shaped piece of fabric. The banner must show objects or designs that are symbolic of you. Include your name or initials on the banner. To give the banner unity use harmony of color and rhythm through repetition of line and shape. Use variety in the size of the negative spaces between the shapes and in the textures of fabric and stitches.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

• Sketch paper, pencil, and ruler
• Large sheet of newsprint
• Fabric scissors and straight pins
• Fabric for the banner
• Thick and thin sewing needles
• Small pieces of fabric
• A variety of fibers
• Small found objects
• Optional: A dowel rod or a wire coat hanger

WHAT YOU WILL DO

1. Plan the symbols you will include in your banner. List and draw them on your sketch paper. Remember to include your name or initials as one of the symbols. Collect a few small found objects that you might sew onto the banner such as a button from a special jacket, a ticket stub, an election button, a dried flower, a blue ribbon, or a stone from the river where you love to fish.
2. Practice some stitches on scrap fabric.
3. Plan the size and shape of your banner. Think about the space where you will hang it, and what you plan to include on it. If you plan to use a coat hanger, the banner can be no wider than the bottom rod of the coat hanger. Then design the way you will arrange the symbols on the shape of your banner. Remember to repeat lines and shapes to create a sense of rhythm. Vary the negative spaces. Make several rough sketches in your sketch book. Select your best design.
4. Make a pattern for the banner. Draw the shape on the newsprint paper. Use the ruler to measure and to make straight lines. Cut out the paper pattern. Pin it to your fabric, and cut the fabric to match the pattern.
5. Decide what harmonious color scheme you will use. Select fabrics and fibers to fit the color scheme.
6. Think about texture as you select fabrics and plan stitches. Decide which symbols will be made with fabric and sewn on to the banner, and which will be made with stitches. Draw on the scrap fabric with pencil and cut out the fabric pieces. Pin them in place, and sew them to the banner using the running stitch or the blanket stitch. Draw the symbols to be made with stitches onto the banner and stitch them with a variety of fibers.
7. Turn the sides and bottom of your banner under ¼ inch and sew a hem. Sew the top over a thin dowel rod or the bottom rod of a wire hanger. Attach string to the rod so that you can hang it up or you may decorate the wire areas of the coat hanger.
8. Place your work on display with your classmates. Can you recognize any by the symbols alone?

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GROUP MURAL

Have you ever seen large pictures painted on walls of buildings? These pictures are called murals. Do you wonder how the artist was able to draw the mural on the wall and keep everything in proportion to one another?
To make murals, artists begin by making a small drawing on paper. They add details and color. Next they create an enlarging grid that is in proportion to the finished product. Using the grid as a guide, the picture is drawn the wall. (See Technique Tip 5, Handbook page 271.)

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
You will work with your classmates to create a wall mural. The mural will be planned for a specific wall in your school or community. Before you begin, get permission from your art teacher and school administrators and determine how the project will be financed. If that is not possible you can paint on butcher paper or plywood and display your artwork temporarily in an appropriate area.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

• Sketch paper, pencil, and eraser
• Ruler, tape measure, yardstick, or meter-stick
• Chalk
• Acrylic paints and brushes
• Specific wall to be painted
• Drop cloth
• Safe ladder
• Cleaning materials, such as sponges, soaps, and buckets of water

WHAT YOU WILL DO

1. As a group, brainstorm ideas that could be used for a mural. The subject of your mural could be based on native traditions, school or community events, or social statements. Discuss possibilities and as a group decide on a theme for the mural.
2. Develop thumbnail sketches based on the theme. Show these sketches to community officials, school administrators, teachers, and other students. Make adjustments to the plan as needed.
3. Identify the specific wall where the mural may be painted. Measure the length and width of the area that the final product will take. Determine the materials which make up the wall. Consult with your teacher to find out what pre-treatment is necessary and what medium should be used on the wall.
4. Assign one or two people to render the final composition, which includes ideas and sketches from the entire group. Render the final design in color. Show it to the entire group and make adjustments as needed.
5. Develop an enlargement grid for the drawing and identify a scale for smaller drawings to the mural. For instance, 1 inch on the grid equals a wall measurement of 1 foot.
6. Place drop cloths on the floor and protect the surrounding area as needed. Divide the wall into squares on the wall to match the squares on the paper. Begin to enlarge the plan one square at a time.
7. Continue working until the mural is complete.

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PINHOLE CAMERA PHOTOGRAPHY

As with other works of art, learning to make photographs like this takes skill and practice. It does not, however, take an expensive camera. A simple homemade pinhole camera will allow you to test your skills as a photographer. Pinhole cameras work by letting the photographed image enter a darkened box through a tiny hole. The image is captured on a piece of film attached to the inside lid of the box.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
You will build a pinhole camera using simple materials found around the house. You will make a photograph using your camera.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

• Scissors or cutting knife
• Empty round oatmeal box with a lid
• Flat back spray paint
• Square of heavy-duty aluminum foil, 2 inch (5 cm)
• Needle or sharp pin
• Masking tape
• Square of cardboard, 1 inch (3 cm)
• Sheets of Kodak Plus-X film, 4 x 5 inches (10 x 13 cm)
• Sheet of white paper, 12 x 18 inches (30 x 46 cm)

SAFETY TIP
Use spray paint outdoors or in a well ventilated area. Be careful not to inhale the fumes from the paint.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

1. Using the scissors or cutting knife, cut a ½-inch (13 mm) square hole in the bottom of the oatmeal box. The hole should be as close to the center as possible. Paint the inside of the box and the lid with spray paint. Set them aside to dry.
2. Hold the piece of aluminum foil against a hard, flat surface. Using the needle or pin, carefully poke a pin-size hole at the center. Make sure the hole is crisp and sharp. A ragged or too-large hole will produce a blurry image.
3. Place the foil inside the box. Line it up so the pinhole is centered over the hole at the bottom. Using the masking tape, attach the foil to the bottom of the box. Place the cardboard square over the hole on the outside bottom of the box. Fasten the square along one side with tape, making a hinged flap.
4. In a darkroom, cut a piece of film to fit inside the lid of the box. Try to handle the film by the edges only because touching the film may cause blurs on the image. Tape the film in place. Place the lid on the box. Hold the cardboard flap closed until you are read to shoot a picture.
5. Choose a subject that is outdoors in bright sunlight. Standing about 10 feet away from your subject, set the camera down on a flat unmoving surface. Prop the camera with cloth or crumpled paper towel, so it won’t roll or move while you are taking your pictures. Aim the bottom of the box at your subject. Lift the flap, and hold it open for about 15 seconds. Close the flap. Holding it in place, return to the darkroom to develop your photo.

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POP-UP CITYSCAPE

Art, as you have learned, may be judged using three different aesthetic views. One of these views holds that what matters most in a work is a realistic subject. A second view states that what is most important in art is form. A third view argues that content is what counts most.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
You will create a three-dimensional pop-up cityscape. Your work will be guided by one of the three aesthetic views describe previously. The cityscape will have three parts—a foreground, a middleground, and a background. You will use the principle of proportion to organize the element of space.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

• Pencil and sketch paper
• Four pieces of illustration board: one 3 x 12 inches (8 x 30 cm), one 6 x 12 inches (15 x 30 cm), one 9 x 12 inches (23 x 30 cm), one 10 x 12 inches (25 x 30 cm)
• School tempera paints and several brushes
• Ruler, scissors, masking tape and white glue
• Two scrap pieces of illustration board, 3 x 2 inches (8 x 5 cm)
• Two strips of heavy construction paper, 7 x 2 inches (18 x 5 cm)

WHAT YOU WILL DO

1. Decide which of the three aesthetic views you want your cityscape to resemble most. Will it have a realistic subject? Will it focus on lines, textures, and shapes? Will it capture a feeling?
2. Once you have chosen a style, make three sets of pencil sketches for your cityscape. One set should focus on the low buildings and shapes that will appear in the foreground. This set should have the most detail and color. A second should focus on the buildings and shapes of medium height that will appear in the middleground. A third should focus on the tall buildings and shapes that will appear in the background. Include details of design. The three sections of illustration board should be cut at the top edge to show the roofline of the buildings on each.
3. Use the first three pieces of illustration board and transfer your best sketches to three of the sections of illustration board. Carefully paint the buildings and shapes in each section.
4. Turn the remaining piece of illustration board so the 12-inch (30-cm) side is facing you. Placing the ruler firmly against the near edge, make a pencil’s mark 3 inches (8 cm) from either end. Make two more pencil dots the same distance from the ends of the opposite side. Connect each pair of parallel dots with a light rule.
5. Line up the foreground panel (the smallest section) along one rule. Holding the foreground panel upright, attach it along its back to the base panel. Use strips of masking tape for this task. The tape should work as a hinge. Attach the middleground and background to the base in a similar fashion.
6. Center a scrap of illustration board on a strip of construction paper. Join the two pieces with glue. When dry, bend the flaps up to form a letter U. Apply glue to one flap. Attach the flap to the back of the foreground panel. Be careful about keeping the U-joint as out of sight as possible. Apply glue to the other flap. Attach it to the front of the middleground panel. Repeat this task to join the middleground and background panels.
7. Display your work. Compare it with that of other students.

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PRINT MOTIFS

Artists have always found nature to be a rich source for inspiration. Patterns created by repeated designs can be found in nature all around us. Something as common as interesting patterns left in the sand by an insect’s tracks can inspire an artist’s imagination.

Creating a pattern by repeating a motif can be easily accomplished by using a printing technique. Patterns on fabric, wallpaper, or wrapping paper are often printed.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
You will create a printed pattern to decorate wrapping paper for a special holiday. You will glue bits of plastic foam to a piece of wood to create a relief block for printing. Your wrapping paper will be decorated by a rhythmic pattern created by repeated printing.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

• Scratch paper, pencil, and eraser
• Small piece of wood
• Foam packing trays, or any pieces of reusable plastic foam
• Scissors or cutting knife, glue
• Butcher paper, 12 x 24 inch (30 x 61 cm)
• Printer’s ink or tempera paint, brushes
• Newspaper

WHAT YOU WILL DO

1. Consider some of the holidays that are less advertised. You might research a special holiday celebrated in another country, or you might decide to create wrapping paper that has a personal design for someone special. This person could be someone you know, someone famous, or even an imagined character.
2. Using pencil and scratch paper, sketch some designs that you might use. Remember you will be cutting out a piece of plastic foam to glue on a wood block. Use your pencil to draw the outline of a shape that can be cut out. Keep your design simple. Consider whether your design will have formal or informal balance. Remember even a small motif must have unity or a sense of wholeness to it.
3. Select your best sketch. Draw the shape on the plastic and cut it out. If you use more than one shape, carefully determine how they are to be arranged on the wood block. Remember the space between the shapes will be left white. Again think about the unity of your motif. When you are satisfied, glue the shape down.
4. Place a pad of newspaper under the butcher paper for better defined prints. Carefully paint the plastic foam shape on your wood block with ink or tempera paint and begin printing. Be sure to add more paint each time you make a print.
5. You may decide to make prints using different colors. Let the paint dry on your block before adding a new color. Be sure to plan ahead of time when a new color will be added to your pattern.

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WIRE SCULPTURE

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
You will construct a freestanding wire sculpture. The finished sculpture will be a three-dimensional objective form. It will be created entirely of wire lines. You can bend, curve, and twist the wire to make a variety of large and small shapes. Your figure should show movement. It should also suggest a feeling, such as happiness, sadness, or fright.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

• Sketch paper, pencil, and eraser
• 14-gauge steel wire, 35 inch (89 cm) piece
• Pair of needle nose pliers
• Optional: foam or wood block for base, 6 x 6 inch (15 x 15 cm)

WHAT YOU WILL DO

1. Decide what subject you will use for your true-to-life form. Think of the features and feelings that will be associated with your figure. Identify other objects that may be part of your sculptural form, such as a bike, kite, or balloon.
2. Make a pencil sketch of the form you see in your imagination. Use one continuous line to create this true-to-life form. Keep your form simple and concentrate on the line used. Continue to reshape and redraw until you are happy with your sketch.
3. Grasp your wire at one end. Choose the part of the subject in your sketch where your sculpture will begin. (You will not be cutting the wire; your sculpture will be made of one continuous wire line.) Bend, curve, and twist the wire until it resembles the part you chose. Then move on to the next part. Continue working on one part at a time.
4. As you work, use a mixture of large, curved twists and small, tight, twists. This will give interest and variety to your sculpture.
5. If your sculpture can stand on its own, you won’t need to mount it on a base unless you want to. However, if your work needs mounting, attach it to a plastic foam or wood block, using wire bent into hooks, or small screws.
6. Display your finished sculpture with those of your classmates in a gallery in front of the class. Stroll through the gallery, comparing the different sculptures you and your classmates created. It is more important to catch the feeling of life, movement, and uniqueness than to be overly concerned with exact proportion and details.

SAFETY TIP
Before beginning to form your sculpture, cover both ends of the wire with masking tape or electrician’s tape. While working, wear protective eye goggles. Both of these tips will help prevent you from scratching or poking your eyes and skin while you work.

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