Choose One of the Following Lessons

COURSE LEVEL/CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LEARNERS:

This lesson is designed for 7th through 12th graders ranging in age from twelve to eighteen
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Standards for
Art and Design in Parentheses Following Goals/Objectives

STATE STANDARDS ADDRESSED:

• Students will learn appropriate vocabulary related to their study of art (A2)
• Students will use art as a way of thinking and communicating (A6)
• Students will know and use elements and principals of design in sophisticated ways (C1)
• Students will develop the craft and skills to produce quality art (C6)
• Students will understand the natural characteristics of materials and their possibilities and limitations (C7)
• Students will reflect on their work during the creative process to assess and better understand their own artwork (C8)
• Students will assume personal responsibility for learning and the creative process (C10)
• Students will apply problem solving strategies that promote fluency, flexibility, elaboration, and originality (D6)
• Students will communicate complex ideas by producing design art forms, such as graphic design (E2)
  
• Students will understand some visual techniques used in mass media (F2)
  
• Students will know that visual images are important tools for thinking and communicating (G1)
• Students will work independently and collaboratively to produce ideas and works of art (I7)
• Students will learn to use art criticism and aesthetic knowledge in art and design (J7)
• Students will connect their knowledge and skills in art to other areas, such as mathematics (K1)
• Students will continue to use a variety of tools, such as more sophisticated application of images, emotions, and technology to help communicate about the visual world (K4)
• Students will develop a base of knowledge and skills from which to create new ideas (L2)

Formal Analysis:

• How was it done? Technical explanations, methods, compositions

Elements of design

• Form, Line, Shape, Color, Texture, Space, Value

Principles of art

• Movement,, Rhythm, Unity

LESSON RATIONALE

Over the period of time I have been working with students, it has come to my attention that we take for granted that our older students understand color. We assume that they know the simple concept of colors of the rainbow and can thereby apply that knowledge freely to the study of the color wheel. I have found this not to be true in many instances. Students who are taking art for the first time as a senior in high school may not even be able to identify the Primary Colors. Since color is such an important art element, I want to make sure my students have as full a command of that knowledge as possible in not only the traditional media of colored pencil but also in paint and the computer. Incorporating studio experiences with computer graphics and adding an online learning element seemed to me to be a great way to engage the chat room savvy student of today without sacrificing the hands on activities in the art room. It adds the technology component to the complex study of Color Theory. It also gives students who might not get a chance to take a computer graphics course in high school a chance to experience success in this field.

INTEGRATIVE ASPECTS OF THE LESSON:

• In the area of Mathematics Comprehension, students are using the visual/spatial concepts of symmetry, rotation, flipping an image both horizontally and vertically, and dividing a circle into twelve equal 30 degree angles.
  
• In the area of Communications,/Media students use the Blackboard Online Learning System to publicly post their work and messages about the work. They are also required to teach another student some aspect of the lesson which gives them the opportunity to hone their personal communication skills. It reenforces their learning and allows them to be the teacher of what they know.

  MOTIVATION/INTRODUCTION:

  • I will use a Powerpoint presentation to introduce the unit as a whole, giving the full scope and sequence of activities and expectations

  Pre-assignment activity: Color Theory Vocabulary Matching Game and Color Wheel/Value Worksheets

  
  

  COMPUTER GRAPHICS ART MAKING PROCEDURES/ACTIVITIES:

  Computer Supplies and Equipment List:

  (non-consumable)
  • Mac or PC computers loaded with Photoshop, Photoshop LE version (modified lesson), or Photoshop Elements
  • 1 or more digital cameras
  • optional photo quality color printer

  Materials

  (consumable)
  • optional glossy photo quality paper
  • optional color ink cartridges for color printing

Step-by-step directions for Color Wheel Self Portrait Computer Lab Activity:

• Teacher will show Powerpoint presentation of the Photoshop Color Wheel Self Portrait Assignment
  • Open up the file called CWBase.jpg (This will be the base layer for your project)
  • Open the photo you are going to use
  • Use the magic wand and eraser tools to separate out the image you need from the background
  • Crop extra headroom and resize the photo to 3.5"
  • Save this new file as Wedge with your initials (WedgeNS.jpg)
  • Use the Magic Wand tool to select the empty space around the image
  • Find Select inverse in the menu in order to select the image itself
  • Copy the selection and paste it into the CWBase.jpg (Notice that now you have two layers; The layer in which you are working will be highlighted)
  • Add two more copies of the photo and rotate (image/transform/rotate) into place
  • Save as Primary with your initials (PrimaryBG.jpg)
    
    
  • After saving as PrimaryBG.jpg, go to Image in the Menu Bar
  • Choose Rotate Canvas/Flip Horizontal/Flip Vertical to change the orientation
  • Save as SecondaryBG.jpg
  • You now have half the files you need saved to your folder
  • After saving as SecondaryBG.jpg, move and rerotate for tertiary warm colors
  • Save as TerWarmBG.jpg
  • Choose Rotate Canvas/Flip Horizontal/Flip Vertical to change the orientation
  • Save as TerCoolBG.jpg
  • You now have all the files you need saved to your folder
  • You will now colorize The Primaries & Secondaries
  • Choose layer (Image – Adjust - Hue/Saturation - Colorize) Resave
    
    
  • You will now colorize The Tertiaries
  • Choose layer (Image – Adjust - Hue/Saturation - Colorize) Resave
  • Make sure you have all four files saved to your folder
  • Click on the eye next to the background layer of the Primary file
  • Flatten the layers of the Primary file
  • Save as Final with your initials
    
  • You will now combine the layers into the Final file
  • Flatten the Secondary Layer
  • Use the Magic Wand to Select the Inverse and Copy
  • Paste into the Final File and resave
  • Flatten the TerWarm File
  • Flatten the TerCool File
  • Use the Magic Wand to Select the Inverse and Copy each
  • Paste both into the Final File
  • Flatten all Layers and save another copy as Final2
    
    
  • You will Work on one of your flattened file
  • You will use the Smudge tool to create wind effects in a repetitive way
  • Resave your final creation
  • You may experiment with other filters after you save the smudged version
  
  
  
  
  • Teacher will set up an online course using Blackboard Online Learning System
    
  • Students will learn to login and navigate around the Blackboard environment
  • Students will attach their finished Color Wheel to the Blackboard Discussion Board
    
    
    

    Complete Powerpoint Presentations showing step by step instructions and many more samples are available on a CD I have created.
    You can e-mail me if you are interested in the CD.

    Art Education Area; Department of Visual Art; Peck School of the Arts; University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
    Noreen Strehlow - Copyright October 2001