Lesson #1: Exploring drawing and painting tools on a computer

Part of the unit: Digital Storyboarding |
Download PDF of Lesson
Download PDF of Lesson

Goals

Students will be able to:
explore ways in which artists can combine different mediums and materials when working digitally
re-use and re-position their material without losing the originals
use the painting and drawing tools on AppleWorks to create a digital "exquisite corpse
import images into their compositions
explain how the Surrealists made artwork from their dreams to escape the depressing nature of their reality
write poems inspired by their dreams
Materials
  • Visual chart or Xeroxed instructions for using drawing and painting tools in AppleWorks
  • Exquisite Corpse by Man Ray, Miro, Tanguy, and Morise
  • Computer projector and laptop for teacher demo
  • At least 15 computers with AppleWorks and Internet access
  • Printer
  • "Night Garden" by Janet Wong,

Motivation & Demonstration

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Motivation: 
Students will view the projected image of an "exquisite corpse" made by Man Ray, Max Morise, Yves Tanguy, and Joan Miro in 1926. Do you remember how we used AppleWorks on the computers to draw and paint, last year? Well, I know how much you all enjoyed that, so we're going to spend some more time exploring new ways that artists can use computers to make art! Let's get started... I want you all to look at this image on the screen: What do you see? What does it remind you of? Does it look as if it would be fun to make? Why? Do you think it was made by one artist or more than one? What about the image makes you think this? How do you think this was made? (One artist drew something, folded the paper over, passed it to a friend and asked them to add to the drawing; then the paper was folded over again and passed to another friend until the paper was full. Then it was unfolded to see the creation as a whole.) Why do you think this game is called an exquisite corpse? Why might these artists have made this image? Do you think artists used computers to make art in 1926, over 80 years ago? How do you think this image was made? How do you think we can use a computer, in a fun way, to make art like this?"
Demonstration: 
The teacher will review the drawing and painting tools in AppleWorks and demonstrate how to use Google to search for an image, save it, import it into AppleWorks, and move and crop it within the digital canvas. Before students come to class, there should be clear, illustrated instructions written on large chart paper or Xeroxed for each student, on using the drawing and painting tools on AppleWorks, and searching, importing, cropping, and moving images. Through demonstration and continued use and discussion of these tools and functions, students will understand the similarities and differences between drawing on a computer and by hand, and why an artist might prefer one tool over the other. Okay, let's see how we can have some fun and learn to use these tools to make an exquisite corpse. You're going to be playing this game in pairs very soon, so for these next few minutes, I want you to pretend that I am two people! I'm going to start by drawing something on the top of the canvas. What tool should I use to draw? How can I change the thickness of the brush or pencil? I'm now going to scroll up on the canvas, hiding everything but the very end of my drawing, and turn the computer over to my partner. My partner now adds to the drawing, connecting the visible end to his own drawing. How can he change the color of the line? How can he fill in a shape with a selected color? Why does the color leak out of the shape? What does he need to do to make sure that the color stays within the drawn shape? Now that my partner has completed his addition, he will scroll up on the canvas hiding everything but the very end, and he turns the computer back to me. Now it's my turn again. I want to copy and paste an image from the Internet into this image. How can I search for an image on the Internet? How can I copy and paste this image into the digital canvas? How can I re-size this image so it fits on the canvas? Now that I am done, I will scroll, hide, and turn the computer over to my partner. He can add his part by drawing something or copying and pasting as I did. Maybe he wants to copy and paste two of the same thing and move them around the canvas. How can he paste two of the same image on the canvas? How can he move these to different places on the canvas? How can he change their size and erase a part of them, if he wants to? How can he undo something, if he makes a mistake? (Teacher demonstrates each of the above skills as they are discussed) Now that he's done, my partner can turn the computer over to me, and we can keep going, taking turns, trying out new things, until the canvas is full. I know you're all excited to get started, so I will stop here and show you what my partner and I have made so far. Remember, the best part is the surprise in the end. So don't peek at your partner's additions while you're still working. Also, I want you to challenge yourself and try something new at each turn.
Worktime
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Description: Now that you've reviewed how to use some painting and drawing tools and learned how to play this fun game, you will be working with a partner to create an image in this fashion. Take turns exploring and practicing using the tools, and importing, cropping, and moving images, to create a digital exquisite corpse. Making a Digital Exquisite Corpse - Each student in the pair will take turns drawing or importing a part of an image and adding it to the digital canvas until they run out of space. The instructions should direct the students to work small, practice a different skill at each turn, and hide their part of the image by scrolling down on the canvas before their partner has their turn. Some of the best ways to search for images on the Internet are: www.google.com/images/ ( allows one to search for small, medium, or large images) www.metmuseum.org/timeofarthistory/ www.nypl.org/digitalcollection/
Reflection & Assessment
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Description: Ask a volunteer to select one of the student-created digital exquisite corpses and try to figure out how it was made. Ask questions such as: What are some of the tools the artist might have used? What is another way the artist could have achieved the same result? Turn to the artists who created the image, and ask: What were some of the challenges you faced? How was this experience different from drawing directly on paper? What were some surprising discoveries you made as you worked?
Homework/Extension
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The classroom teacher should have read aloud one poem from Janet Wong's Night Garden, shown the students the accompanying illustration by Julie Paschkis, and discussed the relationship between text and image and how many artists incorporate both in their work. Students should have answered questions such as: What do you see in this image? How does the image relate to the words? What are some of the words that caught your attention as you listened to the poem? Homework: Using Janet Wong's Night Gardenas an inspiration, write a narrative, three-part poem inspired by a dream or your imagination.