Class 6

November 8, 2019

Natural Materials in Art

In this project, we will be experimenting with different pigments and tools found in nature, such as sticks, rocks, grasses, spices, and berries, to make an abstract painting. This will be relevant to the students because they are exposed to the natural world all the time, and can start to see the beauty in the natural world after learning how to use it in art.

Essential Understanding

Artists and designers use natural materials to make art.

Learning Targets

I can experiment with natural materials to create drawings and paintings that incorporate color and texture.

I can explain how artists and designers use natural materials as a way of incorporating color and texture into their art.

Key Concepts

1.After introducing the four stations through brief demonstrations, (spices, berries, rocks/charcoal, plant material/dirt), using natural materials students will be able to successfully create experimental drawings and paintings that incorporate color and texture.

2.After looking at contemporary artists, students will be able to explain how artists and designers use natural materials as a way of incorporating color and texture into their art.

Skills

Imagination
Ideation
Exploration

Documentation

Studio Habit: Stretch and Explore

For this class, the students listened to jurassic sound effects in order to "time travel" back in time. The learning target it to explore with different organic materials in order to feel what its like to create with materials that were used before modern materials were created. Students were encouraged to stretch and expand their ideas of ways in which they can make art. Students were encouraged to explore the different ways they can use natural materials to make art.

In this video, the student stretched and explored their use of sticks as tools for painting, and berries as their medium. The student worked to keep the piece clean by painting things that are special to them.

In this video, the student stretched and explored their use of berry juice and used certain strokes to create a texturized design.

In this video, the student stretched and explored their use of pigments by mixing multiple spices together, and using the product as a paint by adding water to it as well.

In this video, the student stretched and explored their use of every material offered and created a collage of natural materials. The student made a specific spot for each of the materials in order to compare the uses side by side.

This student used their gloves as their main tool to play with the material and its texture. In fact, they used their gloves as the textured part of the piece. The student was interested in the lines their gloves made during their exploration with how charcoal can be used.

Instead of picking up the charcoal pieces and using them to draw, these students figured out they could rub off some of the material onto their gloves, and use their hands as their tools. The students enjoyed using this technique because it was easier to smear the material to create value.

This student played with the water we had set out on the table. The student figured out that they could shave part of the charcoal block on top of the water to create a shiny appearance. The student also explored with what would happen if they smeared the water and what pigment that would create on the paper.

At this station, the student used an dropper to mix spices and water to mix with the sand and berries previously added to their piece. The student enjoyed using the eye dropper because their hands didn't get as messy. Their favorite part of this station was seeing all of the colors come together from the spices and berries.

The student started this piece with berries being spread around as the background with a stick. They figured out how to splatter the spices and juice from the berries to show texture around the background. The student stretched and explored how they used these materials they have not worked with before this class.

This student used a technique of putting the sand down first and then adding water with the dropper. He found that the sand was more pigmented when the water was added second, vs. when he added it on top of the water.

This student used their finger as their tool to create small circles in the sand. Though this technique did not make the circles permanent however, the student enjoyed exploring the way the sand felt, and the shapes she could create with just their finger.

This student used the water dropper to make small droplets on their paper before sprinkling the sand on top and blowing the excess sand off. This created small circular sand mounds on the paper. The student stretched and explored what they used these materials for, since they have not used them before in an art class.

This student figured out that the more water you add to the spice, the lighter it gets and the easier it is to spread. The student went on to break up the sticks in order to use them as a brush.