Grade 11 Art (Wuhan 2020 - 2021)

COLOURED ZENTANGLES

Focussing on the stylisation of photographic resources and reference material, students explored the repetitive, mindful process of using the relatively new pattern-making technique of Zentangles. Emphasis was placed on the BC curriculum and exploring new creative processes, image development strategies, the Elements of Art (with focus on line, shape, form, tone and texture) as well as the Principles of Design (focussing specifically on contrast, balance, emphasis, repetition and unity). Whilst Zentangles are usually black and white, an additional level of interest was added through the use of colour.

ZENTANGLES

Focussing on the stylisation of photographic resources and reference material, students explored the repetitive, mindful process of using the relatively new pattern-making technique of Zentangles. Emphasis was placed on the BC curriculum and exploring new creative processes, image development strategies, the Elements of Art (with focus on line, shape, form, tone and texture) as well as the Principles of Design (specifically contrast, balance, emphasis, repetition and unity). The complexity of creating a sense of volume without shading was explored by juxtaposing zentangle patterns with varying levels of contrast.

CULTURALLY-INSPIRED PATTERNS

This activity was centred on exploring and utilising existing art-making techniques, methods and iconography as inspiration for creating a unique product or design. Students all used the same four images as a starting point for their compositions. Before embarking on this process, the cultural use of pattern-making in traditional Australian aboriginal, Canadian First Nations, African Zulu and Islamic cultures was studied in order to understand the stylistic choices and iconography used in the four examples. These solutions were carefully considered and students expressed a variety of interpretations.

EXQUISITE CORPSE

Before completing the Pattern unit with little sculptures or fantasy paintings, students were exposed to the ideas of the Modern art movement Surrealism. Exquisite Corpse was a popular game played by Surrealists in the 1920s to both connect with the collective ‘unconscious’ of the group and explore the idea of ‘chance.’ Students worked in groups of four to tap into the creative potential of their subconscious minds.

An A4 piece of paper was folded into four equal sections. Each student drew a ‘head’ trying to avoid conventional and clichéd solutions. The page was then folded (so that that the next young artist would draw without being influenced by the existing head) and passed to the group member on the right. Next, the upper torso was drawn. The paper was once again folded over to hide the existing drawing and passed to the group member on the right. The waist was drawn. Paper folded. Passed to the final group member, who completed the feet. Only small lines at the top of each section indicated where the next young artist would start. After completing the feet, each group member would keep the paper they had in their possession and open the drawing, revealing the unusual character. The next part of the task involved taking ownership of the collaborative character and redrawing and shading it to create a believable sense of volume. Minor adjustments could be made, but the character had to stay true to the group effort.

In a professional context, artists often have to work from a brief or meet the requirements of the patron commissioning a work. It was also a fun collaborative process and as the character was purely imaginative, students’ understanding of how tone is used to create a believable sense of volume was assessed. It also paved the way for thinking about exploring and splicing existing reference in the creation of fantasy characters (for the Alebrije sculpture and Exquisite Characters in Fantasy Landscapes painting projects). Imagination and novel processes were explored whilst investigating Art History and a post-war context.

ALEBRIJES

The Grade 11 curriculum used in the art classrooms at Maple Leaf in Wuhan has aimed at providing students with a variety of opportunities to explore art making through a range of materials, processes and technologies.

Alebrijes are brightly coloured and heavily patterned fantasy creatures created initially by the Mexican folk artist Pedro Linares. Linares credits his inspiration to a fever-induced dream-like state he experienced when gravely ill. The links to pattern and the alternate states used by Surrealist artists to tap into the ‘unconscious’ or subconscious mind made creating these Alebrijes a fun way to both dabble in the three-dimensional process of sculpture as well as create artistic works using sensory inspiration and imagination. Students explored a number of combinations, ensuring that their final ‘creatures’ had elements of land, water, air and fiery animals. They actively resolved creative challenges whilst exploring the work of traditional and innovative visual artists from a variety of movements and contexts.

FLOWERS: TONAL STUDIES

These tonal studies were completed as part of the process of generating ideas for the printmaking project. A range of organic shapes were explored with flowers as subject matter. These flowers were later stylised into either organic or more geometric designs in which students drew their initial inspiration from nature. These images were generally comprised of a number of different reference images. Whilst the reference material was photographic, emphasis was placed on pattern, repetition and composition as well as avoiding visual plagiarism. Use of students’ own photographs was encouraged.

PRINTMAKING

For this project students used the reference images sourced for their tonal studies, with flowers as subject matter, or they explored the theme Made in China in which they looked at their rich cultural histories and what made them proud to be Chinese citizens, given the unique state of the world at the moment and the fact that they all have plans to study abroad and immerse themselves in different cultures. With a strong focus on image development techniques, students explored at least three variations of their designs, selecting their favourites for the final print. This option was manipulated in the Visual Journal to make it conducive to the process of carving. Texture was a focus, as traditional techniques of creating tonal range and volume cannot be utilised in the carving process.

The printmaking process requires carving an image in reverse, and students completing the flower designs experimented with colouring the paper before printing in order to create visually interesting compositions. They ‘guessed’ where the objects would appear in the final print, knowing that the iconography and colour would probably be misaligned. This created an unpredictable dimension to the prints further enabling students to relinquish control and experiment with ‘chance’. Students completing the Made in China theme added a layer of colour by making monoprints, over which they printed their final designs. This added a fun dimension to the work enabling students to acknowledge how experimenting with process can lead to novel outcomes. One should not rely on executing a preconceived idea when planning an artwork but rather enter into the process with an open mind, allowing the act of ‘making’ to initiate artistic growth and development.

Students developed personal answers to aesthetic questions when planning their compositions when either transforming the iconography into organic or more geometric shapes, or placing it within an interesting composition that expressed their personal responses to social and environmental issues. Their final prints reflected their individual stories, and/or values.

They were required to demonstrate safe and responsible use of materials, tools, and work space as they carved their tiles and later engaged in the ‘messy’ production of their editions.

WATERCOLOUR PORTRAITS

Grade 11s finished off the year with a little fun creating self-portraits or portraits of people they find interesting using the medium of watercolour. After investigating the medium through the creation of experimental landscapes, they explored the genre of portraiture. They utilised their personal voices, styles and approaches to explore aesthetic questions and experiences, winding down from a challenging year.