Artists Books & Arts Integration

Maria Barbosa

Book Arts Installation Art

works with

GAIN, Global Arts Integration Network (Director)

Arts in Education, MD State Arts Council

Kennedy Center Teaching Artist

Young Audiences of Maryland

Anne Arundel County Public Schools

Purpose of Workshop Introduce an art form: Artist’s Books

Create Artist’s Book

Help students improve reading comprehension skills

Communicate in the visual mode

Organize ideas and thoughts

RationaleCreating art work is a personal experience

Student uses personal resources to generate result

Book arts emphasize visual mode of communication

(WARNING: THIS WORKSHOP IS NOT ABOUT FOLDING PAPER!)

Knowledge Objectives

Skills Objectives

Overview of Workshop

Enduring Understandings

Essential Questions

Activity 1The “Guess what?” book

Organizing Thought

Making Inferences

Knowledge ObjectivesThat books help organize ideas and narratives

How students can use hand-made books to improve their reading comprehension skills such as making inferences

That visual communication is effective

Skills ObjectivesAssemble one book structure

Use the book to organize thought

Use the book to help students question, determine importance, infer, and synthesize ideas

Communicate in the visual mode

Procedure Assembly

• Form groups of 4-5 students• See diagram on page 17• Follow instructor's

demonstration (with children, you may use a printed pattern)

• Assemble the "Guess what?" book

1

The Book

✕ ✕

1 ✓

2☜

☝

☟3

4

☞

2, 3 & 4 ➔ SHAPES

COLOR

• Choose an object in the room• Determine what is the top, bottom, and

side of your chosen object• Observe visual characteristics of the

object (clues/attributes)• Dominant color (1)• Dominant shape in side view (2)• View from the top (use only shapes,

no texture or shading) (3)• View from the bottom (use only

shapes) (4)

2

1 ✓

2☜

☝

☟3

4

☞

2, 3 & 4 ➔ SHAPES

COLOR

• Follow instructions on the flaps

• Draw unerneath the flaps:• #1: Dominant color• #2: Dominant shape - side

view• #3: Shapes seen on the top of

the object• #4: Shapes seem on the the

bottom of the object

3

• Give new title to the book

• Place title on the cover

• Write your name and date on back cover

4

Procedure The Game

• Discuss with group what should be included in the group's book

• Create group's book

1

• Exchange books with another group2

• Guess what object is described in the other group's book

• Consult with the other group• Verify your answer3

• Back in original small groups

• Discuss the success of your book and of your guess

• Examine how clues helped decisions

4

Reflection QuestionsFEEL

Do you feel that the ”Guess what?” book could help your ESOL students improve their reading comprehension skills?

THINK

Thinking back on the activity, could you recall instances that would help students question, determine importance, infer, and synthesize?

 TRANSFORM

What changes would you make to the ”Guess what?” book activity to help your students?

Activity 2Defining The Artist’s Book

Knowledge ObjectivesWhat an artist’s book is

The difference between a book and artist’s book

The character of an art object

Skills Objectives Identify an artist’s book

Differentiate between a book and an artist’s book

Identify an art object

Procedure: Defining the Artist’s Books

• Examine the two books shown on page 25

• Use the checklist on page 26 to identify the artist's book1

• Select the book you believe to be the artist’s book2

Book #1

Book # 2

CHECKLIST – Find the Artist’s Book

DESCRIPTION CRITERIA BOOK 1 BOOK 2

The title and the images on the cover describe or suggest the most important idea in the book

Main Idea

The text, images, and book structure describe or suggest the underlying statement the author is trying to convey

Theme

The text, images, and book structure are arranged to aid understanding

Organization

The text, images, and book structure communicate the author’s feelings and/or point of view

Voice

The text, images, and book structure awake the viewer’s feelings (e.g., happiness, sadness, peacefulness)

Mood

The book is a container of information Function

The use of the elements of art (color, line, form, shape, space, texture, and value) strengthen the book’s theme, mood, and sequence

Use of elements of Art

The images represent the mood, characters, and setting

Image selection

The book was assembled with the most careful attention to visual and structural detail

Craftsmanship

The artist’s book is

Criteria through images

1 2

43

5

• Share your findings with a group of 4 -5 teachers3

• On page 27, write what you believe to be the attributes of the artist’s book. Write your group conclusion on a large paper

• Post the large paper for all to see. The list of attributes will be read aloud and discussed with the whole class.

4

Reflection QuestionsFEEL

How do you feel an artist’s book is different from a common book?

THINK

Think about and write down a definition for artist’s books

TRANSFORM

Share the definition with your small group (4-5 teachers), and write a

group definition on a large paper. Your group will share their

definition in a classroom discussion.

Activity 3Creating The Artist’s Book

Knowledge Objectives That artists sketch or create models before they work

on their final work

That artist’s books are created by artists to express thoughts, feelings, and experiences

That artists question, probe, infer, make choices, consider cause and effect when creating artwork

That an art work is the synthesis of an artist’s thoughts, feelings, or experiences

That students can communicate visually

That we learn about the artist when looking at her/his artwork

Skills Objectives Create a model of the artist’s book

Create an art object to express thoughts, feelings, and experiences

Question, probe, infer, and select effective images and composition

Combine (synthesis) and organize images into an artist’s book

Visually represent a central idea and a ground situation

Visually describe their neighborhood and home

Learn about other teachers

Procedure: Creating the Artist’s Book

• See diagram on page 32 and exemplar

• Follow instructor's demonstration

• Use printed pattern to assemble the book

• Observe that the house has an inside and an outside

1

•Start by working on the outside of the book•Visualize your neighborhood and how your home fits in it•Think of what makes your neighborhood different from any other•Use the elements of art to represent your neighborhood•Place your house on the front of the book.•Make sure the opening of the book matches the opening of the house

2

• Work on the inside of the book

• Think of what makes your favorite place in your home so special

• Use the elements of art to represent your favorite place

• Include yourself in the drawing

3

• Use checklist on page 33 to assure you have done everything you need to do

• Use the analytical rubric on page 34 to see where you are in the process of creating the book

• On page 35, write a title for your book, and, in a paragraph, describe what your book is about

• KEEP THIS INFORMATION TO YOURSELF

4

CHECKLIST – Creating the Artist’s Book

DESCRIPTION CRITERIA ✓

The title and the images on the cover describe or suggest the most important idea in the book

Main Idea

The text, images, and book structure describe or suggest the underlying statement the author is trying to convey

Theme

The text, images, and book structure are arranged to aid understanding

Organization

The text, images, and book structure communicate the author’s feelings and/or point of view

Voice

The text, images, and book structure awake the viewer’s feelings (e.g., happiness, sadness, peacefulness)

Mood

The use of the elements of art (color, line, form, shape, space, texture, and value) strengthen the book’s theme, mood, and sequence

Use of elements of Art

The images represent the mood, characters, and setting

Image selection

The book was assembled with the most careful attention to visual and structural detail

Craftsmanship

Reflection Questions The title of my book is…

My book describes…

FEEL

At this point, do you feel that creating an artist’s book will help your students improve their reading comprehension skills?

THINK

How do you think this activity may help your students?

TRANSFORM

What could you adapt this activity to the needs of your students?

Activity 4“Reading” The Artist’s

Book

Knowledge Objectives Artist’s books communicate the artist’s ideas,

thoughts, and experiences

A “reader” of an artist’s book use her/his experiences and previous knowledge to decode the message

A “reader” of an artist’s book questions, probes, infers, makes choices, and considers cause and effect

Diverse readers may interpret the artist’s book in different ways

The clarity of the message depends on the proper use of the elements of art, and on the cultural make-up of the “readers”

Skill Objectives “Read” or decode an art object

Recognize meaning on visual images and on the book as a whole

Make connections between themselves and the artist’s book

Question, probe, and understand the selection of images, composition, and structure

Understand the importance of the elements of art as the basis for visual communication

Understand the effect of culture on communication

Learn about each other

Procedure: ”Reading” the Artist’s Book

• Exchange your artist's book with someone on your table

• Examine ("read") your partner's artist's book

• Give a title to your partner's book. Place it on page 40

• Also on page 40, write a sentence to describe your partner's book

1

Exercise sheet, page 40

The title of my partner’s book is…

My partner’s book describes…

• Ask your partner to tell you about her or his book

• Talk about how much your reading coincides with, or differ from, your partner's intention

2• Use rubric on page 34 to discuss how

to refine your visual narrative3

Exercise sheet, page 40

Was my interpretation similar to my partner’s

intention?

Reflection QuestionsFEEL

At this point of the workshop, do you feel that creating and reading artist’s books could help your students improve their reading comprehension skills?

THINK

How do you think this activity may help your students?

TRANSFORM

What could you do to adapt this activity to the needs of your students?

ClosureEXHIBITION OF ARTIST’S BOOKS

REVIEW OF ACTIVITIES