Fate short tales lesson details

FATE’s Short Tales from Foundations Practice CAA 2013 1

Mark Allen Graham Professor, Department of Visual Arts Brigham Young University The Meditation Collections

At the edge of nothingness and invisibility is the materiality of collecting. These

reminders of what cannot be seen include reliquaries containing the bones of saints, Buddhist shrines, and boxes designed to capture the fleeting experience of a day together. The project described below focused on material culture and collecting as art as a prelude to investigating the practices of installation art. Magical Objects

Objects have their own language and collecting is a dialect with its own meanings, narratives, and sense of memory. Sacred objects in medieval reliquaries held deep symbolic meaning connected to complex religious stories. These objects were encased in shrines where they were catalysts for contemplation and worship. The Wunderkammer or European cabinets of curiosities told stories about the elusive relationship between art and science. They were created to inspire wonder about the mystery inherent in the natural world and suggested that there was a fundamental link between nature and art. In the Wunderkammer, each unique and marvelous object held the promise of an ancient body of learning, a lost secret that waited only for the passionate gaze of the collector to become known. They reflected a fascination with the origins of life and the relationship between reason and magic. Surrealist artists echoed the Wunderdammer’s juxtaposition of the strange and marvelous by putting objects at the service of dreams, the irrational, and the subconscious. They emphasized the disorder of desire and the irrational shadow cast over the mind by objects. Many of these same ideas are reflected in the work of contemporary artists, including Mark Dion and Fred Wilson. Insignificant and Disturbed

The Meditation Collections includes natural objects, religious icons, bones, rocks and toy animals. One collection was composed entirely of bottles, another included only objects that were colored blue. These collections bring up many questions. What do we collect and why do we collect? How do these collections represent knowledge? Although some of these collections have some characteristics of a natural history or archaeological display, they could never qualify as natural history or archaeology because, in archaeological terms, they are insignificant and disturbed. Instead they are presented in a more childlike way, as a marvel. The Process

Students worked in groups to gather, organize, and write about their collections. The gallery director arranged for access to “smart spaces” located in the fine arts building and library to exhibit the collections. A smart space is a small portable exhibition area. These collections reflect the desire to magically transform objects, including the ephemeral of contemporary culture into a commentary about art, nature, materiality and spirit.


J. Neil Lawley Assistant Professor of Art Department of Art Missouri Western State University Saint Joseph, MO

RUBE GOLDBERG MINI GOLF Assignment Sheet

Objectives: 1. Investigate / explore kinetics, simple machines, and materials. 2. Incorporate design principles and theme with desired materials to develop functional, aesthetically pleasing mini golf hole and putters. 3. Examine how design affects functionality of objects. 4. Develop teamwork and interpersonal communication skills. 5. Incorporate all that you have learned this semester into a final project! Instructions: 1. Think about how you can use knowledge gained from “Making Things Move” and the “breakfast machine project” to make a mini golf course hole. 2. With your group members, brainstorm and decide on a theme and make drawings to develop your own unique, functional mini golf hole. You should also determine par for your course. (How many strokes should it take? Par one is best.) 3. Make drawings and build a scale model for your final design. (Due next class period!) * Your drawings should include a description with types of simple machines used. 4. Gather materials and begin working on the mechanics of your project. 5. After mechanics are completed, then focus on aesthetics. 6. Make one putter and provide one golf ball per team member, and make a sign declaring the name and par for your team’s hole. Limitations:

• No fire! • Each hole must contain at least 2 simple machines, 1 turn, must physically

(mechanically) move the ball at least once, and must be easily re-settable. • Material – Astroturf (provided) and anything else you like! (no real putters) • The ball that you begin with doesn’t have to be the ball that goes in the hole.

Evaluation criteria: creativity, craftsmanship, functionality creativity – aesthetic quality, originality of design and theme, and use of materials craftsmanship – well built, durable functionality – Does it work? Does it often break down? Is it difficult to play?


Professor Nancy Doolan, Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) – Life Drawing I Project 3- FIELDS OF FIGURES Gesture and Ground Composition

OBJECTIVE: Use your daily class exercises to develop creative gesture compositions as a process for improving proportion and eye-hand coordination, while also exercising creativity and unity. PROCEDURE:

Use your observational gesture practice to fill large drawing pages with overlapped and varied figures enhanced by creative concepts, areas of value and/or texture. Crowd the page, vary the line quality, and use creativity to achieve a semi-abstract piece of art that flows compositionally.

Cover large sheets of Bristol with various gestures alternating an assortment of charcoal and ink media. Experiment as you go or after the pages are filled. Try smudging, massing, contour, scribble style, continuous line, etc. Develop a creative concept for each practice page and choose one for submission.

Impose contrasting elements and areas of emphasis. Add creative patinas of tone and texture using various media such as pastels, charcoals or ink washes that are sometimes on the background and sometimes on the figures. Don’t be predictable about your approach. Conceptual details that add narrative are welcome additions. Be aware of how to enhance cues of depth through vertical position, overlapping and atmospheric perspective. For example, having background values get lighter or softer toward the upper regions of the composition will create an illusion of distance. Also placing lighter, smaller figures toward the upper half and larger, closer gestures middle to low on the picture plane will add to the effect of spatial distance.

REQUIREMENTS: • Depict movement, mass and basic proportion. • Crowd and overlap some figures as a cue of depth. • Vary the size of your figures. • When adding finishes or shading allow some of the negative spaces to remain. • Develop focal areas where more detail and contrast are emphasized. • There should be no circles used as symbols of a head, hands or feet. It is better to do only a partial indication of the form than to close it in as a flattened geometric shape. CRITERIA: Composition: Including movement, mass, basic proportion, overlapping and development of focal areas. Variation: Vary line quality, sizes of figures, value and texture. Creativity: Show conceptual experimentation. Understanding: Emphasize expression and multiplicity


David Andrew Rowe Visiting Assistant Professor 3D Fundamentals Area Coordinator Henry Radford Hope School of Fine Arts Indiana University Bloomington IN 47403 Project: Modular Units: Digital designs and physical objects. Materials/ Tools: Corrugated cardboard, computer (Adobe Illustrator), laser cutter. Project Description: Digital technologies have infiltrated every aspect of contemporary life. Art is no exception. These technologies are increasingly evident along side traditional forms of art. This project will introduce you to one form of digital design and creation: laser cutting. You will design your project in Adobe Illustrator, and we will cut it out on the laser cutter. Your design should be a modular design. Many artists and designers use modular components as a way of breaking complex shapes down into simple parts. Look at examples of modular components that are used in real-world situations to create compositions that are greater than the sum of their parts. Some examples include toys, architecture, and furniture. In addition, each module will be planar in nature, as it is made from cardboard. Planar shapes are very efficient in their use of material, as is it possible to create large forms that use only a few sheets of cardboard. Procedure: For this project you will be designing a modular unit that can be reproduced multiple times to form the basis of an abstract composition. You will design the module, and it will be cut on a laser cutter. This project addresses the intersection of digital and physical components, and the limits/ attributes of material. The design of your final project should reflect the following rules.

1. No glue, tape, or other materials are allowed. The composition should fit together perfectly using pressure.

2. The composition can be symmetrical or asymmetrical. 3. It must be abstract, not representational.

You will begin by creating three separate modules (ideas) for this project. These modules will be designed in Illustrator, and should represent three separate ideas for the assignment. Once the designs have been finalized in Illustrator, they will be cut on the laser and assembled. Each of the three modules needs to be finished and assembled. Once they are done, you will choose one to produce as a final project. Using the initial module as a component, create an abstract sculpture. After the maquette stage, changes can be made, parts altered, and then a final run of parts will be cut on the laser. This will form the final project. The final piece should hold together without the need for glue, tape, or any other means of fastening. Considerations: All modules must be assembled with no glue or tape, so design forms that can fit together without the need of extra connecting parts. Consider size, shape, and variations in the design. You can also incorporate multiple modules into the same design. What are your influences? Architecture? Toys? Nature? You should think of a cohesive idea for your modules, and design them so that they fit together physically but also visually. Vocabulary words: Module, Plane, Form Artists for Inspiration Modular Artists:Tara Donovan, Tom Friedman. Artists working in Cardboard: Chris Gilmour, Scott Fife, Ferry Staverman


Suzanne Dell’Orto, Basic Graphic Communication: Design and Advertising Layout Baruch College, CUNY Overview How do you break the ice and get students to start thinking conceptually? In my Intro to Graphic Design class at Baruch/CUNY, the first assignment students are given is to design their name and present it the following week—but there's a catch—each student is assigned a theme word for the class, taken from Bob Dylan's theme show radio hour—words like moon, neighbors, water, hair, etc. From then on, all the projects the students do in the class must somehow relate to their theme word—throughout the semester, the theme word and its associations grow with the student as they learn to expand their concepts. The word becomes a designed quotation, a company, brand expansion, and a magazine. At the end of the semester, they have a strong, personal, and well-thought out and focused portfolio of work. By using the theme word, student are able to focus their concepts, and give good feedback to each other during critiques—everyone is able to connect with each other’ projects. DESIGN YOUR NAME USING YOUR THEME PROJECT INSTRUCTIONS

1. Read through the instructions below. On an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper, brainstorm a list of at least 50 words or symbols that you associate with your theme. Your associations might be obvious or unlikely. Don’t think too hard about the associations; just go with whatever comes to mind. Put your name on this sheet.

2. Look though your list and select 5 that you think have the most potential. These might be

the ones you think you can have the most fun with, or the ones that suggest creative or engaging representations.

3. On a sheet of tracing paper, draw out 5 thumbnails based on your list to get an idea of

what you want to do. Put your name on this sheet.

4. By hand, please design your own name using your theme on a 9 x 12 sheet of bristol. Horizontal probably will work best. Please take the whole look of the composition into consideration. You may use color, marker, pencil, paint, glitter, cut-outs, rubbings, stamps, string, or any other material you wish (as long as it doesn’t stick or smell). Your goal is to communicate the theme itself, including the associations you want the theme to suggest. Put your name on the back of this sheet. Focus on communicating your message with the typestyle and letters of your name. Try not to decorate or over-illustrate your design.

5. Type up an analysis (2–3 paragraphs) about what you did and how it reflects you and

your theme. Make sure you put your name on it. Bring all of your work (brainstorm list, thumbnails, tracings, and analysis) to class for presentation.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS Having an idea is key. Everything counts. Work is evaluated based on achievement of technical and creative concepts, thoughtfulness, attention to detail, effort, and originality of approach. Neatness counts! Presentation counts! Layout counts!


Carla Rae Johnson Associate Professor of Art Westchester Community College 75 Grasslands Road Valhalla, NY 10595 3-D Design ARMOR – ASSIGNMENT #2 ASSIGNMENT: Using any number of sheets of recycled white computer/copier paper you require, construct sections of “armor” you can wear to cover 80% to 90% of your body.

It is recommended that you design your armor in sections to facilitate transporting and getting into it.

You will need to consider the forms and assembly configurations which support the required weight and form of each section.

Your armor must be able to be worn and hold up to repeated wearings. It is part of your challenge to design attachments and sections that are strong enough to attach and re-attach as many times as needed.

Design a plan for getting into your armor. This will usually mean starting at the feet and working your way up. The arms and helmet will be donned last.

You are likely to need someone to assist you. Find a classmate willing to help you and be helped by you, to dress for the critique.

‘The “helmet” of your armor should be a location of emphasis. o Design a configuration of paper elements that will “activate” your helmet and the

surrounding space. o Consider and sketch out several options for ways to create emphasis and

activate space. o We will discuss such options and possibilities in class.

Timeframe: The first week we will focus on introducing the assignment, doing the “teaser,” a discussion about procuring supplies, and exploring construction configurations, modules, or techniques for creating wearable segments. The second and third weeks will allow construction of the armor which will be completed and due at the beginning of class on the fourth week. (See syllabus for dates.) MEDIA/MATERIALS: Recycled White-Computer/Copy Paper: You will locate a source of used/recyled computer/copier paper on or off campus. You may contact an office and make arrangements to collect paper on one or more occasions until you have enough to complete this assignment Glue: Depending on your design, you may wish to use one or more of the following:

• PVA or a comparable white-vinyl glue • stapler/staples • binder-clips (to clamp as glue dries) • Scotch-tape: Use any matte-surface clear tape. You will need at least 2-3 rolls.

PREPARATION IN CLASS: Introduction, discussions, informal critiques, and group problem-solving will assist you in successful design and completion of your armor. NOTEBOOK: Ideas, sketches, possibilities, notes, and responses will be jotted in your notebook as you go. Do image searches for “armor,” “paper sculpture,” “paper sculpture artists,” “origami,” and other, related terms. Document your research, design and creative-problem-solving processes in your notebook. Use digital photos to document work-in-progress on your armor and the final results. We will photograph the finished products during the critique. READING AND VISUAL EXAMPLES: Complete assigned readings & research. Go to your Blackboard site. Look at Student Samples and the Visual Archive. Check the Vault, and Participate in Discussions/Blogs. All of these will reinforce what you have studied in class; enrich your understanding of the concepts and techniques discussed; as well as provide you with a sense of the possibilities.


Barbara Yontz, St. Thomas Aquinas College, Sparkill, New York Life-Line/Metaphor

This assignment is the first in a series designed to introduce students to a specific

creative process that involves; first, the presentation of a problem, followed by brainstorming, research, idea revision and finally, production (in this case a collage). The course, Foundations in Theory and Practice, required for all Graphic Design and Fine Art students and taken in their first year, was developed out of a stated need by art faculty. Determining our students were learning skills and processes but that they lacked ‘creativity’, this course is a kind of hybrid where creative process is practiced while other important concepts are introduced. No skills are taught as students are left to solve problems conceptually, using skills that need little to no previous practice. Evaluation is on process alone.

This particular project is based on the ancient Greek maxim to, “Know Thyself”. It begins with students recalling specific life events and organizing them in a way that tells a story. The concept of metaphor is introduced including an expanded realization that much human communication and belief is actually metaphoric in nature. Led through a process that begins with reflecting on their own experiences, students then organize them in 5-year sections (this just helps them remember more). They are encouraged to remember things that really matter and are unique to them (like the feeling of a snake, swimming across the pool, touching their grandfather’s beard) rather than things everyone may share (like graduating from high school, first car, etc.). Students are given the step-by-step procedures they are expected to engage with and told they will be graded only on how each step is completed, not the final piece. Getting them to believe that the process is more important than the product always proves most difficult to navigate so we talk about it a lot.

We all read the introduction and first chapter of “Metaphors We Live By”, by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson and discuss how metaphor works in art and life. They then begin brainstorming various metaphors that could be used to refer to a life. We all share our ideas so everyone can expand their own list, which needs to have at least 50 metaphors. Then narrowing down the list to only the ones that make sense to their own life, they write the meanings of each metaphors doing research if necessary to expand their understanding of the words.

They are all required to make a series of thumbnail sketches of a couple of the metaphors to begin ideating what the collage might look like. Bringing these sketches to class we choose the ones they feel are most effective and then they have to produce a collage using mostly images cut from magazines. To prevent a linear narrative, students are not allowed to use personal photos or drawing as the main means of representation. Using images cut from magazines, they are forced to use the images to stand in for other concepts. Some drawing or cut paper can be added at the end. The final stage of the piece is to write a two-paragraph statement of intent discussing the metaphor and images with regards to their own life.

The entire assignment takes three to four class periods from introduction to critique as elements are introduced, discussed and implemented.


Joshua Jordan - Asst. Professor and Foundations Program Coordinator Montclair State University Department of Art and Design Montclair, NJ 07043

The lesson I’ve chosen is called “The Library Project.” The teacher gives each student three book titles, all randomly chosen from the University library. The student then has to locate the books, absorb the material, and create a project that demonstrates how three seemingly unrelated topics can inform one another. The students must decide which book will determine the formal aspects of the project, which book will drive the project’s content, and which book will inspire how the student presents the idea to the class.

The aim of the lesson is to challenge an inexperienced artist’s preconceptions about art making, as well as art’s historical conventions and traditions. It is intended to encourage eccentric new metaphors and cross-pollination of unlikely subject matter. The lesson asks students to do research and tease out clear and unexpected connections in the material. This process makes the student aware that ideas are made of many components. Ultimately, the exercise opens up the student to the vast possibility of what can determine subject matter, its appearance, and its presentation.

(Images 01, 02, 03) The three books given to this student were a collection of obituaries, a book about fencing entitled The Martial Arts of the Renaissance, and Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion. The student was drawn to Didion’s essay "On Keeping a Notebook," in which the author describes keeping a journal as means staying in touch with all the people she used to be. The basis for the student’s project was that books similarly eulogize who we once were as a race, serving as a reminder of what has now passed into obscurity. The student painted the cover of legal-sized ledger to make it look like a tomb for The Martial Arts of the Renaissance. Opening the ledger reveals a depiction of a graveyard; the mounds of dirt over the graves are cut-out flaps, which lift up to uncover a practice room with dueling fencers. The piece was finalized with a written eulogy to be read at a mock funeral service performed in class.

(Image 04) The three books given to this student were Leaves Of Grass by Walt Whitman, The Swimming Pool (pre-teen fiction set in the midst of segregation), and The Story Of Margarine (a history of the invention of the product). The student served each member the class individual portions of a very unusual substance. Despite the student’s encouragement, the class was unwilling to taste it. When the presenter took a bite, the others finally followed suit and discovered that the concoction was merely vanilla pudding and marshmallows. The student drew upon “fear of the unknown,” a theme that each book explored in very different ways: fear of erotic imagery in Whitman’s classic, fear of racial difference that barred African Americans from public pools, and fear within the dairy industry when the invention of margarine represented an economic threat. This student went beyond presenting content; instead, he successfully recreated the experience fear and suspicion within his audience.

(Images 05, 06) The three books given to this student were a biography of Buffalo Bill, a book on ancient Chinese medicine, and Persuasive Tactics of Telemarketers. The student came up with his own product, “Buffalo Bill's Long-Living Elixir.” The ingredients were plants, roots, and herbs from the Chinese herbal remedy book. The elixir was bottled and presented with the same side-show aplomb usually associated with Buffalo Bill’s traveling act.


Craig Lloyd, Associate Professor Design Foundation II College of Mount St. Joseph, Cincinnati, OH

The course is our 3D Design sequence and is based on several years of evolution. We currently use the same content for both fine art and design majors. The example I am sharing is the final project in a 7-part series that uses progressive stages of form development influenced by the writings of Laszlo Moholy-Nagy (The New Vision in Motion), Stewart Kranz & Robert Fisher (The Design Continuum) and Gail Greet Hannah (Elements of Design). The organic path from 2 dimensions to full 3-dimensional mass and finally to dematerialization of form is their basic organizing principle for the study of 3D design. Project 7 – Three-Dimensional Linear Design

Creating a structure from linear elements. Build a structure using design elements as follows: • Maximum size of approximately 15" square. • Use linear elements only (dowels, wire, or other linear material). • Bond together with thin wrapped wire and hot glue or epoxy. • Try to define a solid form or forms with linear contours. • Organize components to form a cohesive, complex design. • Create active negative spaces through the arrangement of the positive elements. • Seek a balanced composition (visual balance). • Emphasize interaction between elements (aligning angles and curves, repeating forms). • Structure must be able to be viewed from all sides. • Avoid random placement through careful planning and crafting. • Try for a sense of motion through angles and diagonal movement (dynamic form). Begin by designing a simple frame that defines a solid shape. The focus of the finished piece is to assemble it in such a way as to create strong relationships between lines and open space. The ideal solution is to have dynamic linear form and supporting negatives from all points of view around the work. Materials are soft aluminum wire and wooden dowel rods. Project goals:

• A balanced, well-planned composition. • Active negative spaces and repetition. • Strong, rhythmic and continuous curves. • A suggestion of 3D volume.

Read: pgs. 86-95, Hannah


Joel Varland Savannah College of Art and Design Color Theory

Project: A Piece of Me Description:

Create a body fragment by casting a mold of a section of your body. Next, paint the fragment in a rhythmic way. Your pattern should reference a particular piece of music and be based on color schemes and color interaction. You may use either gauche or acrylic paint.

Procedure: 1. Consider your musical influences and select an individual or a group that both interests you and whom you believe you can represent through this project. 2. Research rhythmic patterns. You should do this at the library, over the Internet and through careful observation of your environment and the media. 3. Create at least 20 color examples of possible rhythms based on both your research and imagination. 4. Create a ‘body Fragment’ (or body extension) out of Rigid Wrap. The fragment can cover any part (please keep it appropriate), section or combination of parts of your body. It may also be embellished, exaggerated or simplified in order to accentuate your concept. 5. From your list of over 20 patterns, select several to develop further. Use several 8x11 Bristol board to test and develop your composition and scheme. 6. In order to prepare your fragment for painting, smooth out the plaster and then prime it. 7. Apply your patterns (at least 6) so that they express the music and create a sense of movement across your fragment. 8. Apply your paint while paying particular attention to the color interaction. 9. Establish a way to present your fragment so it can be hung on the wall. 10. Burn your song on a thumb drive and bring it to class for the presentation.

Grading Criteria: - Evidence of research and pattern development

- Thoughtful and witty design - Careful use of color interaction - Thoughtful layering and transition of patterns - Used color to create movement and rhythm. - Synchronicity of music, form, pattern, and color - Overall craft - Thoughtful presentation

Assigned: _________ Patterns Due: _________ Refined Patterns: _________ Primed Fragment: _________ Project Due: _________

Fate short tales lesson details

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