Transcript Art Unit Template

Fantastic Photographs
A FunArtLessons.com
AWESOME ART ACTIVITY
By Kari Wilson
An Awesome Art Activity appropriate for students age 8-16 in art classes, scout troops,
recreation classes, after school clubs, independent study, home school settings
© 2009 www.funartlessons.com
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About Awesome Art Activities
These art activities are great for a birthday
party, rainy afternoon at home or as a special
activity in a classroom, daycare, or recreation
setting.
About the Author

Kari Wilson has been an educator for over twenty
years, teaching first through sixth grades as well as
middle school language arts and social studies. Her
current passion is teaching art at a public middle
school in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Kari's own
education includes a Bachelor of Fine Arts from San
Francisco State University, a Master of Fine Arts from
the University of Arizona, and a Master of Education,
along with teaching credentials.

Kari stepped out of the classroom for several years to
serve as a Curriculum Associate in a large California
school district, where she developed a variety of
programs from “Back to School with Basic Health and
Safety” to “The Achievement Club,” a program
designed to help struggling readers. This program
received the Golden Bell award from the California
School Boards Association. As a member of the
California History Social Science Project (CHSSP), Kari
was involved in the development and implementation
of numerous social studies units. Kari’s unit, Child
Work in Colonial Days, was published by the UCLA
branch of CHSSP.

Kari has continued exploring her interest in history as
a recent participant in a Gilder Lehrman summer
institute at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library,
where she engaged in research for the development
of a series of civics lessons which include integrated
art activities. These lessons on the Core Democratic
Values, as well as her other curriculum units for
preschool through 10th grade, are available online at
FunLessonplans.com, a companion site to
FunArtLessons.com.
Awesome Art Activities can be completed in an
hour or so.
Awesome Art Activities are fun and engage
children in imaginative and creative processes.
Every Awesome Art Activity includes an art
appreciation/ art history slide show highlighting
the art work of an artist or art movement. Openended questions encourage creative thinking and
interesting discussion.
Prior art experience in not necessary for either
the children or an adult leading the activity.
Materials for these activities are inexpensive or
free. You may even find that you already have
everything you need at home!
“These awesome activities are kid-tested by my two
children and their friends at home as well as my
elementary and middle school students!”
© 2009 www.funartlessons.com
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Getting Started
Fantastic Photographs
1.
2.
This Awesome Art Activity is appropriate for children and adults of all ages. This art
activity is easy to do with individuals or groups of any size.
Gather the materials needed:

digital cameras, 1 camera for groups of 3 or 4 students

computer, computer printer, 8”x10” copy paper

colored pencils

white bulletin board paper, bed sheet, tablecloth or white wall for photo backdrop

a source of natural light or bright household or shop lights
3.
Explain the project: You will create Fantastic Photographs by posing for the camera, then
you will add imaginative detail to your photograph by drawing with colored pencils.
4.
Set the stage for the activity by looking at some photographs by Julia Margaret Cameron
(slides 5-8.) Use the questions on each slide to stimulate discussion or provide topics for
journal writing. Possible answers are shown along the left side of the slide.
5.
Children can work in groups to help each other take their own pictures. They may want to
use each other as “models” to act out a scene such as Cameron’s “Whisper of the Muse,”
slide #8.
6.
Begin the art activity after discussion of Cameron’s photographs. Display slides #8-12
outlining steps 1-6 or demonstrate each step for students.
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Photographs of
Julia Margaret Cameron
The photo shown here is one of many images she made of her nieces posed as angels, heavy swan’s wings tied to their backs.
Julia Margaret Cameron
was a 19th century, British
photographer. She was
known for her portraits of
famous people as well as
her allegorical photographs
which illustrated scenes
from mythology and stories
such as the Arthurian
legends.
Do you think this looks like
a real angel? How do you
think Cameron created this
photograph?
Julia Margaret Cameron
“I Wait”, 1872
Albumen silver print
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Cameron was known for her soft focus technique in her portraiture. Here it adds an element of timelessness and mystery. The character of Beatrice embodies the spirit of the tragic heroine
accepting her fate, a theme in many of Cameron’s photographs of historical women.
What has Cameron done
to give this image a
dream-like quality?
Beatrice Cenci, portrayed
by Cameron’s niece in this
photo, was a woman who
lived in 16th century Rome,
Italy. A tragic figure, she
was a subject in the work
of several romantic poets
and painters.
Why do you think Julia
Margaret Cameron chose
to depict the character of
Beatrice?
Julia Margaret Cameron
“Beatrice” 1870
Albumen silver print
© 2009 www.funartlessons.com
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Cameron uses several techniques to portray sadness in this photograph: the model’s pose conveys sadness in the facial expression and down-tilted head, the figure is backlit, accentuating the shadows on the face, the
soft focus and circular cropping lend a contemplative air to the image. Cameron’s subjects and methods stem from Romanticism, a movement in the arts which stressed emotion and intuition over reason.
Do you think the title
describes this portrait?
Explain.
What are other titles
that would work for this
image?
Why do you think
Cameron wanted to
make photographs
where her models acted
out emotions or
pretended to be
historical or mythical
figures?
Julia Margaret Cameron
“Sadness”, 1864
albumen silver print
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The painter G.H. Watts, is shown with two neighborhood children posing as the artist’s muses. Holding a violin he appears to be waiting for inspiration. The girl child, brightly
lit from above looks skyward while the boy child, crouched in the shadow looks knowingly at the viewer. Symbolic of good and evil? Perhaps.
Describe what you see in
this photograph.
Why do you think it is
called, “The Whisper of the
Muse?”
Describe the poses of the
two children. How are they
different?
Why do you think the artist
had them pose this way?
Julia Margaret Cameron
Whisper of the Muse, 1865
albumen silver print
© 2009 www.funartlessons.com
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Step 1
Gather Materials and Ideas

You will need a digital camera,
a computer and printer.

Decide if you will take an
individual portrait or set up a
scene with several people.

Think of an idea for your
photograph. Perhaps you’d like
to depict an emotion such as
Cameron’s “Sadness” or
perhaps you’d like to show a
scene from a story or movie, or
you could add fantastic details
to your portrait such as angel
wings or a dragon’s tail. Use
your imagination, then think of
which parts of your final image
will be photographic and which
parts you will add later by
drawing with colored pencil.
© 2009 www.funartlessons.com
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Step 2

If possible, tape or tack a large
sheet of white paper on the
wall to serve as a studio
backdrop against which to
photograph. If the background
of your portrait is plain white
you will easily be able to draw
on it with colored pencil as you
see in the picture to the right.

Make sure you have adequate
light so that you don’t have to
use the camera flash which
creates harsh shadows. Either
photograph with daylight
outside or near a window or
set up lamps. You can use
ordinary household lamps with
the shades removed.
Set up a backdrop
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Step 3
Take several pictures

Gather your helpers together.

Think about how you want to frame
your photo. Does your subject lend
itself more to a vertical or a
horizontal framing?

If you are going to be in the photo
direct your camera operator how
you want her to frame the subject
matter. Do you want just a head
and shoulders portrait or should she
include the full figure?

Be sure to leave enough white
space around your models so that
you will have room on the paper to
draw in details later with colored
pencil.

Take several pictures, adjusting
lighting and poses until you capture
an image that expresses your idea.
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Step 4

Upload your
photographs to a
computer and/ or
printer.

Print your photo in
black and white and, if
possible, set your
printing options to
create a very light print
such as the large image
to the right.

The artist is now ready
to add her undersea
details to the
photograph of girls in
swim goggles.
Print
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Step 5

Early photographs, in the
19th century, such as Julia
Margaret Cameron’s were
printed in black and white
and many shades of gray as
this was the natural color of
silver, exposed to light in the
photographic process.

In order to add color,
photographs had to be hand
colored by artists who used
special photo oils to add
light tints of red, yellow and
blue.

Use colored pencils to add
color as well as draw in any
objects or other details to
complete your fantastic
photograph.
Add details in color
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Step 6

A title can be used
to give hints of what
your photograph is
about.

What do you think
would be a good title
for the interesting
image shown here?

See if you can come
up with a thought
provoking title for
your own fantastic
photograph.
Title
© 2009 www.funartlessons.com
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Thank you for using this
FunArtLessons.com Awesome Art Activity.
The End
Special thanks to Wikimedia Commons for
providing access to copyright free images
used in this power point lesson.
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