2. Drawing and Design
- Set Up
- Still life portrait
- Self portrait
- Drawing as a
thinking tool
- Drawing a story
- Clean Up
2D Media
- Set Up
- Finger Painting
- Acrylic Painting
- Watercolour
Painting
- Oil and Chalk
Pastels
- Clean Up
3D Media
- Set Up
- Clay
- Wire
- Found Materials
- Clean Up
3. Setting up for drawing exercises
are very minimal. The images
show that all is required is a black
pen and a art book. Pelo (2007)
states that when setting up a
space for a still life portrait the
table should be empty, except for
the subject that is going to be
drawn. Pelo (2007) also states that
for a self portrait each student
should be seated at a mirror so
that just their face is seen. For all
other drawing exercise the table
needs to be clean so that creativity
and thought can be developed as
the student enters into the
exercise.
4. Drawing with a black pen as the
first exercise allowed for a detailed
look into the structure of the
lemon. This allowed for the drawer
to build a relationship with the
lemon.
Adding colour to the lemon allows for
the drawer to build on the relationship
looking at the texture of the object.
Kolbe (2007) p.48 states that this kind
of drawing invites children to look
closely at things and encourages them
to make more detailed drawings than
they do when drawing from memory.
5. Exploring your own image can be
daunting but is an exciting exercise
that allows you to look at the finer
features of your face. The marks on
the paper may not look anything like
what the person does but it is how
they have described themselves.
For example their eyes may stand
out on their face so in their drawing
they are much bigger then the other
features. Pelo (2007) p.95 states
that when we look at her self-
portrait, we see a child as she sees
herself.
6. Drawing as a thinking tool can
provide children with the
opportunity to express their
ideas and what they believe in
through pictures, when they
may not be able to explain what
they are feeling and how they
interpret what they are thinking
about. The feelings when
completing this task were very
challenging as it allowed for the
use of not only black pen of
what I believed each season
was about but also the colours
that depict each season.
7. Drawing a story or drawing
what you have gained from
reading a story is very
rewarding. This experience
was very rewarding being able
to relive the childhood stories
that we loved and also to
remember what each stage of
this story was the most
important parts. Reconnecting
with the stories provided a
sense of connection and
understanding of what is the
underlying message in the
story
8. Clean up is minimal during the drawing
exercises. The lid to the black pen is tightly
capped and both the art pad and pen are
placed in the cupboard for use later on. Pelo
(2007) p.90 states that during the clean up of
the still life portrait you may place the objects
around the room so they can still be
examined for another explorations, to
continue to build the relationship with the
object. Pelo (2007) p.95) also states that the
mirrors are packed away safely and the
educator is to encourage the children to look
at their reflections while they play in other
sources such as windows.
9. The tissues are used during all 2D media exercises
for cleaning of equipment and hands before moving
to a sink to wash the equipment and hands. Pelo
(2007) p.27 states that the table is to be covered in a
plastic cloth or plain white butchers paper; the
intention is not only to make cleanup easy, but to
provide a simple background for the children’s
exploration of colour, rather than something visually
“takes over” the work space. There was also lots of
room around the work area for large movements of
the arms during the experiences. Pelo (2007) p.46
also states that during the watercolour painting
session students will need to be able to refresh their
water either in a tub on the table or at a sink.
10. Two colours were chosen to create the artwork. The cold wet paint can be felt
on your hands. Using your fingers to create different patterns and stocks, along
with your whole hand to create and feel the texture of the paint. Pelo (2007)
p.28 states that during the exploration, we can emphasise the unfolding
discoveries and the sensory experiences with colour and texture, rather than
emphasising paintings as finished products.
11. During this exercise working with
acrylic paint allows for you to feel a
connection with the paint as they
are strong vibrant colours and
each brush stroke leaves a definite
line. The paints consistency was
easily changed by adding water on
your brush this allowed for
different textures and depths to be
created. Pelo (2007) p.32 states
that for an extension you could
revisit the piece of art a few days
later and add more to the artwork
as acrylic paint allows for you to
paint over old paint.
12. The interaction and satisfaction that is
experienced during the watercolour
painting experience was very rewarding.
The different shades of colour which are
created when more water is added to the
paint allows for beautiful depth and
softness to a picture. The free flowing
brush strokes when using the watercolour
paint allows for the paint to flow and for
the artist to use a flowing motion. This
then allowed for colours to be blended to
create beautiful new vibrant colours. Pelo
(2007) p.48 states that a child immersed
in the sensuousness of colour, texture,
and movement may fill her paper with
paint until it threatens to dissolve or tear.
This is evident in the paint as it was a
medium that made you want to continue.
13. Oil pastels and chalk allow for the different
textures of the paper and pavement to be
discovered. The oil pastels created a ruff effect
as they were pulled along the ruff art paper.
The chalk on the smooth pavement created a
smooth line. The oil pastels also allowed for
different shades of colours to be discovered as
the harder you pushed the darker the colour
and less ruff the texture became. Both
mediums allowed for you to be able to smudge
and blend different colours together as you rub
your finger through the pastel, creating depth
to the pictures. Pelo (2007) p.54 suggests that
oil and chalk pastels are a great way for
students to explore and become immersed in
the visual and tactile experience.
14. The chalk exercise was left on the
pavement for the children to enjoy
and this can be washed down with
water. The oil pastels were placed
back into their container and the
tissues were used to wipe my
hands before I moved to the sink to
wash them. Pelo (2007) p.54)
states that gathering the pastels
onto a tray and the teacher should
clean down the chalk dust. Pelo
also states that students should
wash their hands in a sink
thoroughly to remove all of the
greasy oil that the pastels have left.
15. A bucket of water, cloth, old towel, toothbrush and knife are
placed on a table covered with newspaper and plastic with
the clay in the middle. Pelo (2007) p.59 states that in an
introductory lesson placing a tarp on the floor with the block
of clay in the middle. She also suggests having a bucket of
water for washing hands and wetting hands during the
exercise before moving to the sink to wash hands. Paper
towel is also a suggestion that Pelo suggests for wiping
hands before moving to the sink. There was little set up for
the found materials as this experience took place outside
while on a walk. The wire set up was also very minimal as
the table is smooth and all that is required to create a wire
object was the wire and scissors to cut the wire. Pelo
(2007) p. 80 suggests that you might lay a white cloth on
the table with the wire, wire cutters, pliers and tape on it.
This creates a clear environment for the exercise to take
place. The tape is used to wrap the ends of the wire so that
the sharp ends do not scratch the students while they work.
16. The clay was first softened by wetting my
hands and rubbing the clay between my
hands. Image 1 shows a cross hatching
technique which was used to join the two
balls of clay together to create the body of
the cat. Image 2 is the second piece of
work that was created to include the
rubbing of a toothbrush on the coils to not
only create texture but also to help join the
two coils. The coils are being joined
together to create a bowl using a bowl as
a guide to hold its structure. Pelo (2007)
p.64 suggests that the use of a sponge
will allow for the students to keep their
hands wet without putting to much water
on their hands.
Image 1
Image 2
17. The wire used to create the 3D
sculpture was thin florist wire. It
was easy to move bend cut and
position. Different techniques
were used such as twisting,
folding and bending to create the
different angles of the person.
Pelo (2007) p. 81 also suggests
using different strength wire can
provide a different challenge
when trying to bend, fold or twist
the wire. Pelo (2007) p. 81 also
suggests putting tape over the
end of the wire so that it does not
poke the children while they are
working with the wire.
18. Found materials provide a chance for you
to explore the environment which is around
you. Living in a remote bush land with
aboriginal heritage developing a small
bonfire out of sticks which I found on an
afternoon walk was very satisfying. At
times the sticks did not want to stay
together as it was a bit windy which
became frustrating. This however is a great
exercise for the children to become
involved in their environment and the
opportunity to discuss ways in which we
can look after the environment around us.
19. Clean up for the clay exploration
required the excess clay to be
packed in a plastic bag so that the
clay did not dry out the tools need
to be washed, the newspaper to be
thrown away and the bench to be
wiped down. The wire needs to be
packed away in a safe spot and the
sticks in the found materials
exploration were left in their natural
environment.