NAME: Crystal Benoit
LESSON TITLE: Red Grooms' Caricature
GRADE LEVEL: 6th
PA. ACADEMIC STANDARDS FOR THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES:
9.1.5.E. Know and demonstrate how arts can communicate experience, stories or emotions though the production of works in the arts.
9.2.5.G. Relate works in the arts to geographic regions: North America
9.3.5.B. Describe works in the arts comparing similar and contrasting characteristics.
9.4.5.D. Explain choices made regarding media, technique, form, subject matter and themes that communicate the artist's philosophy within a work in the arts and humanities.
OBJECTIVES:
KNOWLEDGE: Cognitive. Students learn that Red Grooms was a pop culture artist who dabbled in different mediums and brought life to his paintings by exaggerating certain details.
SKILL: Psychomotor. The students learn how to create a caricature that reflects their personalities. They will also learn to exaggerate certain features on the caricature as well as in the landscapes that they create. Students will also write a haiku to go along with their paintings.
ATTITUDE: Affective. The students learn that artists can manipulate characteristics to give a painting a more stylized effect and to draw attention to details that tell a story.
PREPARE AHEAD: Gather images for visuals of Red Grooms. Have students bring in pictures of places that they would like to live at (i.e. newspaper clippings, magazine clippings, print outs of exotic places).
***Precut shapes on different textured paper. Bring in source materials. Collect different textured items such as cotton balls to use.***
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE: What learning has preceded this lesson? Students are familiar with writing Haikus' from English class. Students have learned about the great depression and the industrial period in history class.
***May need to omit haiku for special learners. When possible, substitute with a sentence describing the picture***
MOTIVATION:
QUESTIONS LEADING THE STUDENTS TO DISCOVERY:
Good morning 6th grade!! Today we will be taking a look at these two American Artists (teacher holds up side by side 'Giant' by NC Wyeth and 'Elvis' by Red Grooms). Can you tell me what you see in each of these paintings? Student: on 'Giant' the kids are on a beach looking at a cloud of a giant. The children in foreground are realistic and the Giant in the clouds is exaggerated. Good, now what do you see in the other painting, in particular about the figures in the painting. On 'Elvis', the facial features are exaggerated and the painting is very stylized. Great!! Which painting do you like better? Students responses will vary. Ask why they like a particular painting more than the other. When a student points out the face, show the Norman Rockwell 'A day in the life' and ask the students which facial expression they like most and why. Then compare the Red Grooms, Norman Rockwell and NC Wyeth paintings side by side and tell the students about the different types of paintings and why they were relevant to the artists style. Ask the students if they think that these artworks were all created around the same time. Student Response: different times. Then ask about the Red Grooms piece and why that painting stands out against the other two.
Red Grooms was born during the Great Depression and decided to make art more exciting by exaggerating features in his art work. He focused his work on pop culture references. Does anyone know what pop culture is? Student response: Movies and music, advertising, etc. That's correct!! Popular Culture or Pop Culture is the inclusion of advertising and music in our daily lives! For instance, the use of Images is a part of pop culture like the Norman Rockwell painting which was done for the Saturday Evening Post, a newspaper that was published once a week. We will be doing a caricature painting using watercolors of ourselves in an environment that we will be creating. Does anyone know what a caricature is? Student response: the exaggeration of details in the face to make a funny picture. That’s right!! Ok, let's get started!!
DEMONSTRATION: Teacher sketches out facial form and shows how to exaggerate certain features to show emotion
VISUAL AIDS: Red Grooms, Elvis, 1987, Red Grooms, The Plaza, 1995, Roy Lichtenstein, Girl in Mirror, 1964, Norman Rockwell, A day in the life of a boy, 1952, N. C. Wyeth, Giant, 1923
REFERENCE TO ART HISTORY: Red Grooms 1987, Pop Art 1950's, Watercolors, Caricatures 1762, Arts and Crafts,
EXEMPLARS: Previous students work (finished). Teacher example of project mid way through project.
ACTIVITY:
What will the students do? Students will create caricatures and place them in their own unique environments that they imagine that they would live in utilizing source materials that they bring in. The students will exaggerate their facial features for the caricatures as well as the forms that they use to create their environments.
***Break down directions in to step by step instructions. Depending on the student, you may need to consider only giving one step at a time.
Week 1- Students will learn how to do a caricature of themselves and practice on drawing paper. By end of the week, students will have a final copy of their caricatures on separate drawing paper in pencil ready to be transferred to the illustration board.
Homework: Make final decision on environment, bring in source material and have rough sketch of placement due Monday (week 2). Recap this weeks assignments in Art Journal explaining why your choice of environment is unique to you, while referencing Red Grooms work.
*** Some students may need to work directly on illustration board instead of transferring images.
Steps to draw a caricature:
1. Draw an empty head on the board.
2. Draw the eyes on the head, then add eyebrows.
3. Draw the nose.
4. Draw the mouth.
5. Draw the ears.
6. Add neck and body.
7. Draw hair on head.
If finish early: Write or draw, in Art Journal, an environment that you would like to live in. Students may need to be handed source material such as jungle scenes or urban settings to choose from. ***
Week 2- Students will decide on their environments. Students will discuss their choice of envi'ronments and why they chose them. Students will get rough sketches approved and begin to sketch on drawing paper their environments using exaggerated forms. By end of week students will have final sketchs of their environments ready for transfer on Monday (week 3)
Homework: Decide on color palette that will be utilized and write in art journals to explain your choice of color palette and how it relates to your environment. Be specific about how Red Grooms inspired your choice in colors.
***. Some students may need to work directly on illustration board instead of transferring images.
1. Sketch environments on paper. Some students may prefer to work with pre-cut paper as opposed to drawing their environments (HAVE PRE-CUT PAPER READY)
If students finish early: Color in Art Journal or have art puzzles ready for students to put together.***
Week 3- Finish touch ups on caricatures and environments. Hand out Illustration Boards and Transfer paper. Have students transfer their backgrounds first, then the caricatures. Once students have successfully transferred their images, give watercolor demonstration on washes, layering, puddling, blotting, wiping, resistant techniques. Show how to do initial wash for base color. Explain how to build colors to achieve value by layering colors. Give examples of how and when to use other techniques such as puddling, blotting, wiping and resistant techniques. Students will only work on Background during this week, and will start coloring caricatures next week. It is important to use the masking tape over the caricatures, prior to students use of watercolors to ensure the space is reserved for the caricatures.
Homework: Recap this weeks assignments in Art Journal identifying successes and obstacles that encountered while doing image transfers and using watercolors.
***1. If precut paper was not used, color background first. Demonstrate different techniques with color pencil.
2. If precut paper used: Begin adding different textures, like cotton for clouds, aluminum foil for buildings, popsicle sticks for trees.***
Week 4- Students will continue to work on the backgrounds and finalize them. Once the backgrounds are finalized, begin demonstration on Skin Tones and hair, explaining different ways of using washes and layering to bring out features. Gently remove the masking tape from the illustration board (using regular pink eraser to remove any paint that has leaked through). Students will work on face first, then move to smaller detail areas such as eyes, mouth and hair.
Homework: Recap this weeks assignments in Art Journal and outline Haiku to go along with the painting.
***1. Begin coloring in caricature. Demonstrate how to add shadows with color pencils.
2. If students finish early, allow to use yarn for hair and begin adding different textures to the face and clothing. ***
Week 5- Finalize paintings and clean up edges. Collect Haikus, grade and return for corrections to be made. Once all paint has dried and paintings are approved, demonstrate how to outline drawings using black prismacolor markers. Have critique on paintings and haiku.
***1. Advise students to add outline to their drawings. Students may use markers, colored pencils, or yarn.***
SUPPLIES: Watercolors (assorted colors), Paintbrushes (assorted sizes, synthetic), Illustration Board (11"x14", cold press, heavy weight), #2 pencils, Source material (magazines, newspapers, printouts), masking materials such as masking fluid/ masking tape, natural sponges (for different textures in watercolors), thick black markers such as prismacolors, drawing paper (preferably 11"x14"), image transfer paper (11"x14"), scissors, scotch tape, pink erasers, kneaded eraser
***Precut paper (different shapes and colors), Aluminum foil, elmers school glue, stick glue, popsicle sticks, cotton balls, yarn, felt, scissors (may need specialty scissors, or assistance if specialty scissors are not available), colored pencils, black markers, illustration board, source material ***
VOCABULARY: Caricatures, washes, layering, puddling, blotting, wiping, value, pop-culture, stylized
CLOSURE: Who were some artists that we looked at today? Student Response: Norman Rockwell, Red Grooms, NC Wyeth. Can anyone tell me what was the art movement that Red Grooms participated in called? Student Response: Pop Art. And how does our paintings reflect pop culture to you? Student response: shows how we created our own environments that are important to us using caricatures.
PA. ACADEMIC STANDARDS FOR THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES:
9.1.5.E. Know and demonstrate how arts can communicate experience, stories or emotions though the production of works in the arts.
9.2.5.G. Relate works in the arts to geographic regions: North America
9.3.5.B. Describe works in the arts comparing similar and contrasting characteristics.
9.4.5.D. Explain choices made regarding media, technique, form, subject matter and themes that communicate the artist's philosophy within a work in the arts and humanities.
ASSESSMENT STATEGY: What assessment strategy will be used to assure that the Standards have been met. A rubric will be used: Did the caricature reflect the students personality? Did the student include pop culture references in their work? Did the haiku reflect the students painting and follow proper haiku form and structure?
***May need to omit haiku for special learners. When possible, substitute with a sentence describing the picture***
CORRELATED ACTIVITY: What art activity will follow? Students will do a collage showing how pop culture is integrated in to their neighborhoods via billboards, signs, and other product placements. They will research other pop culture artists such as Andy Warhol and Romare Beardon through the use of Library Books and internet research.
ADAPTATIONS FOR DIVERSE SPECIAL LEARNERS: Consider using color pencils instead of watercolor paints, if necessary. May need to omit haiku for special learners. When possible, substitute with a sentence describing the picture. Instructions for special and diverse learners are in ***italics*** throughout lesson plan.
INTERDISCIPLINARY DOMAINS: What domains are incorporated into this lesson. This lesson incorporated history, English, social studies, and touched on some Architecture.
REFLECTIONS: What will I do differently; what areas will I strengthen and how? When pulling the tape off the paintings, some of the tape ripped the illustration board. Next time, use less gummy tape that will remove easier. This lesson plan sparked a lot of interest, especially with the students who were interested in comic book art. The students really enjoyed drawing and showing their caricatures. This lesson plan can be adapted to younger students by either simplifying the work load (larger, less detailed backgrounds) or by having the students utilize the magazines and cut out and collage the background together instead of painting it. It can be adapted to high school students by encouraging more details in the background and setting a more challenging caricature with accessories such as hats and scarves.
***Some diverse and special learners prefer to use watercolors. Allow students to use either watercolor paints or colored pencils, which ever they are more comfortable. It may not be a good idea to allow the student to choose as they may spend a significant amount of time deciding. If unsure, default to using colored pencils. Can also use chalk pastels as these are easily spread and easy to clean up. Students may have easier time using them. Also consider the size of the illustration board used. Some students may prefer to work bigger or smaller depending on their comfort level with the project.***
