Making your own sketchbook!

Sketch Books

Introduction

The students will be making their own sketchbook using various materials and using the sketchbooks in class.  Students will be introduced to abstracted artists Helen Frankenthaler, Jackson Pollock, and Morris Louis

Lesson Summary and Rational

The lesson summary is for students to make their own sketchbook by painting on canvas with water downed acrylic paints on both sides of the canvas.  One the canvas is dried the students will make a stack of sketchbook paper with a piece of cardboard with extra support and glue it together with binding glue.  Once canvas and paper are dried students will assemble a sketchbook.

The rational for the lesson is to introduce one way of making books and giving students the opportunity to create their own sketchbook that will be used in class on various occasions, and completing Friday Activities.  Additionally, students will start to think critically about how artists get inspired and why artists are important.

Objectives

·      Introduce artists Helen Frankenthaler, Jackson Pollock, and Morris Louis

·      Have students use abstract expressionism to paint their sketchbooks

·      Introduce one method of book making

State Standards

7RE Assess one’s own work and working process and the work of others in relation to criteria and standards.

4PE Observe a variety of artworks noticing details, themes and ideas and group

them into patterns and categories.

Differentiation and IEP students

As I walk around the room I will observe students who are struggling with the project.  As I demonstrate the project, I will aid the visual learners and audio learners.  I will pay extra attention to students who are on IEPs and assist in what ever way I can.  Additionally, I will ask Mrs. Speith for any advice on past students and anyone with IEPS.

Materials

·      Canvas

·      Little Cups

·      Acrylic Paints

·      Paper stacks

·      Pre-Cut Canvases

·      Binding Glue

·      Heavy duty clips

·      String

·      Anything extra that students want to add to their sketchbooks

·      Velcro

Procedure

Introduction Part 1: Reference Artists

·      Students will be introduced to the project and function of the project

o   To be used for future activities in class

·      Students will view a power point introducing artist of abstract expressionism

Helen Frankenthaler, Jackson Pollock, and Morris Louis

·      Students will be encouraged to talk about why each artist is important and how their art relates to each other

Introduction Part II: Preparation

·      Show students when they get their own pad of paper how the paper must be the same size of cardboard and decide what side they want to bind it on.

o   Have students clip the side that they want bind together

·      Glue with strong binding glue the side of the pad of paper where the have placed the clips to bind their sketchbooks together

o   Tell students two coats of binding glue and to write their name on the back of the sketch pad

·      Give students cut out pieces of canvas and let students decide how to lay out their own sketchbook

·      With a piece of cardboard have students take water-downed acrylic paints and experiment with dripping of the colors

o   Remind students that white space is okay

o   Remind students to reference the color wheel of complementary colors and how they will turn brown mixed together

·      Have students paint both sides of the canvas

Part III: Putting together

·      Have students test their sketchbook pages to make sure all pages are bind together

·      Show students how to lay their canvas and coordinate where the sketchbook should be placed.

o   Tell students the option of making a pencil holder (Hot Glue Gun)

·      Show students that it is optional to cut an organic design around the outside edges and paint it black for the edge to stand out

·      Once students know how they want to lay out their canvas, have students glue with the binding glue the back of the cardboard to their sketch books

·      Tell students the options of keeping their sketchbooks closed with

o   Buttons

o   String

o   Beads

o   Anything they can think of

Early Finishers

When students finish and have extra time students will be doing their personal cover page

·      Name and hour must be included!

Handy Tips!

1) Students have trouble being creative in the middle school age because they are afraid of doing something wrong so encourage students to collaborate with neighbors before approaching the teacher.

2) Have all materials prepared in advanced!  This is the lesson that I truly learned that I needed to have all materials prepared in advanced!

3) Honestly, my students thought I was crazy when I let them have the freedom to do what ever they wanted long as it fit the criteria of making a sketchbook. 

4) Have a sewing demonstration, a lot of my students had no clue of how to sew!

Student Examples in the makings