Mixed Media Murals

Grade Level

Duration

5 periods, 45 minutes in length

Materials

Butcher paper roll, washable marker, paint brushes in various sizes, tempera paint, glue, scissors, and bright construction paper

Media

Acrylic

Lesson Objectives

For the student to:

Identify and understand the elements of art, including line, shape, color, texture, form, space, and value, as the fundamentals of art in personal artwork
Collaborate to create original works of art
collaborate on community-based art projects
Interpret, evaluate, and justify artistic decisions in artwork by self, peers, and other artists, such as that in museums, local galleries, art exhibits, and websites

Introductory Activity

The BIG IDEA: Students will collaborate on a design-based mural using the various elements and principles of design. The desks will be grouped and covered in white butcher paper. Each class period, the students will be challenged to use a specific element of design and encouraged to focus on a single design principle to maintain a quality composition. This mural MUST be non-objective and not contain any subject matter.

The day’s first period will wrap the tables with white butcher paper and begin the mural with a single directive of curved flowing lines. Each class period will have a new directive to fill the mural with a balanced design as the day progresses. Students will move to a different table or spot every 10 -15 minutes.

The first day will review the different kinds of lines and possible variations. The teacher will display the works of Agnes Martin, Van Gogh, Franks Kline, and other famous artists as mark-making inspirations.

Lesson Process

Day 1: Students will paint directly on the desk in groups of 4 and are encouraged to see and fill the space together using the following types of lines: straight, curved, diagonal, zigzag, implied line, and spirals. Different-size brushes and color changes will be offered to each class to keep the mural moving in a positive direction.

The table groups will check for their variety of lines, and if they do not see changes in width or lack a type of line, they will be asked to add those before the final clean-up.

Day 2: The teacher will review the principles of design. Students will be drawing using water-based markers in various spaces with various circle shapes.

Value, color blending, and shape will be re-introduced, and students will fill in and block out shapes for a non-objective design. Once again, each class will be offered new colors and directions to allow for variety in the final design. The instructor will elect this to help develop unity in the final display. Today, the instructor will refer to the concept of how a Band Director sets the tone and pace for the composition and how the Band Members must work together for a strong musical result; working together on the layers and looking into what the previous students have provided is extremely important at this stage.

Day 3-4: The focus will be radial design. Each student will work individually to create a collage from colorful paper. Students will create a single radial design with a clear focal point, either symmetrical or asymmetrical balance, and strong use of harmonious color schemes.

Day 5: These are the final days of adding a radial design to create emphasis and points of interest. Each student worked independently, and the day’s last class elected three to five radial designs to apply to the murals.

Final collaboration day. The teams will remain at their tables and not move about the room. Each group will be asked to finish any previous directions that seem incomplete in their execution and create at least three major elements that move the eye throughout the mural. The instructor will review the rule of thirds and “Where to Put the Cow” – a great online free reference. Packets were provided and shared in the weekly warm-up vocabulary