Forms

=ART LESSON: FORMS=
 * Forms and the Illusion of the Third Dimension **

GRADE LEVEL: Middle and Senior Years

LESSON TOPIC: Form Assignment – Drawing the Third Dimension

CONNECTION TO LAST LESSON: Shapes become forms by using values and perspectives to create the illusion of the third dimension.

LEARNING OUTCOMES / OBJECTIVES: – Students will develop an appreciation, sensitivity, and awareness of the illusion of the third dimension in drawing and art-work. – Form is an important element of art. Through creative forms and the illusion of space within a drawing, students will learn how to make the drawing more believable and real for the viewer. – Students will learn about values and perspective in creating drawings of forms that appear three-dimensional. – Students will produce a drawing of geometric forms that appear three-dimensional.

VISUAL RESOURCES: – Magazine photo examples of form and perspective in our environment – Previous students’ examples of one-point and two-point perspective – Examples of the one- and two-point perspective, and the vanishing points in the horizon line <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Search Internet sites for artist examples of perspective, and videos and handouts on one-point and two-point perspective. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Figure #28 is an example of a composition that uses basic geometric forms that appear three-dimensional.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">OTHER LEARNING MATERIALS: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– 12” x 18” white paper <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Variety of pencils (HD for hard lines and soft leads for softer lines) – use the side of the pencil lead for shading <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Variety of shape examples in toys and children’s books <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">ACTIVATING STRATEGIES: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– A drawing or painting is not real. It is only the artist’s suggestion of reality. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Explain to students that a drawing is a story and, if you wish the viewer to believe the story, then the images should also be believable and recognizable. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Show students some visual examples. Discuss the illusion of the third dimension to make two-dimensional forms look real. This illusion of the third dimension is called “space.”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">ACQUIRING STRATEGIES: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Discuss how perspective is not an easy lesson to teach, because understanding how reality is portrayed on a two-dimensional surface is an art in itself. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Show how a picture is not really three-dimensional. It is a two-dimensional image with height and width. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Show how the depth (the suggestion of the third dimension) is an illusion of space – the better the illusion, the more real the form appears. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Demonstrate how artist’s uses values and perspective to create this illusion. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Brainstorm how Figure #28 is a still life of basic geometric forms that appear to have three-dimensional perspective because of the graduating values (light to dark) created by the light coming from the right hand side. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Brainstorm how in Figure #28, the cone is an example of one-point perspective to the vanishing point. The cube is an example of two-point perspective to two vanishing points.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">APPLYING STRATEGIES: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Demonstrate by drawing a simple cube, including the vanishing point. The vanishing point does not have to be on the paper. Try using strings to discover where the vanishing points connect. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Test some photo examples with the strings, as well. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Have the students practice drawing cubes and other geometric forms. Tell them not to have their lines running horizontally for the cube – they should be about 30 degrees off the horizon line. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– When the students can draw the forms successfully, they will create a composition that incorporates these forms, using value and perspective to create the illusion of the third dimension. Remind them to have the light coming from the top right hand corner, so the shadows will be cast down and to the left

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">REFLECTING / RE-FOCUSING STRATEGIES: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– After the students have mastered drawing cubes, try turning them into houses or fill the box forms with other forms. An example would be a box filled with toys. Help the students to maintain the illusion of depth by means of value and perspective. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Introduce optical illusions to show students how artists use perspective and the illusion of space to trick the eye of the viewer. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Optical illusions play with perspective ideas to create three-dimensional riddles or illusions of space, puzzling the viewer’s eye to believe something that is not actually seen or observed.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">ASSESSMENT / ANALYSE LEARNING OUTCOMES: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Students will show evidence that they have followed the instructions given to make geometric forms in a composition: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> – the composition includes a variety of geometric forms <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> – the forms have the illusion of space because they appear three-dimensional <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> – an appropriate graduation of values is evident in the shading <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> – the perspective is consistent <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> – the entire page is filled <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> – there is a sense of unity within the overall design <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– A suggestion of depth within the drawing should create an interesting perspective of real-life forms with a foreground, mid-ground, and background. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Students should be developing personal drawing skills with simple forms, and also show evidence that they are gaining the perceptual skills required for this assignment.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Figure 28 Study of Geometric Forms


 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">ART LESSON: ONE-POINT PERSPECTIVE AND THE VANISHING POINT **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">GRADE LEVEL: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Middle and Senior Years

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">LESSON TOPIC: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Assignment on One-Point Perspective – One-Point Perspective and the Vanishing Point

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">CONNECTION TO LAST LESSON: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Developing techniques to create the illusion of space is important in portraying realistic subjects.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">LEARNING OUTCOMES / OBJECTIVES: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Students will develop an appreciation, sensitivity, and awareness of the techniques to create the illusion of the third dimension in space. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– The students will learn the basic techniques that artists use to create the illusion of space: one-point perspective and the vanishing point, graduation of sizes to the horizon line, graduation of values (dark to light), overlapping forms, and partial forms to suggest continuation. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– They will produce a one-point perspective drawing that creates the illusion of the third dimension in space.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">VISUAL RESOURCES: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Magazine photo examples of perspective in the environment <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Previous students’ examples of perspective drawings and art-work <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Search Internet sites for artist examples, and videos and handouts on using one-point perspective, the vanishing point, graduation of sizes, graduation of values, overlapping forms, and partial forms. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Examples of optical illusions and videos on how to create them (optional) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Figures #29 and #30 are drawings that create a strong illusion of space.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">OTHER LEARNING MATERIALS: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– 18” x 18” white paper <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Variety of pencils (ranging from HD to soft) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Paint and brushes, and/or ink and pens (optional)

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">ACTIVATING STRATEGIES: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Ask students how the illusion of space is created in a drawing or painting. Objects seem to disappear as they reach the horizon line. For example, as a ship sails away it becomes increasingly more difficult to see in detail. The ship appears to become progressively smaller. When objects are set in front of other objects, we see only part of the objects that are in behind. These techniques create the illusion of space in a drawing. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– The two figures at the end of this lesson incorporate these techniques. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Figure #29 is a one-point perspective drawing that creates the illusion of space with geometric forms falling. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Figure #30 is a one-point perspective drawing that creates the illusion of space with abstract organic forms.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">ACQUIRING STRATEGIES: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Show how other visual resources from magazines demonstrate how the illusion of the third dimension is achieved in a two-dimensional drawing or photograph. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Show how to use rulers to follow the perspective lines to the horizon. Show the students the examples of one-point perspective drawings: how all of the lines converge at the center, and how the objects are graduated in size. A good illusion is believable and creates the illusion of space. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Brainstorm and examine other variations in the space illusion drawings: how the forms overlap, and how some forms seem to be continuing because only the partial forms are shown. For example, in Figures #29 and #30, the forms in the foreground are only partially shown.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">APPLYING STRATEGIES: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– The students has to first need to create a one-point perspective grid on a square piece of paper, preferably 18” x 18.” <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- Have them find the center of the page by intersecting lines from each corner, and then divide each side of the page into an odd number of sections (5-7 works well). <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- Then measure from the center out to all four corners, increasing the measurement each time. This graduates the sizes from small to large. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– When the one-point perspective grid is finished, the students will use the following rules to draw forms that create the illusion of the third dimension in space. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- The forms will be graduated in size: large to smaller from the outside (foreground) in to the centre. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- The forms will overlap. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- Some of the forms in the foreground will be partially cut off. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Encourage students to be imaginative with their forms, creating a unique illusion. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Have the students complete the illusion by adding values and textures. Remind them that the objects in the foreground should have the most detail. The details fade as the objects get closer to the vanishing point. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">REFLECTING / RE-FOCUSING STRATEGIES: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Have students reflect on how the illusion of space is created in the drawings. How can this technique be used in a landscape study? <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Brainstorm with the students about optical illusions and how they may play with these visual tricks. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Demonstrate some optical illusions for the students. Suggest new ideas and techniques. Optical illusions incorporate a combination of technical drawing tricks to engage the viewer. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– To apply this activity across the curriculum, the objects illustrated in the one-point perspective drawing may be in any subject area. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Students may also enjoy experimenting with black ink for the background. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– View some videos on optical illusions (e.g., M. C. Escher)

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">ASSESSMENT / ANALYSE LEARNING OUTCOMES: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Students will show evidence that they have followed the instructions for their space illusion: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> – the one-point perspective drawing is clean and sharp <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> – the entire page is filled <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> – the forms are graduated in size <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> – the forms overlap <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> – there are partial forms in the foreground (outside) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> – there is a graduation of values and textures (dark to light) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– Students’ art-work will demonstrate that they have explored all of these techniques to create the illusion of the third dimension in space. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– The suggestion of depth within the drawing should create an interesting perspective of real-life forms with a foreground, mid-ground, and background. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">– In this space illusion drawing, students start to experiment with the one-point perspective in creating the illusion of space. They see what the techniques can do, and learn to incorporate drawing tricks to achieve a believable suggestion of the third-dimension in art-works. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Figure 29 Geometric Space Illusion

Figure 30 Organic Space Illusion

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