Nathan Smith's Art Ed Blog: Week #4: Unique Exercise

In our second class of the week we attempted to build our own lessons based upon literature provided for us and with materials around the room. I chose to explore a lesson I would like to do with my future students focusing on graffiti. I found a wonderful chapter in Art Synectics by Nicholas Rolkes that discussed at length the importance of, and the differences between, visual signals, signs, symbols, and codes. There were a variety of great activities and examples for lessons included at the end of the chapter, and one jumped out at me. It featured students bringing an object or material in to make graffiti on by scratching, painting, or writing.

My source material and inspiration for this lesson:

Art Synetics by Nicholas Rolkes

The particular lesson I drew inspiration from.

I adapted this lesson and used found material as the basis for an idea of what graphic symbol to create and impose on the material. I decided that the project would focus on the elements of line and shape, which would in turn create the principles of emphasis and contrast.

The meaning presented by the symbol would be up to the student, and influenced by the backing material. I had a small block of wood, so I chose to make my image center on sustainability of trees and deforestation.

I began by sketching my ideas onto scrap paper, and then transferred my strongest design onto a new piece of paper. I then cut out my design using a cutting board and Exacto knife. Afterward I placed the newly formed “stencil” onto the board and taped it still. I then painted black acrylic paint over the stencil and onto the board with a small paint roller.

A couple of different concept sketches.

The stencil on the left, and the cut-out negative

space on the right.

My final product.

For students, I would make a few changes to the process in order to make things go more smoothly. I would have them work on a larger scale, I would have them cut their stencils out of cardstock, or thicker paper backed with tape, and I would have them use actual spray paint (safely and outdoors).

In addition, for this lesson I would need to include components of criticism, art history, and discussion. I would love to introduce Shepard Fairey, Above, and Banksy (among others, such as Gaia and Swoon) as contemporary examples of street artists who use graphic stencils to create art. However, I would also like to include examples from art history such as the blown hand-print cave paintings from all over the world, and perhaps examples of similar graphic printmaking by Santiago Armengod. Luckily the contemporary artists will be easy to make relevant due to the fact that they are currently active, controversial, and involved in the digital world of social media. I also think that this discussion of street artists could lead to an interesting discussion about the status of art. I would like to ask students what they think about art they find in a gallery versus art on the sidewalk, and how that changes their perception of the work.