Art & Language Arts Online

K-5 Teachers Discover Strategies for Helping Students to Draw

July 31st, 2012 Theresa Sotto 6 comments

During the second day of the Art & Language Arts seminar, we were drawn to drawings! We explored different drawing tools, experienced a special VIP talk by a curator in our drawings department, and tried an activity that made us feel comfortable drawing—even those who were most skeptical of their artistic abilities.

For those who participated in today’s program, please share a strategy for helping students to overcome the fear of creating a drawing that doesn’t meet their expectations. How do we help students move past the idea that their pictures need to “look right”?

: Today’s media exploration encouraged teachers to build their own drawing vocabulary using different drawing tools and then create a collaborative work of art.

: Even at 8:30 AM in the morning, teachers are all smiles. Is it because of the art activity…or the delicious breakfast burritos? (Note: There’s no trace of the breakfast burrito on the plate!)

: Teachers are armed with cups of coffee and Art Stix—a winning combination!

: A painting by John Everett Millais sparked a lively discussion about what is going on in the picture. What IS going on in the picture anyway?

: Teachers spend time analyzing the clues in a painting.

: We look closely and admiringly at Joseph Mallord William Turner’s depiction of turbulent waters.

: In partners, teachers share what they see in a painting and then describe their partners’ observations.

: After discussing what they see, teachers share what the painting makes them wonder about. Then they think about possible responses to their wonderings. It’s an adaptation of the See-Think-Wonder thinking routine.

: Teachers view animals in our collection and select one to draw.

: It’s not so intimidating to draw an elephant when you break it down into different shapes.

: Two teachers successfully took on the challenge of choosing one shape and varying its size in order to create fantastic turkeys.

: A cow made up of a combination of triangles!

: Teachers discuss possible directions for their arts-integrated language arts lesson plans.

: We’re hunched over not because it’s the end of the day, but because we are imitating the pose of the figure in Jean-Francois Millet’s Man with a Hoe.

Categories: Art-making activities, Getty programs, Reflections on Getty workshops

Tags: drawing, Getty programs, lesson ideas, painting, summer seminar

Inspiration Drawn from Art, Nature, and Animals: Day 3 of the Seminar

July 27th, 2011 Theresa Sotto 12 comments

During the third day of the Art & Language Arts seminar, teachers and Getty staff drew inspiration from drawings, decorative arts, and nature. And the results took the form of…animal sketches, decorative wall paper, dream beds, drawings of nature, poetry, imaginative narratives, descriptive writing, lively discussions, and more!

No matter what we did, we tried to tap into our playful, creative spirits. To learn how some classrooms are putting art and exploration at the center of learning, read
“The Garlanded Classroom” from The New York Times.

So the question still remains…if you want to provide more artistic opportunities for students, how do you carve out time for this in your busy school year? If you participated in today’s program, leave a comment with a time-saving tip or trick that will allow more time for meaningful art experiences.

: The best fuel for the busiest day of the week: breakfast burritos!

: Drawing was the focus of today’s media exploration. Teachers experimented with the different marks they could make with charcoal and drawing pencils.

: Curator Julian Brooks gave a tour of the exhibition Luminous Paper: British Watercolors and Drawings.

: Teachers were captivated by the curator’s knowledge (as well as his British accent).

: Educator Theresa Sotto invites teachers to share ideas for improving an arts-integrated lesson.

: Educator Veronica Alvarez tells a story about Midas, which inspired an artist to create his Self-Portrait as Midas.

: What has captured the interest of all of these teachers?

: A painting of Louis XIV!

: Educator Kelly Williams leads a writing activity inspired by an 18th century bed.

: Teachers looked for patterns and shapes in the bed’s design.

: Teachers shared their observations about the bed with their colleagues.

: Educator William Zaluski led a drawing activity inspired by the many animals that trot, crawl, and rear across the Getty’s collection.

: Teachers were fully immersed in the activity of drawing an animal by combining basic shapes.

: Who knew that an elephant could take shape by simple shapes?

: Educator Alice Jackel led a decorative arts activity called “If These Walls Could Growl.”

: After viewing decorative walls from the 18th century, teachers cut out shapes from sponges to create patterns for their own wallpaper.

: One teacher began the activity with hesitation but left with a beautiful work of art.

: Educator Flora Ito leads an activity on drawing…well, flora.

: Teachers use their viewfinders to isolate details and then create contour drawings.

: It’s easy to find beautiful details from nature in the spectacular Getty grounds.

: Teachers select their favorite materials to create their “dream” beds in an activity led by educator Kelly Williams.

: Teachers added their own feathers, colored paper, and decorative designs to turn a cardboard box into a lavish bed.

: This teacher created rubbings and cut them out into leaves and flowers.

: These teachers proved that all you need is a pile of colorful paper to let your creativity shine!

Categories: Art-making activities, Arts-integrated language arts lessons, Getty programs, Reflections on Getty workshops

Tags: animals, decorative arts, drawing, Getty programs, lesson ideas, sketching, summer seminar

New Lessons to Inspire and Improve Writing with Visual Art

May 18th, 2011 Theresa Sotto Comments off

Inspired by a 16th-century painting depicting a holiday, this student created a work of art about her family's holiday tradition of making tamales.

Six new lessons written by alumni of the Art & Language Arts program are now available online! In these lessons, students create works of art and write compositions inspired by the Getty Museum’s collection.

Categories: Art-making activities, Arts-integrated language arts lessons

Tags: decorative arts, drawing, lesson ideas, sculpture, sketching, still life

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