Creating experiments

• the artist statement

• the artist's intention

• looking at details of The Object ofThings (Sequence 2)

• the relationship between artist and artwork

Project the video and von Sturmer talks for the students to watch. Watch The Object of Things (Sequence 2) and pause the video from time-to-time. Discuss changes students observe and ask the questions included in this activity.

Use an interactive whiteboard to explore red, yellow and blue translucent squares to see what happens as they are moved around and over one another. You will need to try the colours and transparency qualities to achieve colour mixing effects.

Take students on a walk to observe things that are transparent, translucent and opaque in order to develop their understanding of the terms.

Searching for shapes

• relating the subject matter to the students' world

• observing shape in the environment

• the relationship between art and world

As students look for squares, triangles, rectangles and circles in their environment discuss the features of the shapes. Stage 1 students might look for hexagons, rhombuses and trapeziums as well.

Find an irregular closed shape and photograph it and/or draw it for observation in the classroom. If you take a photograph it should not give away the location of the shape. In the classroom, project the photo or drawn shape and. talk with the students about the features of the irregular shape. Ask students to make up a name for the shape and discuss why the name was chosen and why they think some shapes have names (refer to von Sturmer's artist statement).

Students could hunt in the playground, for the irregular shape you projected.

Activity 1

Work with colour

• working with paint to create new colours

• discovering other artists who experimented with shape

• decisions about composition

• working collaboratively

• the relationship between artist and artwork

Encourage students to mix colours using the three primary colours. Discuss the variety of each new colour that they have created eg the various greens that were made from blue and yellow.

Work with students to identify artists who experimented with colour and shape. You could link to the artists below or complete a web search for further information:

Piet Mondrian¹

Sonia Delaunay²

Roy de Maistre³

Patrick Heron⁴

Joan Miro⁵

Picasso⁶

Rothko⁷

Discuss experiments that the artists might have conducted. Talk about features of the artworks such as:

• the colours and shapes used by the artists

• shapes that are flipped, rotated or resized in the work

• lines in the work.

Discuss elements of the composition of the works such as:

• overlapping shapes

• adjoining shapes

• spaces between shapes

• shapes on top of one another.

While the activity suggests working with red, yellow and blue paints, and colours made through mixing these, you might wish to introduce a different colour palette.

Canvases can be purchased cheaply from bargain shops, while wood offcuts are sometimes available from builders and hardware stores. Framers might have cardboard offcuts that they are prepared to donate.

Refer back to appropriate artworks as the class considers the composition of its collaborative artwork.

Activity 2

Stitch a fibre artwork

• developing familiarity and skills with a range of media, tools and techniques

• exploring translucency and shape in another form

• relationship between artist and artwork

Many different translucent fabric types can be used for this activity. Net is very cheap and effective for overlapping to make new colours but you could try other fabric types.

Stitching can be organic and ends of threads can be left to hang, adding to the work.

Note students should use plastic or blunt-ended needles. Students should be seated a distance apart and will need to be closely supervised during this activity.

Activity 3

Create a lightshow

• exploring light and colour

• working with sound and movement

• the relationship between artist and artwork

Students can experiment with torch light in a darkened classroom, hall, or other space. They could also use a cardboard carton large enough for one or two students to enter. Whitegoods and motorbike cartons are a good size and are sometimes available from manufacturers and/or retailers.

Not all video cameras are able to record in darkened spaces. You will need to experiment with the equipment you have to check its capability.

Activity 4

Create a group digital artwork

• working collaboratively

• realise the diversity of things made as art

• students recognition of the artist and realisation that they can work as artists in a similar way

Students will require assistance with this activity. A process for making the slideshow is provided in the activity.

For more information about Microsoft PowerPoint you could visit the Microsoft support website.⁸

If you wish to attach a sound file to the slideshow you could refer to the process in the Grant Stevens module of MOVE primary, (Activity 4, Define your class>Link your sound and slideshow).

Activity 5

• organising an exhibition

• reflecting upon the artwork

• the relationship between artist, artwork and audience

Students could organise a screening of the work or exhibit on a website or blog. The teacher would need to set up the blog and determine who would have access.

Encourage students to talk about the process of making the artwork and what they have learned.