Intermediate+Division

=Intermediate Division Studio Activity =

Painting: Expressive Contour Hands




This assignment is based on lessons submitted by Veronica Aguirre and Dave Haines to The Incredible Art Department web site.

This assignment begins with music accompanying a slide show of a wide variety of art works and media that include 'hands' as the subject matter. Students reflect on what the works have in common, identify the media used, and brainstorm emotions communicated by the gestures in each work: service, supplication, tension, anger, power, faith, reverence, victory, tenderness, strength, and so on.

The teacher reviews the fundamentals of contour drawing introduced in Grade 7. Students watch a brief instructional video, then discuss and contribute to a class graphic organizer on effective contour drawing:



During studio time, students practice carefully observing and drawing their own hands using pencil and newsprint. The finished pencil composition on cartridge paper shows hands arranged radially in expressive poses that convey emotions, messages or ideas. Students are provided with an American Sign Language page if they want to include a word or phrase in their work. Students are shown how to use a brush and clean water to create a light wash with water-based markers, blend analogous watercolours, and use oil and chalk pastel to accent some areas for interest and contrast.

The teacher circulates in the studio, encouraging exploration of the variety of studio materials available as students develop their compositions, and reinforcing through discussion the students' understanding of the formal qualities of their work (see Clark, pp. 52-53). The radial composition suits the Grade 8 focus on the design principle of //movement//: radial composition encourages a circular scan of the entire work, into the focal area at the centre, where the hands reach and the diagonal lines converge (Clark, p. 55).

A final goal for this assignment is to introduce to students how to create an artist statement to explain their artistic choices and show understanding of the major concepts, and complete a self-evaluation rubric.



Selected expectations: Grade 8

D1.1 create art works, using a variety of traditional forms and current media technologies, that express feelings, ideas, and issues and that demonstrate an awareness of multiple points of view D1.2 demonstrate an understanding of composition, using multiple principles of design and other layout considerations such as compositional triangles to create narrative art works or art works on a theme or topic D1.3 use elements of design in art works to communicate ideas, messages, and understandings for a specific audience and purpose D1.4 use a variety of materials, tools, techniques, and technologies to determine solutions to increasingly complex design challenges --- D2.1 interpret a variety of art works and identify the feelings, issues, themes, and social concerns that they convey D2.4 identify and explain their strengths, their interests, and areas for improvement as creators, interpreters, and viewers of art --- D3.1 identify and explain some of the ways in which artistic traditions in a variety of times and places have been maintained, adapted, or appropriated

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