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"Telling people how to be creative is easy - being creative is difficult."
-John Cleese (of Monty Python fame)
“The advice I like to give young artists, or really anybody who'll listen to me, is not to wait around for inspiration. Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up and get to work. If you wait around for the clouds to part and a bolt of lightning to strike you in the brain, you are not going to make an awful lot of work. All the best ideas come out of the process; they come out of the work itself. Things occur to you. If you're sitting around trying to dream up a great art idea, you can sit there a long time before anything happens. But if you just get to work, something will occur to you and something else will occur to you and something else that you reject will push you in another direction. Inspiration is absolutely unnecessary and somehow deceptive. You feel like you need this great idea before you can get down to work, and I find that's almost never the case.”
Task 2: Individually, complete this venn diagram, then share your answers with peers. (5-10minutes)
Task 3: In groups, discuss what creativity is and isn't. Document answers on a table in your Developmental Workbook as pictured below. Be prepared to share your answers as a class. (10-15 minutes).
Task 5: Doodle association game. Get into groups of 3-5. (15-20 mins)
INSTRUCTIONS: Person A draws something. Anything. A shape, a bridge, an amorphous blob; whatever strikes A's fancy. Person B then draws something of their own, influenced by the previous drawing. Sometimes it may be the shape; sometimes it might be the subject matter. Sometimes it might just be one little piece that looks like it could be a piece from something else. Then person C, D. Then... it's Person A's turn again.
IMPORTANT: draw each doodle sequentially (as opposed to just dropping them haphazardly on the page); and as you get to the end of each line, start the next doodle directly under the last, moving in the opposite direction.
Task 6: Interpret the following image. Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?
In your Developmental Workbooks (DWB), individually brainstorm the following question in 3-5 minutes:
"Where do good ideas come from?" (unit question)
Share your answers in groups of 4, adding to your notes. Be prepared to share them as a whole class. (10mins)
Watch the following video taking any necessary notes. What do you think?
Task 4: Review
Significant Concept: We are influenced and inspired by the world around us.
What does this mean?
Unit Task:
You are creative. You have unique ideas. You, are an artist. You are preparing to have your first solo mini-exhibition show. You will be selecting, interpreting & developing your own chosen theme. Choosing a theme helps strengthen, focus and unify work. This is a demanding and personally rewarding experience that will require dedication, time management, commitment and personal drive. You will brainstorm, research, investigate and develop your ideas into a body of artwork. Your process work must be well documented with evidence and experimentation to support your ideas and techniques. This will be assessed for Criteria A (Knowledge & Understanding). You will create a series of final pieces in various mediums of your choice in consultation with the teacher. 1 piece however, must include pattern in some way. Your final piece(s) will result in your evaluation for criteria B (Application). When complete, you will also submit a final self-reflection. Good luck!
How do artists respond to a world in flux? In what ways do artists act as agents of change, and what kinds of aesthetic choices do they make to express it? This episode features artists who bear witness, through their work, to transformation—cultural, material, and aesthetic—and actively engage communities as collaborators and subjects.
You will spend 2 double lessons brainstorming TWO of the above themes in your DWBs.
A good brainstorm includes:
nouns
verbs
adjectives (incl. colours)
phrases
quotations from songs/poems
senses
possible artists/art movements
geography
current news
cultural references
personal connections
At this stage, you are NOT thinking of a final painting or drawing, but are trying to deal with general ideas and concepts. Keep your mind open.
Begin brainstorming topic 1.
Homework: Complete brainstorm 1 by next class.
Week 2 - Lesson 1 (Jan 15, 2012)
Task 1: Group discussion (20-30mins)
Your theme/brainstorm is quite general and can be interpreted in several ways. Share your first brainstorm in small groups to discuss the potential of your chosen idea. A good discussion involves questions and suggestions and is aimed at provoking thought and helping the student consider other possibilities.
You are not trying to think of the answer or final piece now, you are trying to come up with several answers.
Make notes on the feedback you received and how your discussion challenged you and helped you develop your ideas.
Your theme/brainstorm is quite general and can be interpreted in several ways. Share your second brainstorm in small groups to discuss the potential of your chosen idea. A good discussion involves questions and suggestions and is aimed at provoking thought and helping the student consider other possibilities.
You are not trying to think of the answer or final piece now, you are trying to come up with several answers.
Make notes on the feedback you received and how your discussion challenged you and helped you develop your ideas.
Make a decision on which theme to do. (A common issue is students spending too long deciding which theme to do.)
Where Do Artists Get Their Ideas?
Why do people create art? What is the driving force behind creation? How do artists visualize their ideas? How do they then turn it into a piece of artwork? This is the essence of visual art: translating an abstract idea into a tangible form. This article explores how to come up with an idea for an artwork, translate your idea into a visual image, and create it in tangible--material--form. Read the article here.
Research and Investigation - 2 weeks
You will spend TWO weeks developing ideas and researching artists who have worked on similar ideas, or worked in media/styles that may influence you. You need to create a good BREADTH of research initially, (this means selecting several artists, art movements/cultural influences), before you go into greater depth later.
Start to gather written and visual references information in your workbook. Be sure to reference ALL written and visual information correctly.
Primary research- This is information that you make , such as drawings, sketches, photos, a trip to a gallery, interiews, objects you have collected etc. This always better and more authentic.
Secondary research- This refers to information by others that you collect. is simply often necessary, but do not use secondary sources when you can in fact use a primary source. Try books, newspapers, art and design magazines as well as the internet.
Please note that the internet is actually very limited in terms of what it contains for art and design research, click here for a selection of good web resources.
You must be made aware that internet only based investigation will not result in a good grade.
Consider: Are you collecting or connecting the dots?
Begin your research. You may find some useful sites here also. Document your findings neatly and title your work.
Week 3 (Research 1)
Continue gathering written and visual references information in your workbook. Be sure to reference ALL written and visual information correctly.
You may find some useful sites here. Document your findings neatly and title your work.
So, what do you want to say in your investigation/art? Looking at your brainstorm, you may wish to focus on one aspect.
Also list what you need to do. What do you need to learn? What do you think you will need to consider?
Gather any relevant key terms/vocabulary. Highlight these in your DWBs.
Week 4 (Research 2)
Continue gathering written and visual references information in your workbook.
Remember to think: What is your concept? How can you personalise it? How does the topic relate to you? What are you bringing to the topic? What are your personal experiences to it? Can you link your topic to anything that you like etc?
You must show documentation and evidence of your thoughts/ideas. Really begin gathering materials for your book. Collect, collect, collect! Some resources you will use, some you may not. Add notes to why you are adding these (do you like the concept, the technique etc.?).
What possible mediums could we explore? Brainstorm this as a class and in your DWBs.
Week 5 (Image Analysis)
Focusing on the research you have done, select 1 image to critically analyse, or two to compare and contrast with an artist that is similar to your theme
Use the Analysing an Image sheet for guidance and format. This should be written in paragraph form and should be between 500-700 words.
Record this in your DWBs. This will be assessed. Due week 6.
Week 6 - Lesson 1
Image Analysis due.
How do artists translate their ideas and inspiration into visual language?
How can we visually represent our ideas through mediums and approaches? Brainstorm and list.
Investigate an artist that uses your medium of choice. Due week 7. How is he/she related to what you plan to do.
Using formal elements--the ABC's of visual language--you can take your ideas and determine in very specific ways how to refine it and give it form. Read the article here.
Continue with your research. This will be the last class to organise your DWB.
*Week 6-lesson 2: you will present your research book to the class.
You should photograph your research pages and insert them into a document (Pages or Word-1 photo per page). You should then convert the document to a PDF and will present it to the teacher. You are also encouraged to upload your doc to Issuu (create an account) and embed it on your blog.
Your presentation will simply be 5-10 minutes long (5mins presenting and 5 mins question & answer).
You should consider:
Briefly explain your brainstorm and process
Did you attempt to brainstorm on a personal level?
Did you use primary & secondary research?
Did you comment on the photos gathered - How do they relate to your theme? How do they inspire you? Why are they being included?
Did you do a deeper brainstorm to investigate and/or sketch what comes to mind?
Did you create any sketches? What was the purpose of them? What were you exploring?
Did you do an artist investigation? Did you check and use the web links provided?
Did you source all research and images?
Did you consider the opposite for your theme?
What ideas/artwork etc. did you reject? Did you record this?
You may have substantial breadth, but do you have depth?
Did you consider emotions and the senses?
Did you record your ideas/questions to further explore?
What's your next step?
Week 6 - Lesson 2
Presenting research book to the class. You should present the following:
1. What theme are you pursuing? Where has your research (brainstorm) led you?
(nouns, verbs, adjectives, colours, phrases, quotations from songs/poems, senses, possible artists/art movements, geography, current news, cultural references, personal connections)
2. What artist(s) have you researched? Explain the artist's style etc. What do you like about that artist and/or their work?
3. What medium will you pursue?
4. What have you researched about that medium?
5. Image analysis?
6. What are you thinking in regards to composition? What's your next step?
Looking at your 2 artists, what would you steal from them and/or leave out? What could you recombine? How could you modernise it?
Remember, we do not wish to mimic an artist, but to be inspired from them.
Try the brainstorm-association game. Thinking of your theme and research, write down the first three words that come to mind. Select one, and then write the next word that comes to mind. Keep going until you have a long list of words. Select 2 words randomly. How could you connect them to create a composition?
Week 7
Start thumbnailing/experimenting with mediums.
You should begin concluding some of your research and begin exploring your ideas and mediums. Please be aware that test/experiments etc should be recorded in your book as well as mini-reflections stating if ideas worked or not etc.
"(Forever Free) Hello I’m Your New Neighbor," 1997 Acrylic latex, stain, and copper penny on paper, 60 1/4 x 36 inches Private collection Photo by Beth Phillips Courtesy Tony Shafrazi Gallery, New York
"I've heard a number of things, been called the sellout, the 'Chris Rock' of the art world (I like that one by the way). And people accuse me and question my blackness- they accuse me of making paintings that deal with these images because 'white folks want to see these images' And I'm saying to myself, 'Boy, I don't know,' in that white folks wanted to see these images to laugh at?" - Michael Ray Charles
option:
“30 sketches in 30 minutes”
The objective here is to make fast and simple line drawings that capture an object. Get drawing quickly so you do not have time to think and analyse what your drawing should look like. This will help you to warm up and consider your object from several vantage points. Attempt to gather all your information from the object without thinking.
After completing your 30 sketches, choose approximately 3 that you show interest in. Choose 1 to further develop and see where it leads you.
Think of your theme. Write it down. Write the 1st word that comes to your head. Draw an image to represent that word.
Draw a cartoon character that would personify your theme.
Write a slogan for your theme.
Write a newspaper headline for your theme and/or research.
Draw a logo for your theme and research.
What shape(s) would best express your theme? Draw and arrange them in a creative way. You are limited to 2.
What lines would best express your theme? Sketch out a composition using those lines.
Sketch 3 character poses that could express your theme. The 3 characters should be posing together, not separate.
What would your theme smell like? Draw an object for this. What would it feel like? Draw an object or texture for this.
Create a pattern for your theme.
Overlap 2 sketches to create something new. OR, merge elements of 2 drawings somehow.
Draw 3 thumbnails for a composition. Try to make them a quarter page each. (3 mins only!)
Select 1 thumbnail. Erase or blacken in sections.
Think about your hobby or passion. How could you connect it to your theme? Sketch a thumbnail. 3 mins only. Go!
Spend the remaining time in class creating thumbnails & developing your first composition. You will pitch your idea to your peers at the end of the lesson.
Composition pitch: You will have 1 minute to pitch your composition idea to a group.
The group listening should not interrupt you. They should offer you constructive criticism and feedback.
They have 2 minutes to do this for you. Then rotate around the group.
Items to consider:
-composition (what's included, where and why?)
-medium
-colour
-etc
Begin creating pieces 1-3
Week 12
Presentation/Reflection
Present your work in small groups.
Reflection: Write a reflection on your blog. Include pictures of your work.
Write for an audience that does not know what you did in class.
Provide any necessary hyperlinks to your research and inspirations.
You should have a structure something like this:
Simple intro for the unit.
Inspiration for your work also explaining the theme or intent of your work.
Strengths/Weaknesses in your work and in your techniques and work skills. Provide specific details to support your statements.Any further areas you wish to develop and explore?
Create a work of art or graphic giving advice on how to develop creativity. This must include text. You may focus on 1 piece of advice or list several.
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