Elements & Principles Project Modification to Include Postmodern Principles

Principles and Elements Postmodern Panorama Art Book

Materials:

Magazines

Colored Construction Paper

Glue

Scissors

Colored Pencils, Markers, Paint, Crayons

Chose two contrasting sign shapes or symbols. This will bring unity to the piece. Make two of these by cutting them out of the magazines. Unity is created because the same basic shape is repeated throughout the composition; Unity is often created by repetition of art elements.

Use the repeated signs or symbols codes or messages to the viewer to stop, go, or yield for example. By mixing signs you can prompt interest by forcing the viewer to think about what your intentions are.

Make 10 more of these sign shapes. Vary the size and shape. Vary the proportions of the sides of the shapes. Make some variations as dramatic as possible. Create contrast. Variety and interest are attained by making variations of the basic shapes.

Arrange the shapes to create a feeling of movement and rhythm in the composition. Try to create a sense of movement along the long horizontal page of the whole accordion book.

By mixing media and using colored pencils, markers, paint, and/or crayons add lines, which will enhance the sense of movement and emphasis in your piece.

Enhance the composition by creating areas of pattern and texture through repetition of points, lines, or shapes.

Consider the entire composition. Does it have symmetrical or asymmetrical balance?

Finish book by making an “About the Author” page and a cover, which displays your knowledge of a wide vocabulary of visual art elements and principles as well as postmodern concepts.

Postmodern Art Education

After reading Terry Barrett's Approaches to Postmodern Art-making Followed by Olivia Gude's Principles of Possibility: Considerations for a 21st-Century Art & Culture Curriculum I feel a bit overwhelmed to say the least. Berrett's article is very insightful as a clearly stated (and open ended) guide to understanding postmodern art principles as compared to those of the modernists. It is very helpful when considering the application of these principles or more importantly the understanding of why these postmodern approaches exist in the context of Gude's contemporary curriculum suggestions. These definitions and suggestions are all of good intent but what is difficult for me to wrap my head around is the actual application and the repercussions. Perhaps it is hard for me to contemplate because I was formally trained around mostly modernist principles throughout my public school experience. The only education toward the practice of what Gude discusses such as expressiveness and post modern concept development that I have experienced were either outside of school (during study at private art institutions) or at SUNY New Paltz. Even at New Paltz there is a dependency on formal and technical training in spite of the art department's incessant desire for creativity, concept, and expression.

Not to get off on too much of a tangent but isn't it silly for colleges and universities to demand deep concept development and expressiveness for the entry level student when the average high school graduate is still taught mostly modernist methods. I understand the goal is progression and we are dependent upon new teachers to bring this about but clearly it is a slow change. Then again Art is and has been a competitive field (or is it?) so I suppose if a college freshman doesn't come with those post-modern/contemporary skills he/she is not ahead of the game.

I guess the standards could use an update because I think, based on Gude's article, they are a significant form of enforcement for curriculum development. I'm not saying that the teachers cannot create a more contemporary curriculum with the present standards. If they were updated perhaps more principles would enforce a more contemporary art education practice and the current in-service teachers would have no choice but to promote more critical thought based lessons, a more rich, and meaningful learning experience.

It is such a tricky concept to deal with, develop, and enforce. How do new teachers make everyone (The parents, students, and supervisors) happy while attempting to take such new approaches to art education?

It all needs advocacy.

Arts in Education on Prezi

Responding to James Bean's "A Middle School Curriculum"

Although James Bean's volume "A Middle School Curriculum: From Rhetoric to Reality" seems a bit redundant at this point in the constantly developing theories of education he makes several very strong points that need not be overlooked. By redundant I mean that since and prior to the volume's copyright in 1990, the points Bean makes are repeated in articles dealing with new education quite often. This in fact does not detract from what Bean says but makes it clear to me that research is proving these theories to be tested and effective. I feel strongly that not only is it important for the middle school curriculum to balance social, academic, and democratic development but these themes are significant throughout education to include elementary, high school, and college. It is my understanding that Bean is proposing that these themes are more important in middle school given the significant steps in cognitive, social, and psychological development of that age range compared to those of elementary and high school. I think maybe his themes and theories can be applied across the board (K-12+) and I also think these things are happening in some schools already and true to our democracy, it is the sole responsibility of the people (teachers, parents, students) to make these changes take place on a broader scale...

more to come...

Dali's Paranoic-Critical Method

Here's a visual example of Dali exercising the paranoic-critical method.

He begins with an anthropologist's photograph.

He sees what he sees. What do you see?

He reinterprets the image and creates his representation.

I found these images of Dali's work at this website.