I looked at the list of overused concentration themes and actually included them in my syllabi so students avoid them. I imagine the most overused theme is "portraits of people I like/love". It's easy, available, and I know my students love to paint/draw people they know well. It's familiar, easy, comfortable territory, and you don't have to think to hard to make it happen. I'm just as guilty, some of my favorite bits of subject matter are friends or family. I just try to capture them in a way that's unique. I've made an effort lately to avoid painting them all together. Like I said, it's easy to come back to, so I totally understand why the students might choose that. As for branching out, I have an approach that might work. Instead of painting portraits of a group of people, they could focus on investigating things and ideas that formulate one of their loved one's identities. Let's say they focus on their Grandma. Grandma smokes, is hooked up to a respirator, and lives in the student's house. The Grandma lives in the house because she has Alzheimer's and needs someone to look after her constantly. They live in a mobile home because Mom has quit her job in order to take care of Grandma, and dad drinks profusely in order to deal with this. A student, in this scenario, could create artwork that represents some of Grandma's delusions, his/her mom being "anchored" to her past and her sense of duty as a child, her mom's dreams extinguished, his/her dad's addictions, a drawing of Grandma's cigarettes next to or near the respirator, etc.... I think a slight adjustment of "frame" - or how one sees the world, would help and encourage students to avoid trite subject matter. The concentration is about investigation, and anything can be interesting if someone just adjusts the frame of the situation and explores the different options presented by a theme/situation/idea.
I agree with Dayton's assessment and I'd like to comment on the "slight adjustment of frame". I think that having the students look at the person they are wanting to do a portrait of and learning about that person's life gives the student the opportunity to discover a person's life story. Depicting this particular aspect of the person demonstrates how art (visual literacy) tells a story. It also solves the problem of putting meaning behind a work of art. Its risk-taking in that it forces the artist to look at life from another person's point of view and try to communicate that perspective and those sets of emotions.
We tend to paint (draw, sculpt, etc.) what we know. Kids know kids. They know themselves, they know their emotions, their interests, their struggles their accomplishments, who they are and who they are becoming or want to become. So I see a lot of portraits of friends. Its an easy fix for the "depict an emotion, state of mentality or an idea" challenge just by using facial expressions and color, for example. I like the idea of telling a story about that person, much like Mary Whyte has done in her most recent collection. I'd rather have the student look at their subject matter (usually their BFF) and have them tell me who this person really is. Rather than facial expressions I would encourage high contrast, a particular color palette, line work, etc. to show an undercurrent of emotion but more than that I think a successful body of portraits might have details, symbolism and a relationship between the subject and the subject's environment that will have the viewer asking "what is this piece about?" rather than "Is this person a friend or a relative of the artist's?"
I do agree that portraits are most overused by students - mostly because teens are learning self-identity and navigating social constructs. My students are limited in their resources - going places, doing things - so they rely quite heavily upon what is at hand, and usually that is people.
I would like for them to explore portraits in a completely different way .. while faces are interesting, I want them to explore other imagery that could portray that person's identity and story ... objects owned, places that remind them of that person, etc. - explore the relationship between the artist and subject, rather than just rendering a likeness.
I’m betting it’s the same one I have gravitated to as I’ve rolled my plans for my class artwork over and over in my head. I chose the signature page as the idea to develop into a final artwork. The theme: “This is who I am.” I guess it’s just natural to go there. Is there anything more interesting to us than us, (or more boring to everyone else)? The simple solution to this is to state in the rubric that this theme is off limits. I have to do this a lot in middle school or they will all copy each other. Of course you have to offer alternatives like Dayton did....easier said than done.
I have a trite list that I have posted on my classroom wall and also have a handout of the trite list. The kids at first whine and complain that I have listed everything they want to draw. (hearts, rainbows, teardrops, etc.) They catch on after we discuss these overused images and will call each other out if they spot something "trite" on someone's work. I think any image can be overused but that's where we come in...how to get the students to take an overused image and make it totally different, quality artwork. I will encourage my students to look at what other students from other cultures are creating. I think exposing them to quality work by other students is a good way to get them to think outside their own little worlds.
Suzan- I love the idea of a trite poster. I could see that being very helpful in art 1 and all the way through AP.
I could see portrait being the most used concentration; it is something that most students are created multiples of over the years. I guess they feel more comfortable with it.
I had a couple of students who wanted portraits as their central idea. This past year, I forced the students to rethink it and try to develop it beyond the just a series of basic portrait. One chose to change her concentration all together. The other changed it to be more than just portraits.
I like Susan have a trite list to try to help them stay away from over-used symbols and such. I think that portraits are the most used concentration, I contribute this to how self centered high school students are...
You all have some great insights into how your students respond to your guidance, I agree that we pretty much all get tired of seeing kids that have tallent cut themselves off due to lack of effort. We know that some time a nudge in the right direction is just the ticket to get them out of their comfort zone and help them to be willing to do something that they have never attempted before. I like the idea of the trite poster,and I know that the students could help add a few items to the list. I have a list that I use as well but I know these younger students see things in their culture that sometimes we miss, so I will enlist their help with both posting expanding and the list as the years go on. I dont think that a portrait of itself is trite, but the way many students use it makes it appear so. Several of you have given good solid ideas of ways that we can tweek the idea of a portrait so that is not the comon, straight forward, emotionless image. If the student really has something to say and can voice that thought, feeling and idea, in a unique meaningful way with a portrait then I say run with it. I find the problem I have with many students is not so much common themes but over used techniques and an unwillingness to experiment. I we can just nudge them to experiment more with different mediums juxtaposed to new and unique ideas and find out what it is they want to say with their art then I think our students are smart and bright enought to give their portraits and what ever else they are going to create a new and interesting twist.
I looked at the list of overused concentration themes and actually included them in my syllabi so students avoid them. I imagine the most overused theme is "portraits of people I like/love". It's easy, available, and I know my students love to paint/draw people they know well. It's familiar, easy, comfortable territory, and you don't have to think to hard to make it happen. I'm just as guilty, some of my favorite bits of subject matter are friends or family. I just try to capture them in a way that's unique. I've made an effort lately to avoid painting them all together. Like I said, it's easy to come back to, so I totally understand why the students might choose that. As for branching out, I have an approach that might work. Instead of painting portraits of a group of people, they could focus on investigating things and ideas that formulate one of their loved one's identities. Let's say they focus on their Grandma. Grandma smokes, is hooked up to a respirator, and lives in the student's house. The Grandma lives in the house because she has Alzheimer's and needs someone to look after her constantly. They live in a mobile home because Mom has quit her job in order to take care of Grandma, and dad drinks profusely in order to deal with this. A student, in this scenario, could create artwork that represents some of Grandma's delusions, his/her mom being "anchored" to her past and her sense of duty as a child, her mom's dreams extinguished, his/her dad's addictions, a drawing of Grandma's cigarettes next to or near the respirator, etc.... I think a slight adjustment of "frame" - or how one sees the world, would help and encourage students to avoid trite subject matter. The concentration is about investigation, and anything can be interesting if someone just adjusts the frame of the situation and explores the different options presented by a theme/situation/idea.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dayton's assessment and I'd like to comment on the "slight adjustment of frame".
ReplyDeleteI think that having the students look at the person they are wanting to do a portrait of and learning about that person's life gives the student the opportunity to discover a person's life story. Depicting this particular aspect of the person demonstrates how art (visual literacy) tells a story. It also solves the problem of putting meaning behind a work of art. Its risk-taking in that it forces the artist to look at life from another person's point of view and try to communicate that perspective and those sets of emotions.
We tend to paint (draw, sculpt, etc.) what we know. Kids know kids. They know themselves, they know their emotions, their interests, their struggles their accomplishments, who they are and who they are becoming or want to become. So I see a lot of portraits of friends. Its an easy fix for the "depict an emotion, state of mentality or an idea" challenge just by using facial expressions and color, for example. I like the idea of telling a story about that person, much like Mary Whyte has done in her most recent collection. I'd rather have the student look at their subject matter (usually their BFF) and have them tell me who this person really is. Rather than facial expressions I would encourage high contrast, a particular color palette, line work, etc. to show an undercurrent of emotion but more than that I think a successful body of portraits might have details, symbolism and a relationship between the subject and the subject's environment that will have the viewer asking "what is this piece about?" rather than "Is this person a friend or a relative of the artist's?"
ReplyDeleteI do agree that portraits are most overused by students - mostly because teens are learning self-identity and navigating social constructs.
ReplyDeleteMy students are limited in their resources - going places, doing things - so they rely quite heavily upon what is at hand, and usually that is people.
I would like for them to explore portraits in a completely different way .. while faces are interesting, I want them to explore other imagery that could portray that person's identity and story ... objects owned, places that remind them of that person, etc. - explore the relationship between the artist and subject, rather than just rendering a likeness.
I’m betting it’s the same one I have gravitated to as I’ve rolled my plans for my class artwork over and over in my head. I chose the signature page as the idea to develop into a final artwork. The theme: “This is who I am.” I guess it’s just natural to go there. Is there anything more interesting to us than us, (or more boring to everyone else)? The simple solution to this is to state in the rubric that this theme is off limits. I have to do this a lot in middle school or they will all copy each other. Of course you have to offer alternatives like Dayton did....easier said than done.
ReplyDeleteI have a trite list that I have posted on my classroom wall and also have a handout of the trite list. The kids at first whine and complain that I have listed everything they want to draw. (hearts, rainbows, teardrops, etc.) They catch on after we discuss these overused images and will call each other out if they spot something "trite" on someone's work. I think any image can be overused but that's where we come in...how to get the students to take an overused image and make it totally different, quality artwork. I will encourage my students to look at what other students from other cultures are creating. I think exposing them to quality work by other students is a good way to get them to think outside their own little worlds.
ReplyDeleteSuzan- I love the idea of a trite poster. I could see that being very helpful in art 1 and all the way through AP.
ReplyDeleteI could see portrait being the most used concentration; it is something that most students are created multiples of over the years. I guess they feel more comfortable with it.
I had a couple of students who wanted portraits as their central idea. This past year, I forced the students to rethink it and try to develop it beyond the just a series of basic portrait. One chose to change her concentration all together. The other changed it to be more than just portraits.
I like Susan have a trite list to try to help them stay away from over-used symbols and such. I think that portraits are the most used concentration, I contribute this to how self centered high school students are...
ReplyDeleteYou all have some great insights into how your students respond to your guidance, I agree that we pretty much all get tired of seeing kids that have tallent cut themselves off due to lack of effort. We know that some time a nudge in the right direction is just the ticket to get them out of their comfort zone and help them to be willing to do something that they have never attempted before. I like the idea of the trite poster,and I know that the students could help add a few items to the list. I have a list that I use as well but I know these younger students see things in their culture that sometimes we miss, so I will enlist their help with both posting expanding and the list as the years go on. I dont think that a portrait of itself is trite, but the way many students use it makes it appear so. Several of you have given good solid ideas of ways that we can tweek the idea of a portrait so that is not the comon, straight forward, emotionless image. If the student really has something to say and can voice that thought, feeling and idea, in a unique meaningful way with a portrait then I say run with it. I find the problem I have with many students is not so much common themes but over used techniques and an unwillingness to experiment. I we can just nudge them to experiment more with different mediums juxtaposed to new and unique ideas and find out what it is they want to say with their art then I think our students are smart and bright enought to give their portraits and what ever else they are going to create a new and interesting twist.
ReplyDelete