Challenging Students to See “Beyond”
Ashley Hook is our guest blogger in this lesson she shared on Facebook with other art teachers. Her Instagram page can be found HERE.
According to author Julie Israel, “Creative people do not see things for what they are; they see things for what they could be.” This is an oft-imbued mantra in our art classrooms as our students explore the potential of the pencil mark on a piece of paper or the swipe of a paintbrush across a canvas. Nurturing and protecting the creative spirit has become even more important as we work through this unprecedented time, when students are removed from the creative enclave of our classroom and their capacity for imagination is encroached upon by inability to access their usual artmaking resources, see the familiar faces of their teachers and classmates in person, and perhaps feelings of anxiety about their personal health and that of their family.
Enter the inviting, whimsical, and fun work of Ecuadorian illustrator Javier Perez, also known by his professional nom de guerre, Cintascotch (@cintascotch). Taking inspiration from everyday items, he creates small and purposefully simple doodles by adding details to the space surrounding a trinket, tool, food, or other found object.
To begin this activity, first set the number of doodles you’d like each student to complete; I assigned 10 but the number is flexible depending on how much time you have to devote to the lesson. I also advised my students that the drawings should be no smaller than 5 per page in order to encourage thoughtful completion of their work. Be sure to introduce your students to Cintascotch’s work so they have an understanding of this project’s inspiration; this is also a good opportunity to discuss with them the difference between “inspired by” and “copied from.” After communicating your guidelines for completion and craftsmanship expectations, they are set loose to find their inspirations!
This is a great fit for distance-learning because your artists can utilize whatever resources they have available to them at home and there is so much stylistic freedom in doodling. It is also adaptable to any age.
Have fun!
Enter the inviting, whimsical, and fun work of Ecuadorian illustrator Javier Perez, also known by his professional nom de guerre, Cintascotch (@cintascotch). Taking inspiration from everyday items, he creates small and purposefully simple doodles by adding details to the space surrounding a trinket, tool, food, or other found object.
To begin this activity, first set the number of doodles you’d like each student to complete; I assigned 10 but the number is flexible depending on how much time you have to devote to the lesson. I also advised my students that the drawings should be no smaller than 5 per page in order to encourage thoughtful completion of their work. Be sure to introduce your students to Cintascotch’s work so they have an understanding of this project’s inspiration; this is also a good opportunity to discuss with them the difference between “inspired by” and “copied from.” After communicating your guidelines for completion and craftsmanship expectations, they are set loose to find their inspirations!
This is a great fit for distance-learning because your artists can utilize whatever resources they have available to them at home and there is so much stylistic freedom in doodling. It is also adaptable to any age.
Have fun!
Submitted by Ashley Hook, Pine Lake Preparatory, Mooresville, NC
Find me on Instagram @artwithmrshook
https://www.instagram.com/artwithmrshook/
Find me on Instagram @artwithmrshook
https://www.instagram.com/artwithmrshook/
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