Recycled Collages--Using What’s at Hand
Professor Julia Schmitt Healy, QCC, Spring 2021
Students will use whatever is around the house-- scraps, junk mail, wrappings and discarded, unfinished or unsuccessful artworks to create brand-new, landscapes. By ripping and/or cutting pieces, they will build up layers to show foreground, middle ground and background in their compositions.
GRADE LEVEL:
4-adult
ESSENTIAL QUESTION(S):
•How can I use old artwork or things from the wastebasket to create a fantastic landscape?
•What are some of the ways I can use collage to show background, middle ground and foreground in a landscape?
GOALS:
Students will be able to:
• Explore collage to make a landscape
• Learn how to “find” colors and shapes in discarded works or scraps
TIME FRAME:
1-2 sessions; could be expanded
HABITS OF MIND:
Observing, Envisioning, Exploring, Persisting, Reflecting
MATERIALS/TOOLS/TECHNOLOGY NEEDED:
• used artworks, outtakes, junk mail, packaging, scraps, etc.
• background paper
• phone books/magazines for gluing on
• Optional: (if available)
• Art Materials: Caran d’ache, colored pencils, sharpie markers or other materials to draw into the finished collage for making details or filling in areas
• iPads, digital camera, phone for documenting process
MOTIVATION/VISUALS/REFERENCES:
Images of interesting landscapes from art history or other sources such as pinterest and instagram; personal travel and phone photos
VOCABULARY:
layering, overlapping, composition, negative shape, scale
ENGAGEMENT:
The artist/teacher might begin by sharing some images of unusual or interesting landscapes to get the juices flowing. The idea here is not to translate a landscape into collage necessarily, but to invent one that goes back in space. Planning on making a background, middle ground and foreground is key.
Demonstrate cutting, ripping and gluing, as always, emphasizing that shifting pieces around and playing with the pieces is a good idea. Gluing should not be done right away.
Once there has been some manipulation and thought, students should assemble the backgrounds first and work forward. OPTIONAL: Adding more media such as colored pencil, ink, oil pastels, etc. might enhance the process…or not!
DIFFERENTIATION:
As always, taking the needs of students with learning or physical disabilities is important. Sometimes, students might need assistance.
RUBRICS/PROGRESSIONS/ASSESSMENTS:
Create your rubrics based on the level of your students and your district format. Just remember to encourage ample self, peer and teacher feedback as ongoing dialogue. This will encourage revision and persistence.
STUDENT CHECKLIST
__ I created a landscape collage by using old artwork pieces, scraps, etc.
__ I have depicted a foreground, middle ground and background.
REFLECTION:
Always share the work and document it digitally, if possible.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
NATIONAL VISUAL ART STANDARDS:
Creating: Conceiving and developing new artistic ideas and work
Anchor Standard / Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
•Use multiple approaches to begin creative endeavors.
•Shape an artistic investigation of an aspect of present-day life using a contemporary practice of art or design.
Anchor Standard / Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
•Demonstrate willingness to experiment, innovate, and take risks to pursue ideas, forms, and meaning that emerge in the process of art-making or designing.
•Demonstrate awareness of ethical responsibility to oneself and others when posting or sharing images and other materials through the internet, social media, and other
communication formats.
•Select, organize and design images and words to make visually clear and compelling presentations.
Anchor Standard / Refine and complete artistic work.
•Apply relevant criteria to examine, reflect on, and plan revisions for a work of art or in progress.
Presenting: Interpreting and sharing artistic work
Anchor Standard / Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation.
•Analyze, select, and curate artifacts and/or artworks for presentation.
Anchor Standard / Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation.
•Analyze and evaluate the reasons and ways an exhibition is presented.
Anchor Standard / Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.
•Analyze and describe the impact that an exhibition or collection has on personal
awareness of social, cultural, or political beliefs and understandings.
Responding: Understanding and evaluating how the arts convey meaning
Anchor Standard / Perceive and analyze artistic work.
•Hypothesize ways in which art influences perception and understanding of human experiences.
•Analyze how one’s understanding of the world is affected by experiencing visual imagery.
Anchor Standard / Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
•Interpret an artwork or collection of works, supported by relevant and sufficient
evidence found in the work and its various contexts.
Anchor Standard / Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
•Establish relevant criteria in order to evaluate a work of art or collection of works.
Connecting: Relating artistic ideas and work with personal meaning and external context
Anchor Standard / Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art
•Document the process of developing ideas from early stages to fully elaborated ideas.
Anchor Standard / Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural and historic content to deepen understanding
•Describe how knowledge of culture, traditions, and history may influence personal responses to art..
