Romare Bearden was an African American artist. He was a part of the Harlem Renaissance movement that allowed a wide variety of African American artists to congregate, share ideas, and produce representations of their communities that fostered a sense of race pride and dignity. He is best known for his photo montage collages style of work that involved the use of photographs of people and African masks. His life was influenced by jazz, and many of his works reflect that love of music.
Some of his works may be viewed by doing a Google images search of Romare Bearden.
Goal (Terminal Objective):
Students will learn about authentic rain sticks and be able to make an imitation rain stick.
Objective:
Students will create a collage in the style of Romare Bearden using pictures of people, African masks, and musical instruments.
National Standards:
Visual Arts Grades 5-8 Content Standard 1: Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes
Visual Arts Grades 5-8 Content Standard 2: Using knowledge of structures and functions
Visual Arts Grades 5-8 Content Standard 3: Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter,
symbols, and ideas
Visual Arts Grades 5-8 Content Standard 4: Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures
Visual Arts Grades 5-8 Content Standard 5: Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others
Visual Arts Grades 5-8 Content Standard 6: Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines
Purpose:
Students will learn about collage, jazz music, and the life of the African American artist Romare Bearden.
New Vocabulary:
collage, photo montage, jazz, Harlem Renaissance movement
Materials:
#17-66xx Art-Time Tempera Paint
#22-7236 Colored Pencils
#22-1403 Washable Glue Stick Box
#56-6010 Natural Hair Brush Assortment
#22-0914 12 ct. Pointed Tip Student Scissors Best-Pack
White Paper, Scissors, Magazines, Photos of people, African masks, and musical instruments
Time:
Two or more art periods depending upon grade level and complexity expectations.
Introduction and Motivation (Set):
Teacher will ask the students what a collage is and what they know about the jazz style of music. Teacher will show examples of the work of Romare Bearden and offer a brief biography: He was born September 2, 1911 in Charlotte, North Carolina and died in New York City on March 12, 1988, at the age of 76. He lived in the section of New York City known as Harlem. His life was greatly influenced by his close friends who included many distinguished artists, intellectuals, and musicians. He became part of the Harlem Renaissance movement. He was involved with many different mediums and styles, but is best known for his photo montages (using photographs of people and African masks cut up and joined together to create new and exciting faces) and collages.
Instruction:
Teacher will have students completely cover a 12″ X 18″ white paper using Sargent Art tempera paint.
Painted background
Teacher will play jazz music during the lesson.
While the painting is drying students may begin on the face collage.
Each table will have a folder of photographs taken from Internet Google Images search for appropriate photos of African Americans, African masks and musical instruments and old magazines, if available.
Students will need to start with one large photo of a face and begin looking for other eyes, nose, mouth, etc. from other faces and masks. There should be no writing or words of any type showing on the selected face parts to be used.
Select musical instruments that will be part of the collage.
Activities:
(1) Guided Practice:
- Students are not to use a pencil or paint a picture but to only apply paint in a random fashion to create a colorful background for the collage. The teacher may need to set a time limit for the painting so that students will not have time to make a painting with much complexity.
- Students will begin on their face collages while the painting is drying.
- Select one large face either from the folder or a magazine and cut away any writing or words. Look for other facial features from the photos supplied or from the magazines that may be added to the original large photograph. Cut out the desired face parts and glue the pieces together using a Sargent Art glue stick.
Pictures with mask and face parts added but not colored.
- Add color with Sargent Art color pencils to any black and white pictures.
(2) Independent Practice and Check for Understanding:
Teacher will circulate around the students making sure that the objectives are being demonstrated, asking direct questions when understanding is not visible. Teacher will help with selection and cutting of proper face parts and instruments when necessary and reinforce students as they work.
(3) Closure:
Students display their work and a critique will be utilized to look for strengths in successful projects.
Evaluation:
Teacher will evaluate the works individually based on the following criteria:
Level One - The finished project includes several faces that utilize features from several other faces and masks. The finished piece includes several musical instruments. All black and white photos are colored with Sargent Art color pencils. The selection of assembled pieces work well together, and the end product produces a pleasing visual statement. The craftsmanship of cutting, gluing, and coloring is excellent.
Level Two – The finished project includes some faces that utilize features from some other faces and masks. The finished piece includes some musical instruments. Most black and white photos are colored with Sargent Art color pencils. The selection of assembled pieces work well together, and the end product produces a pleasing visual statement. The craftsmanship of cutting, gluing, and coloring is good.
Level Three - The finished project includes few faces that utilize features from other faces and masks. The finished piece includes few or no musical instruments. Some black and white photos are colored with Sargent Art color pencils. The selection of assembled pieces does not work well together. There is little or no planning used to create a visual statement. The craftsmanship of cutting, gluing, and coloring is variable.
Level Four – The finished project has one face that utilizes features from other faces and masks. The finished piece includes no musical instruments. Writing or words are visible. Few black and white photos are colored with Sargent Art color pencils. The work is unfinished and the craftsmanship of cutting, gluing, and coloring is poor.
Extension:
If time allows, students may wish to create a mask in the style of African masks.
Resources:
http://members.aol.com/MenuBar/bearden/bearden.htm
http://www.beardenfoundation.org/artlife/biography.shtml
http://www.artyfactory.com/africanmasks/masks/htm
www.jsd.k12.ca.us/bf/bflibrary/projects.html
http://www.sim.iinet.net.au/images/clarinet.gif
http://irelandsown.net/africanmask.jpg
http://www.genuineafrica.com/images/Punu/Punu_Granary_Door.jpg
http://cti.itc.virginia.edu/~bcr/Bayly/Chokwe_fem_pwo_mask_a.JPG
http://cti.itc.virginia.edu/~bcr/Bayly/Baule_goli_kplekple.JPG
http://www.nmafa.si.edu/exhibits/playful/images/ed8515201g.jpg
http://home2.btconnect.com/stevehi/music/voices/images/ piano_keyboard.JPG
http://home.earthlink.net/~gaylesongs/Clarinet.gif
http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/4600/4653/tenorsaxophone_1_lg.gif
http://www.coloring.ws/t_template.asp?t=http://www.coloring.ws/music/horn.gif
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