Arrangement
Hello everyone!
Welcome to Week Two of the SHS Visual Art Online Program of Studies.
Each week's activity will be a broad activity that should allow students flexibility to use what is on hand. Additionally, any student that wishes to produce something different of their own choice is free to do so and submit on the due date with a project documentation worksheet (students following the assigned activity will fill out this worksheet as well).
Here are several important links that you should continue to refer to periodically:
WEEK TWO PROJECT/SCHEDULE AND EXPECTATIONS:
ARRANGEMENT:
This week, we will be exploring the concept of arrangement. You will be asked to photograph (nothing fancy, use what you have - camera phone, point and shoot camera, etc.) groups of objects that you have arranged with special attention to compositional elements of space, color, unity, pattern and balance. We will discuss these elements on Monday during the ZOOM meeting, but you may access them anytime HERE. It is the first presentation on the page (page password is spartan).
In the introduction of his book "Things Organized Neatly" (awesome book filled with photos of just that), blogger Austin Radcliffe writes:
"Organizing things neatly precedes us. Cabinets of Curiosities from the Renaissance captured imaginations with natural specimens and mysterious found objects as portals into other worlds. Scientists arrange specimens next to one another for taxonomy or comparison. Craftsmen keep their tools organized for efficiency, to keep inventory visible and available at a moment's notice. Graphic Designers live by the grid to efficiently organize content. The careful arrangement of objects demonstrates a reverence for their collection.
Order in a workshop or a scientific environment arises from necessity, and organization breeds efficiency. Tom Sachs maintains 'Always be Knolling'* as a tenet of his studio practice. This discipline of organization reflects his respect for tools and the artistic process. Good craftsmanship requires order and exacting precision.
The aesthetic of precision is recognizable in an instant. Organization and acute attention to detail speak to the time and care given. The juxtaposition [meaning combination] of objects imbues a collection with meaning. We can infer relationships between objects, and stories unfold as our eyes explore and scan each page. While the selection of each item brings its own story, their careful arrangement redefines the parts with the whole."
*"Knolling" refers to the process of arranging like objects in parallel or 90 degree angles as a method of organization. Click HERE for a post of 50 amazing examples of knolling photography.
Your task this week is to create five to ten unique and different arrangements of objects. These objects can literally be anything. They can be man made objects or natural objects found outside in nature. As you arrange your objects, be mindful of what you are arranging and how you are arranging them. Do your objects feel like they belong together (do they have a sense of UNITY)? How are you using SPACE? Is there a COLOR theme to your arrangement? Is your arrangement BALANCED?
I have posted several links below to Artists, blogs and websites that should give you great examples and inspiration for your own arrangements. USE THEM. Also review the professional examples I have included in the gallery below.
"Things Organized Neatly" Blog by Austin Radcliffe
Article on Andy Goldsworthy (Natural Sculptor)
Article on James Brunt (Natural Sculptor)
Article on Emily Blincoe (Everyday Object Arrangement)
Article on Kristin Meyer (Everyday Object Arrangement)
Remember to continue to use your visual journal this week in the development of your ideas.
The expectations for your journal/project submissions this week are as follows:
The expectations for your Gallery Forum critique submission are as follows:
Week Two ZOOM meeting:
Overview and last thoughts:
Welcome to Week Two of the SHS Visual Art Online Program of Studies.
Each week's activity will be a broad activity that should allow students flexibility to use what is on hand. Additionally, any student that wishes to produce something different of their own choice is free to do so and submit on the due date with a project documentation worksheet (students following the assigned activity will fill out this worksheet as well).
Here are several important links that you should continue to refer to periodically:
WEEK TWO PROJECT/SCHEDULE AND EXPECTATIONS:
ARRANGEMENT:
This week, we will be exploring the concept of arrangement. You will be asked to photograph (nothing fancy, use what you have - camera phone, point and shoot camera, etc.) groups of objects that you have arranged with special attention to compositional elements of space, color, unity, pattern and balance. We will discuss these elements on Monday during the ZOOM meeting, but you may access them anytime HERE. It is the first presentation on the page (page password is spartan).
In the introduction of his book "Things Organized Neatly" (awesome book filled with photos of just that), blogger Austin Radcliffe writes:
"Organizing things neatly precedes us. Cabinets of Curiosities from the Renaissance captured imaginations with natural specimens and mysterious found objects as portals into other worlds. Scientists arrange specimens next to one another for taxonomy or comparison. Craftsmen keep their tools organized for efficiency, to keep inventory visible and available at a moment's notice. Graphic Designers live by the grid to efficiently organize content. The careful arrangement of objects demonstrates a reverence for their collection.
Order in a workshop or a scientific environment arises from necessity, and organization breeds efficiency. Tom Sachs maintains 'Always be Knolling'* as a tenet of his studio practice. This discipline of organization reflects his respect for tools and the artistic process. Good craftsmanship requires order and exacting precision.
The aesthetic of precision is recognizable in an instant. Organization and acute attention to detail speak to the time and care given. The juxtaposition [meaning combination] of objects imbues a collection with meaning. We can infer relationships between objects, and stories unfold as our eyes explore and scan each page. While the selection of each item brings its own story, their careful arrangement redefines the parts with the whole."
*"Knolling" refers to the process of arranging like objects in parallel or 90 degree angles as a method of organization. Click HERE for a post of 50 amazing examples of knolling photography.
Your task this week is to create five to ten unique and different arrangements of objects. These objects can literally be anything. They can be man made objects or natural objects found outside in nature. As you arrange your objects, be mindful of what you are arranging and how you are arranging them. Do your objects feel like they belong together (do they have a sense of UNITY)? How are you using SPACE? Is there a COLOR theme to your arrangement? Is your arrangement BALANCED?
I have posted several links below to Artists, blogs and websites that should give you great examples and inspiration for your own arrangements. USE THEM. Also review the professional examples I have included in the gallery below.
"Things Organized Neatly" Blog by Austin Radcliffe
Article on Andy Goldsworthy (Natural Sculptor)
Article on James Brunt (Natural Sculptor)
Article on Emily Blincoe (Everyday Object Arrangement)
Article on Kristin Meyer (Everyday Object Arrangement)
Remember to continue to use your visual journal this week in the development of your ideas.
- You should plan on filling 5-10 pages in your sketchbook each week, depending on our project. These pages should include research for your projects, notes, sketches, free drawings and journaling/reflection. Images of your sketchbook/journal pages will be submitted EACH WEEK with your weekly projects and will be part of how I assess whether or not your work is "COMPLETE" for the week. If you have less than 5 pages or if your pages are not filled and do not contain the relevant research, sketches of your projects, and reflection, you will receive an "INCOMPLETE" for the week. If you do not submit sketchbook/journal images, you will receive a "MISSING." Please note: Students will only receive a "PASS" for this course if ALL WORK is marked "COMPLETE."
The expectations for your journal/project submissions this week are as follows:
- Submit five to ten images of object arrangement or organization. Look at the images below and research other examples online (please include images of any research you find online on your project worksheet).
- Fill a complete page with brainstorming ideas for your arrangements. List or outline format, please.
- Fill two to three pages of your journal with observational drawing. This could be a small group of apples, your TV remote, your pet, your family, etc. Please include multiple drawings per page.
- Continue researching an artist for the Art History presentation that you will be expected to submit during the last week of the program. The format and expectations for that presentation are listed below.
- Images of your journal and a completed copy of your Project Worksheet (linked above) are due in my email no later than midnight this Friday. Please email me your submissions with images and worksheets as attachments IN THE SAME EMAIL.
- In addition to submitting your work via email, please post images of your work on my Padlet wall HERE so that other students can see your work.
The expectations for your Gallery Forum critique submission are as follows:
- Please visit the Gallery Forum post HERE.
- Study the image. Read the prompt/question posted below the image carefully.
- Post a thorough response to the question. You do not need to post multiple paragraphs, but should be at least one FULL paragraph. The more you write, the more likely it is that you are demonstrating an understanding
- When you post your response, you will be asked to enter your email, name and website. You can ignore the website. Enter your real name, not a nickname. I need to know whose comment I am assessing.
Week Two ZOOM meeting:
- Students should receive an email with a link to our Monday ZOOM meeting this weekend. Parents will NOT receive that email as participants are limited to 100 people. If parents wish to join, please look on with your student on the same device.
- These meetings will be 30 minutes and take place every Monday at 1pm. They are NOT mandatory. They are intended to provide clarification on the weekly projects if needed.
- I will be reserving the last 10 minutes of each meeting to give a part of the elements and principles of design presentation so that students have that information to use for critiques. If you have already taken an Art class and know this information, you do not need to watch again. If you are unable to join the ZOOM meeting, the presentation is posted HERE (password: spartan). In the future, I will look into recording the ZOOM meetings, but again, they are not required and I will be available to answer questions during office hours.
Overview and last thoughts:
- Please make sure to review all of the expectations in this post and the linked documents. This information is important to ensure that work is submitted correctly, complete and on time.
- By midnight Friday, students should have submitted images of their work and project proposal/worksheet to my email. Be sure to save your project worksheet as a PDF and submit with the images of your work IN ONE EMAIL. Neglecting to follow this instruction may result in work being marked as "Missing" or "Incomplete."
- Do not overthink the Project Worksheet. It is simply documenting what you did over the course of the week. Fill it out with the relevant information. You are not expected to write paragraphs worth of reflection. Just review what you have done.
- If you have a question, ASK. I will be checking my email regularly.
- My office hours are listed in the syllabus as M-F 1pm - 2pm. I will do my best to stick to that and be available during that time. I am at home with little kids, so sometimes my schedule can be upended at a moment's notice. I will respond to you as soon as I can.
- If you did not submit your project and/or worksheet for Week One on time and received an incomplete or missing, make sure that you do so before midnight this coming Friday in order receive a "Complete" score.