Class: Art 2, 3, and 4
Objective: Learn about Anime in Fine Art through artist Takashi Murakami and create an original anime character.
Materials: Use what you have available around the house. A regular pencil and paper is fine, so is mixed media and digital work.
Step 1: Watch this video tour of Takashi Murakami's exhibit at The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth in 2018. Link: Video.
*I want to expand on the video by stating that Takishi originally began his career as an artist creating more traditional art. Eventually, he broke free from it and started creating the kind of work he really wanted to make, which is work inspired by Otaku culture, namely Anime and Manga. He coined the term "Superflat" to describe his art style. Notice the flat bright colors, the large googly eyes, and cartoon like qualities of his work in the video. This style of art continues to meet rejection in being considered high art to this present day. As many of you know, Takashi Murakami has garnered a lot of fame by tapping into pop culture and collaborating with icons like Billie Eilish and Kanye West. Anime itself has definitely become pop culture, having made a strong influence in our Western Culture, especially with Millenials and Gen Z. Its influence has now seeped into the realm of "high art".
Step 2: I want you to create an original anime character. Begin by gathering materials and brainstorming ideas. Do you have favorite anime characters? If so, what are some of their qualities that you can take to use on your own original character? Think about the typical characteristics of anime characters. They usually have larger heads and eyes, with large and/or colorful hair. What kind of accessories will your character have/wear? Google Image search "boy/girl anime characters" for ideas. I've included a video at the bottom of this lesson with tips on how to draw yourself as an anime character.
Step 3: Work on completing the piece. Make sure to pace yourself well and try to finish 1 day before the due date to give yourself adequate time to document and turn in the finished piece.
Step 4: Take a picture of your finished piece. Your phone's camera will suffice. The picture quality should be still and and well lit. For the background, you may either crop the image so there is no background showing, or make sure that the background is of one solid color, preferably white, grey, or black.
Step 5: Please confirm that you've gone over this lesson by the end of its 1st week. Please submit the photo of your completed artwork via school email by the end of the second week.

*ASSIGNMENT DUE DATES*:
Friday, May 22 @3:00pm - Confirm you've gone over the lesson
Thursday, May 28 @3:00pm - Submit your photo of your artwork

Please email me your questions.
Plagiarized work is a no go. Please don't copy other people's artwork.

Extra information:
Here's a very short light-hearted Q&A video of Takashi: Link
Here's a video tutorial on how to draw yourself as an anime/manga character: Link

 Class: Art 2, 3, and 4
Objective: Learn about animal art through artists Rosa Bonheur and John Audubon. Create an artwork about your favorite animal or pet.
Materials: Use what you have available around the house. A regular pencil and paper is fine, so is mixed media and digital work.
Step 1:  Watch this incredible video about Rosa Bonheur presented by The National Gallery in London. Link: Video. Think about her career and how she made a name for herself as a female artist painting animals. Ask yourself why you think she was more fascinated by animals than people. What makes animals interesting subjects?
Step 2: Watch this video about John Audubon. Link:Video. Next, take a moment to google images of his work. Ask yourself: Do you think Audubon's adventurous spirit helped in his success? Is the quality of his pieces enhanced because he depicted the animals in their natural habitat?  What inspiration can you take from both of these artists to create your own work of art about an animal?
Step 3: I want you to create a work of art which depicts an animal that you personally like. Begin by gathering materials and brainstorming ideas. The piece can be made in the style of your choosing. I encourage originality. I've also included video tutorials at the bottom of this lesson.
Step 4: Work on completing the piece. Make sure to pace yourself well and try to finish at least 1 day before the due date to give yourself adequate time to document and turn in the finished piece.
Step 5: Take a picture of your finished piece. Your phone's camera will suffice. The picture quality should be still and and well lit. For the background, you may either crop the image so there is no background showing, or make sure that the background is of one solid color, preferably white, grey, or black.
Step 6: Please confirm that you've gone over this lesson by the end of its 1st week. Please submit the photo of your completed artwork via school email by the end of the second week.

*ASSIGNMENT DUE DATES*:
Friday, May 8 @3:00pm - Confirm you've gone over the lesson
Friday, May 15 @3:00pm - Submit your photo of your artwork

Please email me your questions.
Plagiarized work is a no go. Please don't copy other people's artwork.

Extra information:
How to draw fur video: Link
How to draw feathers video: Link
Look at the portfolio tab on my website to see examples of my work involving animals.

Class: Art 2, 3, and 4
Objective: Learn about symbolism through artist Frida Kahlo and create an art piece which symbolizes empowerment.

Materials: Use what you have available around the house. For more ideas on potential art materials watch this video. Link
Step 1:  Watch this video tour of the Frida Khalo museum. It provides at lot of visuals about Frida Khalo's daily life and gives insights about her marriage to artist Diego Rivera, the accident which almost took her life, and her artwork. Link
Step 2: Look at the painting "Las dos Fridas" by Frida Khalo. Link. Notice her use of symbolism to tell us what she is feeling. See how she painted herself twice to symbolize her duality and how both aspects of her self are bound by a vein. One Frida is wearing a white European dress to symbolize her German heritage, while the other is wearing a Mexican dress to symbolize her Mexican heritage. Notice the blood on her dress; She was impaled by a handrail through her pelvis in a bus accident, leaving her unable to give birth. Look at both hearts and see how one is healthy and complete, while the other one is hollow. She finished this piece shortly after she and Diego Rivera divorced. What do hearts usually symbolize? See the positioning of her hands. What do you think the clasping hands mean, are they supportive, comforting? Notice the small oval shaped picture she is holding. It's a picture of Diego Rivera as a boy. Is she communicating her fractured love for Diego as well as her infertility and pain?
Step 3: Many artists use symbolism in their work to express feelings and experiences. I want you to create a work of art that expresses what makes you feel empowered. Begin by gathering materials and brainstorming ideas. Ask yourself "What are the things I like which make me feel empowered?" Think about colors, objects, symbols, experiences and incorporate these thoughts into your art piece. Give yourself some time to brainstorm.
Step 4: Work on completing the piece. I've included a video at the bottom of this lesson that gives tips on how to create art with a message. Make sure to pace yourself well and try to finish at least 1 day before the due date to give yourself adequate time to document and turn in the finished piece.
Step 5: Take a picture of your finished piece. Your phone's camera will suffice. The picture quality should be still and and well lit. For the background, you may either crop the image so there is no background showing, or make sure that the background is of one solid color, preferably white, grey, or black.
Step 6: Please confirm that you've gone over this lesson by the end of its 1st week. Please submit the photo of your completed artwork via school email by the end of the second week.

*ASSIGNMENT DUE DATES*:
Friday, April 24 @3:00pm - Confirm you've gone over the lesson
Friday, May 1 @3:00pm - Submit your photo of your artwork

Please email me your questions.
Plagiarized work is a no go. Please don't copy other people's artwork.

Extra information:
Here is a comprehensive video tutorial demonstrating how to create art with a message Link
This is a video with tips on how to come up with original artwork ideas Link.
Here is a short video about Diego Rivera Link.
The next lesson will be about animals in art. Begin thinking about what your favorite animals are and what they mean to you.

Class: Art 2, 3, and 4

Objective: Create an original work of art applying one's knowledge of cultural identity and self.
Step 1: First you must watch this video by my friend Lou Lou, a fellow Artist and Art Educator. Link: Video
*Let me expand on this video: We're in the middle of a quarantine and sadly we cannot head over to class and acquire art materials. This presents an excellent opportunity. A great artist is resourceful. Being limited forces us to step out of our comfort zone and tap into our creative genius. Making art out of unconventional items furthers the continuation of art and pushes the boundaries of what art can be. If you complete this art assignment using unconventional items and make it look good, you're going to take the cake and the party. If you're properly set with traditional materials such as pencil and paper, you may do so as well.
Step 2: Begin by gathering your materials and brainstorm what your piece will look like. Ask yourself these questions: What is my family background? What cultures/scenes/cliques am I attracted to? Where do I belong? What are my friends like? What are the stereotypes I want to break?
Step 3: Begin working on your main product and complete your piece at least one day before the due date. Be mindful of your given timeline and pace yourself well.
Step 4: Once your piece is complete, you must take a picture of it as documentation to turn in. Your phone's camera will suffice. The picture quality should be still and well lit. For the background, you may either crop the image so there is no background showing, or make sure that the background is of one solid color, preferably white, grey, or black.
Step 5: Please confirm that you've gone over this lesson by the end of its1st week. Please submit the photo of your completed artwork via school email by the end of the second week.

*ASSIGNMENT DUE DATES*:
Friday, April 10 @3:00pm - Confirm you've gone over the lesson
Friday, April 17 @ 3:00pm - Submit your photo of your artwork

Please email me your questions.
Plagiarized work is a no go. Please don't copy other people's artwork.

Extra information:
I know artists who have made artworks with corn husks, candy, fabric, etc. to create artworks related to cultural influences. There is currently an amazing art exhibit at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth titled "Mark Bradford: End Papers". Mark Bradford is a huge contemporary artist. He takes his inspiration from the culture and the environment he grew up in. Here's a link to one of his videos: Video
Here's a link to a video of 8 artists giving advise to young artists: Video

Class: Art 2, 3, and 4

Objective: We are exploring how art and culture are intertwined.

Step 1: Read Chapter 3 "Cultural Crossing" of But is it Art? by Cynthia Freeland
Here is the link to the online pdf: Book
Step 2: Answer the following questions on a Word Doc. The questions are in order :
1) According to John Dewey, why is art important in relation to culture?
2) Ignoring the original context of an art piece and collecting work from 'exotic' cultures like trophies is an example of what? (hint: Cultural....)
3) Every culture has its unique aesthetic. Despite this, is intercultural contact/mixing common? Give me an example of a culture being influenced by another according to the book.
4) Decontextualization is when you remove something from its original context. For example, taking a mask that belonged to a tribe member to do rituals and displaying it as high art on a pedestal inside a museum and striping it of its original context. Why did the "Primitivism and Modern Art" exhibit at the MoMa in 1984 evoke so much criticism in relation to Decontextualization?
5) Many people use art as a form to express their identity. In the 1980's, many young people of mixed backgrounds/cultures used art as a form to explore which kinds of issues that affected them?
Step 3: Make sure you write your first and last name, the date, class period, and your teacher's name at the top of your paper.
Step 4: Submit your assignment as to me via school email.

*DUE DATE:* This assignment is due April 3, at 3pm

Extra details:
This 1st lesson is optional. The rest are required.
Our next assignment will be an art piece about your own respective culture. Start thinking about it. What is your family history? What are your friends like? What is your aesthetic and where does it come from? What kind of things do you subscribe (place value) to? What is your identity?