Westman arts. Com
Bryan Westman
Artist/ Painter/ Illustrator/ Teacher
illuminated Letter Art
Illuminated Art
Objective: Concept / Topic to teach:
• Students will learn about the ancient traditional art form for illustrating book pages.
• Students will demonstrate their understanding of the importance of the illuminated lettering for a society that was largely illiterate.
• Student will be introduced to a famous artist in the field of illuminated art as well as tag art.
• Students will define Illuminated lettering terms related to this project.
• Students will create several images of illuminated art based on their initials.
• Students will created a final project on a work of literature and draw an image that tells the story as part of the first letter of the first sentence.
Standards Addresses
Grade 6 –8 (1.2) Employing visual images. (1.3) Evaluating meaning and communication of art. (2.1) Use of the Elements of Art, and Principles of Art. (3.1) Identifying and using process. (4.1)Works of art from cultures, times, and places. (5.2) Critical Analysis and Aesthetic inquiry.
Specific Objectives:
• Create a series of drawings that represent the students initials as an illuminated letter.
• Demonstrate basic drawing skills and how to create designs related to the students history.
• Define terms: Illuminated letter, Calligraffiti,.
• Students will create a final composition in the style of Henna body art that is carved into the clay and painted to represent an original design.
Required Materials:
• Paper
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Color Pencil
• Sharpie
• Erasers
• Acrylic Paint and brushes.
• Plates
• Bowls or cups.
Introduction/ Discussion: Anticipatory Set:
The illuminated letter is a form of typography and illustration that goes back as far as the 5th century. This form of writing was a form of expressing the literature to a largely illiterate people as well as giving a creative outlet to the people responsible for hand lettering each page of a book. Students will be given the opportunity to express themselves by creating an illuminated manuscript based on their own interests. When completed each student will have written, drawn, colored and painted a page of their own creation that is meant to mimic that of an Illuminated manuscript.
Step-By-Step Procedures:
1. Start the lesson by asking the students to define terms related to Ceramics.
• Illuminated Manuscript - text is given additional decorations, such as decorated initials.
• CALLIGRAFFITI - is a combination of calligraphy and graffiti.
• HARMONY - A principle of art concerned with blending the elements of art in a pleasing way
• CALLIGRAPHY - is a type of visual art related to writing
• EMPHASIS - making an element of art or object in a work stand out
• SUBJECT - Is the image that viewers can easily identify.
• SYMBOL - Something that stands for, or represents, something else.
2. Introduce the students to Illuminated Manuscripts, a form of art that has been used to help the reader tell a story. This form of art is an illustration that accompanies the story or passage in a book by creating a picture based on the text. It traditionally incorporates the first letter of the paragraph as an image that tells the story of the passage. Some Illuminated letters are simple in design and use basic patterns and designs while others incorporate precious metals and dominate the entire page. These images were added to the text as a way for the reader to help tell the story to a largely illiterate society of the Middle Ages as well as a form of artistic flourishing for the writer who would spend day’s hand lettering a page for a book. Students will create a series of drawings using either a more traditional image set or use today’s modern street art influence to create their illuminated letters.
3. Students will begin this project by viewing images of illuminated lettering that was created during the dark ages. Modern influences and re-invention of Illuminated Letters will be added to the discussion as how art can be reinvented and will be used to make a relevant connection to the students. Each student will be asked to create a series of 4 drawings in their sketch book using their initials and if needed a fourth letter. The illuminated letters will be one page in size and should incorporate aspects of the student’s life into the design. These early designs will be done in color pencil and should take one day to complete on letter in the sketch book.
4. Once the student has mastered basic illuminated lettering they will begin the final project on a large sheet of paper at least 11 x 14 inches. The student’s s to choose a song, poem or passage from a book that they would like to copy and turn into an illuminated manuscript. Students will place a 1 inch border around the page and proceed to draw their design using a 6H or4H pencil. It is recommended that vey light lines be drawn onto the paper giving the students a place complete the lettering of the passage on. Each illuminated letter and following writing should be done very lightly with pencil before and painting or colored pencils are used.
5. After the drawings and writing has been completed students will begin to color in the image using colored pencils. It is important that this step be done first as color pencil cannot be drawn on top of paint or sharpies. Students will then add colored bronze or silver paint to the illuminated letter giving it the illusion of precious metals. The last step will be for the students to create outlines of the image using sharpies as a way of making the image stand out.
Summary / Closure:
After completing the project students should have mastered a basic understanding of Illuminated Manuscript.
The students will have a completed a series of drawings as well as developed a basic understandings of the historical importance of a famous artist.
A final piece of art will be completed depicting a student’s representation of their initials as well as a final work of art that tells a story with an illustration.
Evaluation: Assessment Based on Objectives:
The final grade will be based on the evaluation of the art piece, participation, effort, and quality of paper and art work.
• Students will earn a percentage for their Portfolio Review, both as presenter and as audience.
• Quality of the work done will be a large part of the grade based on how well they have demonstrated an understanding of the concepts and their depiction. Overall condition of the final pieces will also have a factor in the grading.
• Effort put into the project will be demonstrated by both the final images and the how well the student worked in class on each project. (Factors include: is the project completed, and does it look like the student worked on it and not other things?)
• The final drawing / painting / etc… as well as the several examples of different images will be combined to make up half of the project’s grade.
• A six week test on the vocabulary will also be used as a grade to determine the student understands of the subject matter.
• The Rubrics are made up of 5 categories: Project completion (30%), Participation (20%), Originality (20%), Quality of art work (20%), and Follows directions (10 %).
Additional Components that can be included:
Plan for independent practice:
Students who are at a higher level or who have class on a greater number of days will also be given the added task of creating a second art project using other works of writing.
Adaptations: (For students with learning disabilities):
Those students with physical disabilities will be asked to either create simple shapes or have other students assist them in the creation of their art. It is acceptable for some students to create drawings and paintings of their concepts only for this project.
Extensions (For gifted students): Students who complete the assignment early will be given the added assignment of creating a second art project using greater detail in their design or attempt to create a more in-depth work of art.
LESSON PLAN'S
LESSON PLAN'S
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