Creation of the Creative Environment

A very large part of experiencing the visual arts is becoming more visually aware of your environment. Our world around us: the home, the office, the playground, school, the library, and even the grocery store are filled with art. Art and visual communications have shaped the very way we make even the smallest decisions. You don't believe me? Take a look at the cereal box you poured in to a bowl this morning for breakfast. Notice the design on the box, the setting of the type, the line, shape and color in the drawings of cartoon characters, the composition of the photo of the athlete on the box. Everything about that box was designed to appeal to your sense of visual taste. It's part of what made you decide to get the sunny yellow box with the shiny, golden-colored cereal flakes over the muted grey box with the brown boring puffs. That design on the box uses the elements of art and the priciples of design.

Take another look at the bowl, and the spoon if you like. That bowl was made by hand or machine - but was ultimately designed and created by a person. The shape, weight, color, form, and functionality of the bowl were all considered in its creation all long before it reached your hands. Look closer, you are holding a work of art.

When you are open to experiencing the world aesthetically, you realize that everything around you is connected to art. Art is NOT just the exclusive works that hang on a wall in a dusty old room. Art is not just an object suffering under the glare of gallery lights, or confined to a life behind the velvet ropes. It's everywhere, in some medium or another, and that - dear student - is what we will explore this week.

Your assignment:
Dear student, you are going to become an 'Art Detective' this week. Look up the 5 Elements of Art (line, shape, color, texture, and space) to find out what they all mean. You can use books, or the internet to help you out with this. Mrs. B's hint: try any museum's education web page. Then, dear Art Detective, you are going to find examples of each element in your environment. Bring along a sketchbook or camera and record examples of your finds. Variation is key here, and the world has provided you with much to find. When the week is up, see how many examples you have, and talk with your teacher about how each Element of Art is shown in your example.

Parents and teachers:
Adapt this lesson to your student's ability and comprehension level:

Little guys may have to focus on one Element per day. Let's say we assign 'Line' for day 1. Your Art Detective is going to find examples of Line wherever you go that day. The edge of buildings or furniture are a good place to start. Cracks in sidewalks, horizons, leaf-veins, and edges of any object are also excellent sources of line. Try to find many different types of line: thin, thick, straight, curved, short, long, etc.. A collection of papers, leaves, twigs, etc. in a book or shoebox will be helpful with this assignment.

Older Art Detectives may require the assistance of a camera for their assignment. (Digital cameras, polaroid-types, or even disposable cameras work great for this.) If you have more than one Art Detective, this can easily become a competition: the most examples of pattern, the first to reach 25 examples in every Element, etc., or add to the criteria all the Principles of Design.

A further challenge for the most sophisticated of Art Detectives is to revision or alter the print-out of their favorite Element images. Explore the elements in microcosms and macrocosms.

The idea is to look around and notice what the world is showing you. Try to appreciate the aesthetics of nature and man-made creations. Talk about why the Elements are important, and how they are present around you. Don't worry about using the 'art' vocabulary. That will come more as you explore what is already around you.

Happy clue-hunting, Art Detectives!
- Mrs. B

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