Art With Only Five Lines
Submitted by: Stephen Watson, at The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
Lesson Plan: "Five Lines"
for ART 130: Design I (2D)
Description:
Students will create an interesting design using only five lines. (4x)
Students will also create an interesting design using only one line composed of five segments. (4x)
Objectives:
Students will be able to create art within severe limitations.
Students will have rote memory of their design by working quickly and repeatedly.
Students will experience the creation of new art through the arranging and altering of simple elements.
Implementation:
Materials and Tools:
Black Cardstock
Rulers
Drawing Pencils
Sharp Scissors
Glue Sticks
Tape and Push Pins
Student Work by Denesha
Five 5 Square Projects:
1) Five black 1/8" [32 mm] wide lines cut from black paper, arranged on a white 7" [17.8 cm] square.
2) Five black 1/4" [64 mm] wide lines cut from black paper, arranged on a white 7" [17.8 cm] square.
3) Five black 1/2" [1.27 cm] wide lines cut from black paper, arranged on a white 7" [17.8 cm] square.
4) Five black 1" [2.5 cm] wide lines cut from black paper, arranged on a white 7" [17.8 cm] square.
You have six minutes to complete each of the four projects.
The art teacher will time students to ensure they don't go over the time limit. All students will begin and end their projects at the same time. The instructor has the option of extending the minutes for more difficult projects.
Your measurements must be accurate, your cuts straight and clean, and the gluing not messy. Wipe away the excessive glue.
Cut the lines out of black paper. You may use a straight-edge to lightly draw the guidelines before you cut the lines. When beginning each project, begin by cutting out 11" [28 cm] strips in the indicated width. You will then experiment with your design by moving around the lines prior to gluing them. You must use all five lines in each project.
Make sure no black lines extend beyond the edge of the white paper square. Trim any excess black off so that the edges are all even.
This one shows the colors reversed with white lines on black paper. Student work by Ariel,
Five 5/5 Square Projects:
1) One white 1/8" [32 mm] wide line composed of five segments, arranged on a black 7" [17.8 cm] square.
2) One white 1/4" [64 mm] wide line composed of five segments, arranged on a black 7" [17.8 cm] square.
3) One white 1/2" [1.27 cm] wide line composed of five segments, arranged on a black 7" [17.8 cm] square.
4) One white 1" [2.5 cm] wide line composed of five segments, arranged on a black 7" [17.8 cm] square.
You have six minutes to complete each of the four projects.
The art teacher will time students to ensure they don't go over the time limit. All students will begin and end their projects at the same time. The instructor has the option of extending the minutes for more difficult projects.
Your measurements must be accurate, your cuts straight and clean, and the gluing not messy. Wipe away the excessive glue.
Cut the lines out of white paper. You may use a straight-edge to lightly draw the guidelines before you cut the lines. When beginning each project, begin by cutting out 11" [28 cm] strips in the indicated width. You will then experiment with your design by moving around the lines prior to gluing them. You must use all five lines in each project. The lines must not curve, but turn (angle) with each segment added. (See sample above)
Make the joints where each segment meets clean and as seamless as possible. Your final piece must contain exactly five segments.
Make sure no white lines extend beyond the edge of the black paper square. Trim any excess white off so that the edges are all even.
Critique:
We will be critiquing your work after each project is completed. After your time limit is reached, your teacher will collect them, shuffle them, and hang them on a wall. Once all the projects are hung we will examine each design. Each student will decide their favorite by putting a push pin on the wall beneath it. You may not vote for your own artwork of course. We will then briefly discuss each project and spend extra time with the project with the most push pins. You will then retrieve your projects and push pins, return to your desk, and begin the next project.
EVALUATION:
When grading your projects, the teacher will look for evidence of thinking and planning, craftsmanship, improvement from one project to the next, and participation in the critique stage.
QUESTIONS:
In what ways did the limitations of this project help?
What is gestalt? How is it that arranging five lines in various ways alters their value? Why do you think positioning your lines in various ways either improved or degraded the design?
If art is subjective, why do you think that the quality of certain designs were agreed upon by most students?
