My Journey
Outcomes
Visual Arts
- 4.1 uses a range of strategies to explore different artmaking conventions and procedures to make artworks
- 4.3 makes artworks that involve some understanding of the frames
- 4.5 investigates ways to develop meaning in their artworks
- 4.6 explores the function of and relationships between artist-artwork-world-audience
- 4.9 begins to acknowledge that art can be interpreted from different points of view KLA/subject
Introduction
This lesson looks at artworks to develop an awareness of their structure, such as the variety of placement and juxtapositioning techniques, and the range of colours, textures and sizes for the artist to manipulate to develop meaning in their own artwork. Students make artworks using the medium of collage and use a range of strategies to convey subjective narrative and/or cultural observation in their artwork. A worksheet is included to support classroom activities.
Material to Download
Worksheet: My Journey - Worksheet
Art: Refugee Art
Art: Textile Banners
Art: HSC Artworks
Suggested Activities
- Download artwork from Making Multicultural Australia (see 'Materials to Download') above. Show artworks to the class.
- Divide students into small groups and ask groups to discuss the 'Textile Banners' or 'HSC Artworks' and list the conventions used to provide a narrative for selected artworks. Ask students to use the worksheet 'My Journey' to complete descriptions of the following:
- past activity in background
- recent/developing activity in middleground
- present activity in foreground
- unimportant activity in background or with blurred edge
- medium importance activity in middleground
- most important activity in foreground or sharply outlined
- Share ideas as a whole class. Then introduce the concept of choosing. For example:
- strong colours, cool colours, hot colours, dark, light, primary colours, secondary colours
- background, foreground, middleground
- Discuss with the class the following:
- Is it possible to read the artwork?
- Is there a story or progress?
- Does it read from the back to the front, left to right, top to bottom?
- Is there text to add to meaning?
- Is it possible to draw a quick timeline for the artworks activity?
- Complete an example as a whole class and add the information to the worksheet.
- Students are now ready to consider their own journeys either:
- as a migrant or refugee coming to Australia.
- born here - the highlights of how they grew up, within their own families/suburbs/schools
- Students should use their 'Visual Arts Process Diary' to draw a rough personal timeline and then sketch, construct and annotate their ideas for developing the timeline into a narrative artwork.
Preparation Checklist
You will need:
- butchers paper or whiteboard
- access to computer terminals for individual students or small groups. If this is not available hardcopy handouts may be printed in colour for each of the required materials; one copy per small group of students is sufficient
- materials for making a collage – paper, cardboard, material, etc.
Extension
In the 'Related Resources' section is a link to the ArtsEdNet website. This website provides lesson notes to access a variety of artworks with a narrative theme. Use these in class or for homework.
Related Resources
ArtsEdNet website
Lesson Notes
The range of the artworks on the Making Multicultural Australia website was created in Australia by artists who either migrated to Australia or arrived as refugees. Most of the artworks to be viewed have a commentary written by the artist to explain why the work was done and what it means to the artist.
Date Added:
08 December 2004