ENTRY U

Notes From Chapter 19

ENTRY T

Batik Art Project

I was not enthusiastic about this art project at first but when I was shown the process my interest was peaked. The batiks that I have seen before were a series of patterns and colors which did not interest me very much. Once the paraffin began to smoke I became excited though. I tend to lean toward landscapes and bigger pictures in my artwork so I was planning on doing that with this one as well. I didn't realize how big the picture would become though. I didn't like the idea of using the tools provided because it felt in a way like I would be borrowing the craftsmanship of another person and using their art to create mine. I decided to put my hand in the wax and begin my scenery with that. It didn't look very good because the wax stuck to my hand more than the cloth but it didn't much seem to matter because a Friend of min accidentally dumped a bunch of wax in the corner of my project. Then she suggested that I just make a map and then the light came on. What an awesome idea. I have made no secret of the fact that I am not going to become a teacher some day. I took this class because I am a father and I wanted to come and learn some art methods to share them with my young children. It doesn't take much to realize that art in primary schools isn't an area of heavy focus.

I decided to make a pirates map. My kids have really enjoyed geocaching ever since I told them that it was pirates treasure we were looking for. When I brought the map home my son was extremely excited. My kids all thought for some reason that we were actually going to go and find the treasure at the location I made up.

Process

• Wax saturation- using TJAP tools or other means put images on the cloth
• Vat Dye
• Dry outside
• Completely cover with wax
• Run under water
• Rit Dye
• Iron out wax

Integration

• My experience led to an obvious integration in geography
• Students could make maps to learn about other portions of the globe
• The history of batiking would make a very valuable lesson
• You can write with wax and also about the experience and process involved
• Students could make rain Forrest batiks for their life science classes

ENTRY S

Notes From Chapter 6

I will not be outlining this chapter. I have read it and digested the information. My notes are the highlights of what I have taken from it.

This chapter begins with the explanation of how art is pertinent to the real world. Even police officers are being trained with visual art in order to help them to develop skills to "see the big picture."

Visual imagery is how we think. People use words as a tool to describe the imagery that we have in our minds. Language was developed for the sole purpose of communicating the pictures in our heads.

The Cerebral cortex is a very fascinating part of our anatomy. We have the ability to process tremendous amounts of information, and I was not at all surprised to learn in this chapter that an extremely substantial portion is assigned to the processing of visual images. Increased exposure to thought provoking visual stimuli is positively linked to literary development.

Indeed the age old saying that "a picture is worth a thousand words" rings true. The more stimulating pictures that our students are exposed to the more words they will be forced to access or acquire to express or explain. With that 30x larger capacity to analyze images over sound the students will be effectively using a larger percentage of their brain than if they were simply lectured.

Art activates emotions. Emotion is the most underrated part of what makes all of us human. Things have no meaning to us unless we can personally relate them. That is the purpose of Emotion and a primary function of visual art.

Higher level thinking develops from exposure to art at any age. Even infants who are exposed to a high level of visual stimuli are experiencing higher level thinking.

Aesthetic development occurs in stages:

• favorites-appealing to the viewer on some level
• subject matter- the emphasis of the art.
• Emotions- the feelings that the artwork evokes in those who view it
• Style and form- the methods and rules that the artist followed when creating the work
• Autonomy- essentially the meaning that the art holds for the viewer

Artwork is inherently unique and singular. By creating art students are fostering a sense of individual self that cannot be equalled. This uniqueness and singularity is very essential for the development of a fully functioning person. Unless a person feels that they are one of a kind they will never achieve self actualization.

Producing art provides students with the challenges of focus, concentration, and discipline. To do their personal best at an art project a person has to immerse themselves in it. I believe this is the specific reason why I am so drawn to art. Each piece of artwork is a reflection of it's creator in some way. I am particularly egotistical because I quite enjoy all of the little mirrors that I have created.

My favorite part of this chapter was the single idea that art naturally integrates itself into other curricular areas. When developing my integration ideas I found that the subject of the art is the point of integration. Art is not limited to math or writing or computers. Each subject could be improved by the integration of art by simply allowing the area to be described by it.

ENTRY R

Tint/Shade Painting

This project was our first painting project with brushes that didn't utilize water color. We were randomly given a color & black and white version of one of Georgia O'keefe's flowers. Mine, like so many others which she painted, was very intricate, and focused on the detail and flow of the flower more than the overall structure. I very much liked the painting but worried somewhat about what it would look like when I brought it home to my family. In assigning this project I may use various other artworks as models, particularly if I were assigning it to a class full of young children who would be bringing it home to their unsuspecting mothers. Though, on the flip side, Georgia seemed to have an unequaled ability to bring 2d into 3D by use of colors and more particularly tinting and shading.

Process

• Given the picture
• Choose one color to paint with
• Blend white with the color and Black with the color in several different locations of the pallet to have access to a variety of tints and shades.
• Paint the artwork
• Enjoy the 3 dimensional image you have created.

Integration

• Tinting and shading has much to do with light. Students could utilize both to make images of both day and night using the same colors
• Students could compare the shades to illustrate how things that appear opposite, are actually just different versions of the same thing.
• The number line could be used as an analogy of the infinite variance between black and white
• The black and white being different versions of the same color could be used as a very powerful lesson in humanity of all people.
• The variance in color could be related to mood and feeling. The students could depict certain emotions in lighter colors and other in dark. This could be a very useful tool in the development of writing skills, vocabulary, and creativity.

ENTRY Q

Idaho Botanical Garden Art Project/Field Trip

Our trip to the botanical garden was awesome. I have been there before but never in the past decade. I was awestricken by the serenity of the garden. We were given watercolors and assigned a series of tasks to complete in the garden.

We were asked to paint flowers, scenes, non-flowering vegetation, and man made artwork. I was overwhelmed by the options and finally settled on a bench near a bridge and some yucca plants. They were especially difficult to paint because the flowers were white with just a hint of yellow and my paper was white.

Watercoloring

• Put some water in your paints to begin releasing the pigment.
• dip your brush in the paint and go to town.
• The less water you use the darker the color will become.
• Water colors volunarily blend so be careful
• Unlike other paints, water colors will show through on subsequent coats, so be sure to plan your project and paint from back to front as much as possiblle.

Integration

• Water gives life to the garden, especially in this desert. Watercolor is the life of the art. Biological ties can be made simply in this project.
• The garden features an area that contains native landscape. This could be a great opportunity for students to explore the way the valley looked before settlement.
• The botanical garden is inspiring. Students could be brought here to write about the scenerey.
• The structures in the garden could be utilized to show the students the complexity of mathematical calculations in architecture.
• The garden is located on the grounds of the former penetentary. Students could learn a lot about history from the sheer emotion that surround the buildings and walls.

ENTRY P

Meaning Portfollio

Take a Sabbath

This exercise sounded particularly fun for me because it seemed to require a whole lot of nothing. I have been extremely busy over the last couple of years, particularly with school. In just seventeen months I was able to earn my associates degree in liberal arts from CWI and earn the position of Marshal at the graduation. The last couple of months I have been attending BSU in rigorous summer classes and I have yet to settle for a B. In this process I have very seldom taken a day to myself to just relax instead of doing homework until today. I spent the entire morning just hanging out. Not minding this looming project of completing my class. I didn't watch TV or read or anything. I just sat around reflecting over my life's experiences of the past. I also found myself thinking a lot about where I am headed. It was nice and refreshing. I didn't have any epiphany about my future, and I didn't speak to a burning bush, but it was very enjoyable just the same.

ENTRY O

Play Portfolio

Step on the Humor Scale

The link in the book didn't work, but after just a couple of minutes I was able to find Dr. Thorson's humor scale test. This one I absolutely blew out of the water with a score of 63 out of 64. I have some substantial crows feet next to my eyes to prove that I am someone who loves to laugh. I strongly believe that a person with a strong sense of humor and dizzying wit makes a much better role model than someone who has marked financial success or stature. Plus, they are quite frankly more fun to be around.