Weathering the Storm

Fall 2011 / Grade 6 Line Project

Okay.  Here is the start of a new year in Art at St. Michael:  I took 2 pictures of each of the kids, posing in front of a blank wall with an umbrella.  Of course, I had to show them what I meant by demonstrating …

I suggested they think about what different postures and expressions they might make in a rainstorm or a rainshower with an umbrella.  A little drama is good.  We had such fun for that afternoon photo shoot!

The photos were rendered in high contrast and enlarged, giving large areas for them to draw on.  Armed once again with the line templates,  the students could then apply lines/doodles/graffiti to indicate the weather and the way it would hit and bounce off the umbrella.  They were given two different pictures to work with, one in black&white, the other in colour.

I tried to steer them away from using the usual raindrop symbols and other obvious indicators.  Why not use letters, or squiggles, or hearts, or stars, or cats and dogs, or, or – well, you get the idea!

The students were really jazzed by this project, and they caused quite a stir when hung in the hallway!  (Allow for 2 – 3 double period lessons and you’re there.)  DEFINITELY to be repeated in the years to come …