Move Over Jackson Pollock! An Exploration of Color and Abstract Art on Tiles
Nance Jones
ID-3938
School Name:Laurel Oak Elementary
Grant Request Grade:K-5
Grant Request Subject:Art
Additional Details
~Create a unique, beautiful piece of abstract art on a 4 x 4 tile
~Explore various and diverse materials in order to create a piece of art
~Practice integrating the Elements of Art and Principles of Design-making artistic choices to create balance, unity, variety using color and unique materials
~Use sequential processes, follow procedures and focus on the art making process to achieve the goal making a one-of-kind, awesome piece of art
Young artists will each be given a 4" x 4" ceramic, white shiny tile as their blank canvas. Slowly artists will drop one drop of ink at a time and watch it form a shape or splatter on the tile. Artists will make choices about color and placement of the drops considering the following questions that arise in their mind as they work: What color shall I use next? Where shall I place the next drop? Will I focus on filling the whole tile or do I want white spaces? What will happen if I drop this metallic gold on top of this red drop? What if I layer drop upon drop several times? There will be oohs and ahhs all around the room as artists make their choices and explore.
~ALL young artist are successful in this project. It's a level playing field.
~Artists experience awe as they drop ink and observe it expand and form organic shapes. They are even more awe inspired when they see their art the next day when it has dried, settle and transformed in the drying process
~This project ties in with the study of science and matter. Students observe how the liquid ink moves on the tile. There is even an aspect of liquid tension that is observed as the liquid does stop flowing at a certain point. They drop a dot and observe where it goes-how it transforms.
~Young artists have a sense of pure joy and pride during the calm, concentrated process of dropping ink on tile. They are proud to take the tile home to their families to be used as a trivet or simply a beautiful art piece to hang or set on a table.
The art department budget in elementary schools goes toward basic supplies such as paper, pencils, crayons and paint. There is no room in the budget for unusual and more expensive items like tile and ink.
