Feelings as a medium @PS4 (Part 3 of 4) - Unpredictable

Art Exploration:

What do you notice?

What kind of feeling or vibe are you getting from each image?

What about these images make you feel that way?

What do you think the artists were feeling when they made these images/textures?

Engaging with our own experience:

What kinds of feelings can we name that might feel chaotic, unpredictable, explosive with energy?

What kinds of marks and colors look and feel like that kind of energy inside of us?

Is there a sound, a smell or taste that reminds you of those feelings?

Today's Task:

1. Using the list of emotions we named as a guide - pick a feeling that has this kind of chaotic, disruptive energy as the main focus of what you will be drawing.

2. Decide what colors - maybe start with 2 or 3 at first - and the textures you feel might match with the feeling you chose to focus on. Is using the chalk pastel different then using the oil pastel here? Is there a moment where it is valuable to use both? How do they interact with each other? Does it help tell the story of that emotion?

3. You will only have today to explore this particular feeling - you can go as slow or as fast as you want, you can layer on top, smudge, scribble, create patterns, fluid movements, color breaks or transitions etc - we want the page to be full and feel finished by the end of class.

Clean Up!

Feelings as a medium @PS4 (Part 2 of 4) - Heavy-ness

 

Art Exploration:

What do you notice?

What kind of feeling or vibe are you getting from each image?

What about these images make you feel that way?

What do you think the artists were feeling when they made these images/textures?

Engaging with our own experience:

What kinds of feelings can we name that might feel heavy, weighed down, low energy?

What kinds of marks and colors look and feel like that kind of energy inside of us?

Is there a sound, a smell or taste that reminds you of those feelings?

Today's Task:

1. Using the list of emotions we named as a guide - pick a feeling that has this kind of slow, heavy energy as the main focus of what you will be drawing.

2. Decide what colors - maybe start with 2 or 3 at first - and the textures you feel might match with the feeling you chose to focus on. Is using the chalk pastel different then using the oil pastel here? Is there a moment where it is valuable to use both? How do they interact with each other? Does it help tell the story of that emotion?

3. You will only have today to explore this particular feeling - you can go as slow or as fast as you want, you can layer on top, smudge, scribble, create patterns, fluid movements, color breaks or transitions etc - we want the page to be full and feel finished by the end of class.

Clean Up!

Feelings as a medium @PS4 (Part 1 of 4) - Lightness

 

 

Art Exploration:

What do you notice?

What kind of feeling or vibe are you getting from each image?

What about these images make you feel that way?

What do you think the artists were feeling when they made these images/textures?

Engaging with our own experience:

What kinds of feelings can we name that might feel lightweight, buoyant, like floating?

What kinds of marks and colors look and feel like that kind of energy inside of us?

Is there a sound, a smell or taste that reminds you of those feelings?

Today's Task:

1. Using the list of emotions we named as a guide - pick a feeling that has this kind of uplifting, buoyant energy as the main focus of what you will be drawing.

2. Decide what colors - maybe start with 2 or 3 at first - and the textures you feel might match with the feeling you chose to focus on. Is using the chalk pastel different then using the oil pastel here? Is there a moment where it is valuable to use both? How do they interact with each other? Does it help tell the story of that emotion?

3. You will only have today to explore this particular feeling - you can go as slow or as fast as you want, you can layer on top, smudge, scribble, create patterns, fluid movements, color breaks or transitions etc - we want the page to be full and feel finished by the end of class.

Clean Up!

Final pages of Identity Accordion Zine! @PS 4

Prompts for the final section of our accordion books:

1. If our lives were like the life cycle of a butterfly, where would you be right now in the timeline?

2. What are some of the different things we are in the process of becoming - right now?

3. What do you look like in butterfly form? How can we tell it is a butterfly version of you?

Process:

1. Cut out your butterfly so you can decorate both sides

2. Answer the prompt in your own way, in the shape of the butterfly drawn in your book. What are you becoming? What are the most important things to tell us?

3. Decorate the space around your butterfly outline - what does your book need to feel as unique and spectacular as you?

4. When you are ready, let me know so we can work together to glue the body of your butterfly in the right place - so we can still read your story AND see your special You butterfly.

Next session we will finish everything that was left unfinished - on all of the pages - to have a complete story about you.

 

Initial Curriculum thoughts for Theatrical Design Afterschool Program

 30 Weeks - Culminating in a full blown musical West Side Story at Hostos Community College in June. I have some plans for  how to deal with the Union Stagehands (school hasn't had very positive experiences with them in the past) - the choreography of moving the set around will be an important piece of this beginning mid-May. All of this is also subject to change, as I haven't spent time with this particular group of young people yet.

Main interest of the school staff person I'm working with - for young people to get a clear understanding of how all the aspects of a project (like a play) are equally important to manifest a complete vision - So that gives me a clear baseline for how to structure the layers of learning. We also have until June to build our set, so the first semester will be looking at the basics and developing the skills and components that will eventually be utilized in our set design, so when we get to the build part second semester - they will be working from/embodying their own knowledge and experience. *I will also be maintaining individual folders for each student with portfolio images - part of what the Art Director of the school is hoping to achieve

The Parts (split into months so we have a time container)

1. October/Makeup Design

24th  - old person makeup/wig design

27th - Anatomy of a Villian - look at famous ones, like Scar from Lion King on Broadway. Design our own Villians based on what we learn - head pieces/jewelry etc as well

31st - Design a makeup based character transformation (possibly for your halloween costume) - makeup in context to personal desire

2. November/Character Development - We might do this in pairs or teams, possibly different characters in the same world we build together. There are a lot of dates in this month, so we will slide into set design based on our characters/narrative

2nd - Looking at well known characters and breaking down the physical/costume choices that help tell their story on different levels, especially characters that have some kind of transformation.

9th - Work together to create a character and enough of a story that we know important details - so we can design a costume and makeup look. Scraps will be available to flesh out ideas - we will be working from these later, so I'll probably have a set of questions that need to be asked.

14th - Construction of the costume pieces from random/leftover/scraps etc

16th - Continue construction, adding paint and other flourishes once the initial structure is set up

21st - Presenting our different character representations, talking through what is working vs what might be missing - possibly a full design presentation for available adults in the building. Begin discussion about what kind of environment these characters should live in (depending on the time)

28th - Begin Design process for our story environment, figuring out which teams will be responsible for design various parts

30th - Design continued, ready to begin construction of model for December

3. December/Set Construction Fundamentals

5th - Using cardboard to translate our drawings into small version of the different pieces

7th - Paint techniques in miniature to make our cardboard look realistic

12th - Construction and painting continued, mini characters made for lighting models and fotos

14th - Filming/making short animatic with lighting and sound cues so we get a picture of how all the parts work together

19th - Making gingerbread houses (can take home)

21st - Working together to construct a full gingerbread set and maybe make a mini movie

4. January/Begin looking at West Side Story

2nd - Immigration in the 50's/US and NY relationship with Puerto Rico and the social impacts (prejudice, garment district, housing at the time as a key feature for the set) - which are the basis for the narrative of West Side Story - talking about how those realities might create the characters and the relationships between them, looking at the environment as a character/extension of the people who inhabit it

4th - Designing, looking at what the script calls for and breaking up the props/costume design/different sets into groups or a timeline - now that the young people have a sense of what will be needed, let them choose where they enjoyed the most, let them set the timeline up etc

9th - Design continued

11th - Check in as a group, mini presentations - look at whats working, what still needs to get done. Keep working - models and mockups beginning to happen with scraps

16th - Models in full swing, including painted aspects, miniature versions of our characters etc

18th - Finish everything

23rd - Present to other Tuesday TA group? (sharing, other adults, dy staff present)

25th - Present to other Thursday Group? (sharing, other adults, dy staff present)

The 30th of January begins the second semester, with approval, actual set building can begin - maybe each month is a different part of the set being actualized, including props and costumes - Bridal Shop, Alley Way etc etc

Some initial Old people makeup design references:

Some Initial Design References for West Side Story:

 

Accordion Zines Part 2! @PS 4

Written in your accordion books are 3 statements about you. The goal is to finish each statement and create an image based on what you share about yourself. I'm so excited to learn more about everyone.

#1 - I Came From:

+ What does it mean to come from somewhere?

+ How many ways can you describe that place?

#2 - I Love:

+ What are some things that you love?

+ What are some different ways to love something?

#3 - I Dream About:

+ Sleep dreams? Visions about your future? What does it mean to dream?

+ What do your dreams look like?

Feel free to practice the letter forms you learned in art class, or the way I showed you in the previous session. You can work on one page at a time, or finish writing the words before you add pictures - there is no right or wrong way to tell your story.

As before - Sketch everything in pencil first, then let me know when you are ready for markers or colored pencils. Let me know if you need any help!