Monster Jam @PS288 4th grade

 What is a Monster? 

How do we know? What are some clues?

Recognizing shape, form and texture through familiar imagery - Building skills around visual language + how to manipulate materials + motor skills to translate it into physical form/artistic expression. The subject for this project (monsters) allows the students to be experts about the WHAT, to help support their creative development and give them their own internal sense of direction as they explore HOW to make their vision real.

Materials: Pre-traced cardstock, scissors, glue sticks, different kinds of paper, string

Designing our own Monster Masks

What kinds of Monster details are we going to use?

Do you want your monster to be:

+ Friendly

+ Scary

+ Silly

+ Shy

+ Something else I didn't think of

Do you want you monster to have:

+ Scales

+ Feathers

+ Hair

+ Spikes

+ Something I forgot

Here are some Monster Mask Examples to get us inspired:

Opposite Day

Skill Build:

Graffiti Word Print with Oil Pastels

Design Challenge for those who are finished:

use the skill you just learned to design a playing card

Exploring the power of Opposites:

A symbol isn’t just the thing itself; it stands for something beyond its literal meaning. 

+ A dove often symbolizes peace.
+ A red rose frequently represents love or romance.
+ Darkness can symbolize evil, mystery, or the unknown.

The symbolism of opposites represents both positive and negative aspects of an idea and tell a story about the two halves that make up a whole or keep the world in balance. Symbols like peace can be countered by conflict, while symbols of hope can be contrasted with despair.

                 

Examples:

hot / cold: jalapeno / popsicle, forest fire / snowstorm

heavy / light: Weights / bubbles, Armor / Tutu

sharp / soft: predator / prey

messy / clean: out of control / in control, Tangled / Braided

Feelings: happy / sad, silly / serious, shy / confident

Processes: beginning / end, day / night, old / young, Ancient / New

Action: create / destroy, cultivate / neglect, heal / harm

Process:

Day 1: Sketch a pair of opposites in detail
Day 2: Carve/trace into styrofoam
Day 3: Roll and print

Designing Toys Part 3 and 4 (in progress)

Part 3: 

Adding bulk/clay to create form and dimension

*Remember, texture can be added in the clay so you can 

FEEL it, or painted on later so you can SEE it:

Part 4: Stylistic Approaches:

Cute/childlike + Creepy + Realistic + Metaphorical/Poetic + Silly