Artworks are not produced in a vacuum, but by the interaction of experiences, and interrelationships of ideas, perceptions and feelings acknowledged and expressed in some form. Students, like mature artists, may be inspired and motivated by their memories and observations of their surroundings. Like adult artists, students may find that their own…

Abstraction is, in effect, a simplification and reduction of shapes with an absence of detail designed to comprise the essence of the more naturalistic images being depicted. Without even intending to, young children consistently create interesting, and sometimes beautiful, abstract compositions. A child's creations, moreover, will always seem to…

Ed Willis Barnett had quite a military training: he attended the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, (1917 to 1920) and served in both World Wars. He was also an accomplished fencer, and earned a position on the 1928 U.S. Olympic fencing team. That year the summer Olympics were held in Amsterdam, so he traveled to Europe for the…

Presents background information on the life of Galen Rowell. Includes ideas for teaching activities and a reproduction of one of his photographs. Describes the content of the photograph, exploring Rowell's use of alpenglow, a condition that occurs when the light of the setting sun strikes a mountain peak after the valleys are in shade. (CMK)

Provides background information on Arnold Newman focusing on his photograph of Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) that was selected for its facial expression. Includes activities and a reproduction of the photograph. Offers information about the photograph. (CMK)

Discusses various art movements that include examples of artworks with movement, such as Romantic, Classic, Rococo, and Art Nouveau. Addresses ways in which students can learn to incorporate movement into their own works of art. Includes examples of artists who included movement into their artworks. (CMK)

Explains that the best way for students to learn to recognize high-quality portrait photography is to study as many good examples as possible. Provides examples of portrait photography by David Hockney, Dorothea Lange, Edward Steichen, and Thomas M. Easterly in order to demonstrate different portrait styles and techniques and to promote…

Describes a project for middle-school students where they create self-portraits. Explains that the teacher photographs each student who is asked to make an exaggerated facial expression for the picture. To complete the self-portraits, students select an art postcard and "borrow" ideas from the artist's style. (CMK)

Presents an art project in which sixth-grade students learned about the work of environmentalist photographer Andy Goldsworthy. Explains how the students created designs using natural materials from the woods. Designs were photographed by high-school students. The sixth-graders then wrote about their experiences. (CMK)

Describes a project that was used with advanced 11th and 12th grade art students in which they created silk-screen self-portraits in the style of Andy Warhol. Discusses the process of creating the portraits and the activities that concluded the project. Lists the needed materials. (CMK)