Ed Ruscha's exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco presented a fantastic and challenging teaching approach not just to art creation, but also to the whole definition of art. Ruscha painted with pastels and drew with pencils, but he also made art using Pepto Bismol, carrots, and spinach. In this article, the author describes an art…

It's funny to think of the way an idea for an art lesson begins and how it has a way of changing into something completely different. That is what happened with this lesson, which was originally going to be about a springtime garden. In this article, the author describes an art lesson on collograph printmaking inspired by the poem "A Vampire's…

Japanese masks have been worn for a number of reasons. In the past they were often used in plays and celebrations. Today in Japan, social masks are essential in many party gatherings as a form of expressing one's personality. In this article, the author describes an art project wherein students created Japanese masks and kimonos.

This article describes how to make a clay camera. This idea of creating functional cameras from clay allows students to experience ceramics, photography, and painting all in one unit. (Contains 1 resource and 3 online resources.)

While an empty cardboard box from a ream of copy paper may be the most coveted box among teachers in the author's school, for other people, brass boxes from India, Khokhlova lacquer boxes from Russia, and puzzle boxes from Japan are more the type that are collected and admired. Whether it is used for storage or decoration, a box can evoke a sense…

Learning about the kimono is a great way to explore pattern design and Japanese culture at the same time. The kimono is the traditional clothing commonly associated with Japan, and is still worn today by both men and women, although generally only for celebrations and wedding ceremonies. In this article, the author describes a kimono painting…

One of the objectives in the fourth-grade art curriculum is to review an historical character in order to appreciate the achievements of early artwork. King Tutankhamun, also known as King Tut, is a very good choice because of the wealth of stimulating information available on this intriguing figure. This article describes a lesson in which…

Art history can be a little dry at times, but the author is always trying to incorporate new ways of teaching it. In this article, she describes a project in which students were to create a place setting out of clay that had to be unified through a famous artist's style. This place setting had to consist of at least five pieces (dinner plate, cup…

Graphic storytelling is a medium that allows students to make and share stories, while developing their art communication skills. American comics today are more varied in genre, approach, and audience than ever before. When considering the impact of Japanese manga on the youth, graphic storytelling emerges as a powerful player in pop culture. In…

In order to understand better the dimensions of education in the foundation year of contemporary art school, this study explores teaching and learning through the lenses of art school freshmen and foundation studio art professors. Since scholarly study of art school education is limited, the author begins with a survey of related fields of…

The purpose of the "Identity Pole" was to explore the big idea of identity. Students would confront issues of personal and cultural meaning, and draw upon interdisciplinary connections for inspiration. The author chose to present totem poles of the Northwest Coast Native Americans/First Nations of Canada, as well as school, state and national…

An art room should be a garden of visual stimulation, born of creativity, inquiry, critical thinking and intellectual conversation--and a little collaboration is not a bad thing either! When the author unpacked the new stools for her art room at the high school, she envisioned something more beautiful than the brown masonite circles that…

The majority of student and professional artists have faced the challenge of creating a self-portrait. It is probably the most universal task set for artists throughout the ages. The lesson described in this article serves as an alternative to the traditional self-portrait and as a means of achieving a likeness in a nonthreatening way. Students…

Printing, stamping, and rubbings are enjoyed by all ages, and the image-making capabilities of this media are endless and very spontaneous. In printmaking, images can be repeated, overlapped, inked in various colors, cut up, reassembled, and manipulated. Students find these methods to be engaging and serendipitous. This lesson, designed for eighth…

Want to teach printmaking on a tight budget? Try using erasers! The size and shape does not matter--they are easy to cut and print beautifully. Have students place the eraser on white paper and trace around it. They should select a design and draw it in the traced space to fit the dimensions of the eraser. It is important that the design hits at…