Product Packaging Design

With the 5th graders were able to spend some time talking about art that we see everyday but NEVER think about.... Graphic Design and Packaging.

We looked at how graphic designers create packaging that make us want to buy their products. 

We discussed the facts that must be listed (ingredients, directions, size, cost, etc)

... and then they got to work.
They had to develop a product that the world needs and then design the packaging for their product. 

Once this was done, there were able to create a 3-D package for their product. 

When they were done, we filled one of our display cases with all their products. 

If you ask me, it looks like a pretty good place to shop! 

Left vs. Right Brain - The Left Side

As we finished our "right side of the brain drawings" we talked about how artists use the left side of the brain also.  We see and use symbols everyday.

      

We also took a moment to look at symbols throughout history:

Egyptian Hieroglyphs

Keith Haring  (1958-1990)

... and even students younger than them who create artwork with symbols. 

Students started by creating a worksheet filled with personal symbols that represented who they are. 

Then they went on to create images in which they painted (or used markers) a main symbol. We created these in a "cartoon style" with flat bold colors and we finished them with thick black outlines. 

Finally, we put our main symbols onto a symbol filled background, using our personal symbols and more. 

It was fun to see they symbols they could come up with. 

Left vs. Right - The Right Side

A big change happens in middle school when it comes to kids and their art. Kids change from "loving art and being proud of their creations" to feeling that they "can't draw." It has everything to do with their brains changing and it breaks my heart. So we spend some time learning about our brains and how they work, with art.

We talk about how the left side of their brain is what they use for most of their learning.... Math, Science, Reading, Writing, Social Studies, etc. The left side of their brain is really good at drawing "symbols" but symbols don't really look like the "real object" and therefore we start to say we "can't draw."

Students spent a class time learning how to "see and draw" using contour line skills. These drawings are always amazing to the kids. They learn that if they take their time, look, and use the right side of the brain, they CAN draw. 

They practiced these at home and we did a digital drawing on DrawingPad here at school. 

...drawing  an object at home on paper...

....digital drawings at school...

Students did a great job of focusing and drawing both on paper and digitally. You can check out more digital images on artsonia.  It always amazes me how many kids prefer paper and pencil to drawing digitally. 

Value Landscapes

We finished up our non figurative paintings and uploaded them to artsonia. They look really, really neat but we needed to do something more with them.... so we made them into parts of other drawings. 

Value is an element of art that focuses on the light to dark range of a color. We looked at Ansel Adams beautiful black and white value photographs and then got to work. 

Students worked to create a black and white landscape using oil pastels. They were given a white and a black oil pastel. They were drawing on a grey piece of paper and they had to create 5 different values. Once their images were finished, they cut a main object out of their painting and added it to their drawings. They also had to write a story about their colorful object. They were really fun! 

People would only go in this house if they had $100 on the line. People say nobody would return if they went in. Well one person went inside and explored every room in the house. People say that he was never the same again.

 It was a dark gray, sad day. There was no wind and everyone was too scared to go anywhere. 2 hours later people stared noticing something in the distance. It was growing and they were not scared anymore.

The night had an unusual crisp to the air. Winter was near. My cat, Mango, was sitting on the window ledge. As the leaves fell, Mango stuck her tongue out and ate one! She immediately turned the same colors as the magical leaves. Mango has had rainbow fur ever since.

Once upon a time there was a pumpkin with magical seeds. Every year the villagers would collect the seeds to make health potions. One year the pumpkin didn't grow seeds, so the villagers couldn't make health potions. The next day all of the villagers died.

You can check out more of the images and stories on Artsonia.