Note: To protect the privacy of our members, e-mail addresses have been removed from the archived messages. As a result, some links may be broken.

Lesson Plans


Re: Tracing

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
Sharon Barrett Kennedy (sharonbk)
Thu, 16 Dec 1999 06:46:12 -0500

In some cases, I think that tracing is appropriate. For example, during a
recent unit on portraiture, kids were allowed to enlarge a photograph on a
copier and trace the outlines of the face and features (by placing against a
window). They then had to complete the drawing using shading, etc. in
pencil or pastels. They also had to do portraits from "scratch," and some
from gridding, but this was an introduction. It was a good introductory
confidence builder for some students.

Similarly, as a quick project that we've been working on after they finish
exams (yes, we're into exams this week at our school--kids are freaking at
my 8-page exam packet, but they're doing well), they've been making
ornaments and keychains, etc. using "Shrinky Dinks." They've been allowed
to trace over old Christmas cards or develop their own drawings (in colored
pencils), and this has also been really successful. They've LOVED this
project, by the way, and we plan to do more "higher end" stuff with this
material later in the year.

For those who questioned if tracing was "cheating" or really "art," I told
them that Norman Rockwell often started his paintings this way.

Obviously it's not something that I want them to do with every project, but
I have no problem with them doing this as part of a skill-building exercise.

Sharon

---
You are currently subscribed to artsednet as: hm-aen.edu
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-artsednet-4261K