Kaitlyn Dollard

Katie teaches high school Ceramics and Advanced Ceramics.

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Introduction/Overview

Sample artist statement coded with p5.js

The lesson I will be presenting to my Ceramics students will happen in multiple steps. They will be looking at historic vessels throughout history and then creating their own version that tells a more modern day story. Once their project is complete and handed in, they will be introduced to p5.js. The goal of the project is to create a small artist statement to go on display with their ceramic vessel. They will be learning how to create in p5.js, basic introductory skills, use of text and then creating a drawing tool to draw out the shape of their vessel on the artist statement as well.

Example completed sketches: Artist Statement Card

Learning Audience

This lesson plan is specifically for high school students in a mixed level Ceramics class (10th-12th grade). However this lesson plan could be easily taught to middle school/9th grade students as well.

Students should have experience with using a computer, basic typing skills and

This lesson can also be modified to be applicable to any art class: Drawing & Painting, Studio Art Classes, etc. The only factor that changes is the artist statement medium

Established Goals

NYS Standards for Visual Arts

Standards that we will be addressing in this lesson include:

  1. Anchor Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work. Use multiple artmaking approaches to begin creative endeavors. Consider a range of materials and methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan works of art and design.
  2. Anchor Standard 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work. Generate and develop artistic work in a self-directed manner. Develop a proposal and create sketches or a model for an installation, artwork, or space design that transforms the perception and experience of a particular place.
  3. Anchor Standard 4: Select, analyze and interpret artistic work for presentation. Analyze, select and curate art and artifacts for presentation and preservation
  4. Anchor Standard 10: Relate and synthesize knowledge and personal experiences to inspire and inform artistic work. Utilize inquiry methods of observation, research and experimentation to explore unfamiliar subjects through art making.
  5. Anchor Standard 11: Investigate ways that artistic work is influenced by societal, cultural, and historical context and, in turn, how artistic ideas shape cultures past, present, and future.

Objectives

  • What work will students complete?
    • Students will complete a 3D artwork using clay and glazes. The artwork ill be based on and inspired by their research into Historic Vessels throughout time (Ancient Rome, Ancient Egypt, Jomon Pottery from Japan, etc). Once their 3D vessel is complete, they will use P5.Js to create an artist statement to go with their work on display. Using p5.js, students will label their work, write an artist statement and then recreate their vessel 2 dimensionally using shapes or by creating a drawing tool.
  • What information will students know at the end of this project/lesson?
    • Students will know to use p5.js to create a simple artist statement using text, shapes and create a drawing tool.
  • What new skills will students gain (or practice)?
    • Students will be introduced to p5.js, learn how to create a canvas, how to use text, change font styles and sizes, how to create shapes, fill with color and how to create a drawing tool.
  • Will the students have new understandings or questions after this project/lesson?
    • They will definitely have new understandings on how to use p5.js as well as the importance of creating an artist statement and labeling their work for presentation.
  • Are there options for differentiation?
    • Differentiation can be achieved through giving students options of either using shapes and filling with color or having them challenge themselves by creating a drawing tool to draw their vessel on the canvas.

Technical Terms & P5JS Elements

  • Function (setup)
  • Function (draw)
  • Text
  • Text Styles
  • Text Size
  • Fill command
  • Drawing tool

Visual Arts Vocabulary

  • Artist Statement
  • 3D vs 2D
  • Contour line drawings

Timeline

This lesson will take 4-5 blocks (80 minutes each) to introduce, allow students time to work, debug any issues and then save and print for display.

There are warm up activities, walking students through understanding the p5.js grid, how to create a canvas, the RGB color picker, etc.

Learning Plan

What are the steps?

  1. Introduce p5.Js, how to create a canvas, change color, RGB color picker
  2. how to create shapes, fill with color, overlapping,
  3. how to create text, change fonts, color, etc
  4. how to create a tool to draw using loops

Approximately how long will each step take? Each step will take about 20-30 minutes, allowing students time to experiment and play with each step

Assessment & Checking for Understanding

The evidence for student learning and progress will be evident in the end result: the finished historic inspired vessel and the artist statement that goes with it. The end result speaks to the student being able to explore with clay as well as with coding and bringing the 3D and digital world together.