Shadow Mural Video of Older Group

Shadow Mural Workshop Part 1

This past week the class did the shadow mural workshop. Many of the students had a great time. First we did some free drawing with just a few guide lines.  The students were asked to draw a picture with three of more people in it.  This activity was very engaging for most of the students. We watched a few youtube videos about shadow play and mural making. Then we all sat down in small groups. The older students were prompted to come up with things that were important to them and some things that they thought were important to tell our community or the world. The younger children were prompted to draw images of their bodies bending and stretching in different ways. I was not directly over seeing the small children but I think that part to this aspect of the workshop was confusing for them but after a while they began to understand. Everyone had a ton of fun with the performance portion. We could really do this workshop over and over and continue to get more sophisticated results. I feel the novelty of the project created some crazy energy in the room.

Other Surreal Games Tricks and Magic!

The following games and techniques have been taken from the book Surrealist Games; Redstone Press, London. I compiled them , because everyone can experiment with them, no 'artistic talent' is needed, they are fun and can be used in artistic, magical and playful contexts.

THE EXQUISITE CORPSE

The 'cadavre exquis', whether visual or verbal, was a favourite game with the surrealists.

Rules for the verbal form:

Minimum of three players

The players sit around a table and each writes on a sheet of paper a definite or indefinite article and an adjective (neighbours cannot see what's written). Sheets are folded to conceal the written words and are passed to the next player. Each player then writes a noun, conceals it, verb, definite or indefinite article, adjective, noun. Sentences are read on after a further passing on of the papers.

More complicated sentence structures can be agreed upon.

The game aquiired its name from the first sentence obtained in this way:

The exquisite corpse will drink the new wine ('Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau').

he game in its visual form is played very similar: The participants complete a figure without seeing what has been done already. If for example you play the game with three players you agree that in the first stage the head is drawn, in the second the belly and the final stage will consist of legs (or tentacles).

B: Some Chaos Magicians have used this game in its visual form to get pictures of group egregores.

AUTOMATIC DRAWING

As with automatic writing, get yourself in a receptive frame of mind and draw without thinking, avoid conscious control over the image. Keeping your pencil on the paper can help the flow. In fact, automatic crawing is a sort of accelerated or intensified doodling, in which unexpected and unpredictable images can be made to appear, and used as the basis for further visual play.

FUMAGE

A method of creating images or effects by passing paper or canvas over a smoking candle or petroleum la p. The image is then fixed and perhaps worked on.

In another reference 'Fumage' is described as passing a canvas with wet oilpaint over a flame so that the image or colours become modified.

FROTTAGE

A sheet of paper is placed on any natural or manufactured surface possessing a relief or incised pattern. The paper is rubbed with crayon, a soft pencil, charcoal etc. By combining frottages from different surfaces complex effects can be achieced within one drawing. the pattern or image obtained can be coloured, cut up, or combined with other material in collage.

DECALCOMANIA

Spread gouache, ink or oil paint, diluted in some places, on to any suitable non-absorbent surface (coated paper, glass etc.), press onto this your sheet of paper or canvas, thern lift or peel away.

Decalcomania is related to other games/ procedures that resemble the Rohrschach Test used by psychologists, in which an ink-blot is folded in two to create a roughly symmetrical image and then is interpreted by the client.

The game 'ghosts of my friend' works as follows: a signiture is folded in two while the ink is still wet. The resulting image gives revelations about the signatory.

This is a form of 'marbling'. An image is drawn into an oily liquid with water-based pigment (or vice versa). A sheet of paper is then placed upon or made to slide across the surface, and the image is lifted or 'creamed' off the liquid.

TORN PAPER COLLAGE

This form of collage was invented by Hans Arp. Paper is torn or cut up, randomly or into shapes, and the pieces are then dropped onto a sheet of paper. These random configurations are then fixed with glue.

Variation: the torn paper already bears an image, which is thus dislocated and re-assembled unpredictally accorcing to the fall of the paper. It can then be 're-interpreted' by subsequent working over wit pencil or brush.

GRATTAGE

Process of scraping wet or dried paint (or a mixture of both) from a canvas or another surface with a blade.

SANDPAINTING

Glue is first randomly smeared on the canvas, then sand sprinkled upon it. It may be left to dry as it falls, or further manipulated with brushes, knives etc.

FROISSAGE

A sheet of paper is screwed up, then smoothed out again. When soaked in coloured inks, the creases take up the colour, creating a veined effect.

COULAGE

3D decalcomania done by pouring molten metal/ wax into water. The material then solidifies. The resulting shapes can then be interpreted. This process is actually used in Austria and Germany when the New Year starts and is known as 'Bleigiessen' (leadpouring). Molten metal is poured into water and the shape can then be interpreted as to what the future of the next year holds for you in store.

Making Instruments Video Clip

Exquisit Corps Video

This is our Exquisite Corps Video The children really enjoyed seeing and figuring out their images. I am really happy that this lofty project become concrete. I am also happy that the kids are so proud of their almost final product.

We viewed the videos on the celling it created a really cool environment for everyone. 

The Kids were seduced by the moving image.Totally.

A good Site about how children problem solve to create the human figure

Children's Drawings of The Human Figure

This is A good Overview of Art Milestones

Art Milestones <<<<< This is a great artical

Exquisite Corps Viewing

       The Children love their exquisite corps video. They really enjoyed watching the mixed up parts and finding themselves in the crazy combinations.  I think that seeing each other matched up that way really gave them a feeling of inclusion and togetherness. They really enjoyed seeing that their parts could become something bigger than themselves through collaboration. Even though it may sound cheesy playing this video  at the beginning of the musical instrument and sound class set a tone that induced getting along and even sharing. 

We projected the video on the celling this presentation of the exquisite corps video was really fun for everyone! It made the room a totally new environment. I think that this way of projecting was a cool lesson too, for myself and the kids in that the space you have can be a lot of things and can be changed in infinite ways if you think expansively.

The Musical Instruments went so well

THe Musical Instrument making went so well the children concentrated so much that we have decided to extend the music recording and rhythm section of the lesson to the next class so that we will really be catering to their needs and not rush threw thing that they need more time with.

Pink & Glitter Bean Shaker and Megaphone

Mixed Media 

Two Clankers

Mixed Media

Cool Resources from PBS wed site

http://www.pbs.org/jazz/classroom/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/latinmusicusa/#/en/hom

http://www.pbs.org/mattersofrace/

Look At This Great Resource I Found For The Mural Class