Friday, June 10, 2016

moving lights.

 A couple weeks ago, the 3rd graders continued exploring motion, while also touching on symmetry and 3d space.

We started the lesson by looking at a commercial for adidas soccer cleats starring Leo Messi. Students had created a print that showed implied motion earlier, and we all agreed that the commercial was an example of actual motion in art. We also looked at how the ball looked 3d, even when only outlined in lights, because of the curved lines inside it.


After this I mentioned that the only pencil and paper work they would be doing was to put their name, room number... and ipad number on their ID paper. A moment of quiet was soon followed by giddy excitement:)

I explained that they would be using an app called Forge of Neon to build a short animation that showed movement. I shared a couple examples I put together and we looked at how the figures showed symmetry and that they looked 3d.

We also discussed that in order to make something look 3d, an artist needs to address height (y axis), width (x axis), and depth (z axis). I put together a how-to video that I shared in chunks, and once the ipads were passed out and they were sitting with their partners, we got down to playing.


As we went through the steps, I emphasized that they were to PLAY and experiment with the different features. Partners took turns drawing and then erasing their work, so they could see the many different visual possibilities.

The project has 2 requirements- a minimum of 3 colors and a minimum of 2 axis used. They kids had so much fun with this one. They exported at least one file to their camera roll and thsi aloowed me to upload to my computer and email them to their teachers.

At our Celebration of Art in a couple of weeks, we will have some of these and other digital projects shown on a smartboard in a classroom.

This is the first year that I've had the opportunity to include digital art in my curriculum and it's been a blast for both my students and myself!











2 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing your students' work and the information about the app. I am totally going to check it out for my classes.

    I also want to tell you how much I love all the learning I do following your work. Your examples inspire me to stretch what and how I teach. I especially am in awe of how your projects incorporate contemporary art and design. Thanks so much!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks for the kind words! The internet can be a wonderful thing! I've grown so much as an educator by looking at inspiring teachers across the country and the world. Let me know if you have any questions about the app!

      Delete