January/February 2008

Rational

In the last decade new media has led to an explosion of visual culture and experiences. Images today have become the dominant form of  communication , telling us  everything from how we should look , to where to line up , to what to buy , and even what we should think. But there is a gap between how we experience this visual experience  and our ability to analyze and make sense of what this visual information is telling us. Understanding this new visual culture is of paramount importance in education, a gap that can be closed by art and design education today.

Visual literacy requires the students be able to both ‘read’ and ‘write’ visual language. In other words, the students  learn  to analyze and interpret visual information and create and compose their own meaningful forms of visual communication. This lesson is therefore structured to accommodate both of these objectives; analysis of visual culture, and the creation of a visual artwork.

Lesson

The lesson is structured sequentially:

1. Teacher will lead students in a group critique using a basic semiotic analysis of a selection of  images from advertising, contemporary artwork and other media( newspapers, internet). Artwork by artist such as Barbara Kruger, Banksy, and John Baldessari will be presented and analyzed. Teacher librarian provides instruction on the use of image search engines available online.

1. Teacher will present Research and Analysis assignment; Students will find an artwork of interest to them and write a semiotic analysis of the work. Teacher will provide a large list of potential artists to look at.

Art Making: Linocuts

Students will produce a series of linocut prints with the intent of applying a semiotic understanding about how images function in our culture.

Students will need a starting point to help them think about ‘what to make’ or ‘what do they want to say or communicate.’ Perhaps a thematic focus would give the students and the project a direction. There are many possibilities. The following is an example:

Imagine you are to fill a ‘time capsule’ with images and objects that define our time (2007) and place ( North America). No images can possibly capture this concept in its entirety so focus on a specific aspect of our culture. Class discussion will follow, brainstorming what this could mean.

Students will plan their work in their sketchbooks. This involves the brainstorming of ideas, researching and analyze of these ideas, and, the creation of images. The image must be able to stand alone and communicate its cultural significance and meaning.

Printing:

Quick lesson and demo on linocuts(and historically woodcuts).

Context:

Students will also print this image on other found images, materials, and/or objects. Forcing the context or juxtaposition of images and materials to become an important element in what is being communicated, helps students understand the communicative potential of images.