Resources and Scaffolding

More Integration

I have had a good deal of success using external resources, usually videos and tutorials, to bolster students’ skill development. However, as previously mentioned, I have primarily been using the videos as reinforcement, rather than the primary source of skill building. Though that was working just fine, I started to wonder about the different skill levels the students had already acquired. Students naturally gravitate to different mediums and will work with the ones they like whenever they can. This, of course, means that I cannot assume that all students are starting from scratch with a medium I introduce. I also realize that, just because they’re self-taught, doesn’t mean they self-taught well. So I decided to try to integrate the videos into the scaffolding of skill development, rather than just have them as auxiliary resources. This way students will have the ability to more quickly if they have the skills already, but it also is a way of “plugging the holes” for those that think they know a technique or medium well, but only have partial knowledge.

Sample Unit in Studio Art

I have attempted this to varying degrees with several units in several classes, but a good example is my colored pencil unit in my Studio Art class. The ultimate goal is to have the students draw a still life made up of a reflective brass instrument and fabric. This should be a realistic drawing, from life (no photos allowed), on toned paper. The students are incorporating the principles and elements of design, color theory, and proportional drawing techniques (all taught in previous units) and combining them to craft a well-designed composition. It is not an easy task! To make it more complicated, the students are doing this in a new medium, colored pencil. I selected videos that teach the desired skill and/or reinforced previous skills the students had learned. I integrated the videos into each of the scaffolding assignments I use to prepare them for the final. The steps are here, with the accompanying videos below. Students were asked to watch these videos and complete specific drawings in the techniques taught. After successful completion of each step, they could move on to composing and then completing the final still life.

Introduction to Colored pencils: starting with basic spheres and 3 techniques for achieving realistic rendering.
Compositional Considerations: using the principles and elements (review) to create the best composition in colored pencils
FYI: Toned paper and what it can do for your drawing
Burnishing: an introduction to an advanced technique in colored pencil, with practice
Reflections and Transparencies: specific step-by-step instructions on how to see and replicate transparencies and reflections using color pencil
Advanced Multimedia: Using alcohol markers as an underpainting to colored pencils