Sierra Middle School
Riverside, California
(951) 788-7501

Mr. J. Myers
Art Teacher
[email protected]

http://www.rusd.k12.ca.us/ourschools/sms/

Paper Picture

General Class Objectives

Paper Picture

Goal:

            The student will create a picture using only colored papers and glue keeping in mind the ideas of foreground, middleground and background.  Visual depth is a must.

This project is due on: _____________________ and is worth ____ grades

Materials:

            pencil                                   9” X 12” newsprint                      9” X 12” backing paper

            scrap colored papers        glue stick or white glue               scissors

            student provided papers                                                         crayons

Definitions:

     The background of any composition is the area farthest from the viewer’s eye and is usually the sky or other distant object.
      The middleground is the area in the composition that is in the middle, distance wise.
      The foreground is the area closest to the viewer in a composition.

Steps:

      Visual depth is shown by one of at least three ways.
          One way to show depth is to have the subject closest to the viewer lower on the picture plane.
          A second way to show depth is to have the subject farther away be overlapped by something.
         A third way to show depth is to have something of a known size near the subject to compare, but it is only useful in rare instances where there is no ground in sight.  Imagine your two objects under deep water, in the air, or in space.

1.         Design an ORIGINAL idea that is both creative and pleasing to the eye that contains a background, two middle grounds, and a foreground.  Visual depth is a must on this assignment.  You begin achieving this by working on one side of the paper and drawing 4 or 5 thumbnail sized (small) picture ideas.  Be sure to include bold imagery, as your picture will look better with a center of interest of some sort.  Once you have an idea, turn over the paper and do it actual full size.  Think: “some thing, some where”.

NO LETTERS OR NUMERALS ARE ALLOWED, PERIOD.
Remember to design only accepted subject matter: no violence, illegal activity or copying of other artist's work, please!  Be proud of the time you spend working.

2.         Plan the colors, and color it, on this rough draft. Keep it because the final grade depends on the sketch being used as you create your final work!

3.         Your picture should contain layers that will give the final picture a sense of depth.  You should have some pieces projecting out of the composition a little bit if you expect to earn an “A”.

4.         Start by selecting a main subject in your picture and gluing it up in its entirety.  Be exact in what you do. Be detailed.  Be sure.  Have this single object in hand before you go on to do another object.  As you work you will gain skill in handling that paper, scissors, glue, and so on.  You may decide that after you have constructed several objects you need to re-make one or all of the things that you have made.  That is OK.  Go ahead, you have the time!

Your job is to make all of the objects in your picture before gluing them onto the final paper.  Really.  You want to construct all things and then push them around and place them here and there; making sure that all is right before they can no longer be moved.  Now it is time to move to the next step.

5.         Decide what color of paper you’ll glue up the entire picture on and then begin by cutting out what needs to be in the far background.  Work your way forewords in space, carefully.  Position all of your items and finish the composition.  Have many items hang off of the edge so that when you go to the next step the finished product is very neat.

Do not let any glue show!

Do not let any pencil or pen show!

6.         When you are done all of the paper should be trimmed neatly to the edges.
 

Grading Rubric

A          Superior work with all of the paper being neat; no marks show and the original picture shows the background, two middle grounds, and the foreground.  Depth is the number one concern, your picture needs to show it or you have missed the point of this assignment.  Your sketches are fully done and handed in with your final work.  Your time was well spent and you kept yourself fully occupied with the creation of your paper picture.

B          Good work!  But some of the picture may be less than neat and it may not be completely done.  Sketch missing?  Does the picture show depth or is it too flat?  Time was spent properly.

C          Average work, a picture is seen.  Some problems with visual depth in the grounds may be seen and maybe the picture isn’t done.  Is your sketch missing?, then deduct one full grade.  Maybe your time was wasted; talking was probably interfering with successful learning on your project or that of others'.

D     Poor work, but it can be seen that a real attempt was made to do the assignment.  Why didn't you come in for special help?  Did you save your sketches or skip this step?  Did you "lose" your sketches?  Usually "D" work is accompanied with excuses.

Fail          This means that not enough of the assignment was completed correctly to be able to pass.  Your "excuses" are too quick to trip off the tongue.  "Excuses are like armpits; everyone has them and they are smelly!"

5-11-05

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