What do artists do?
Artists Steal:
Appropriation, parody and intertextuality are ways artists "steal" to create works. Look at these artists: Roy Lichtenstein, Shepard Fairey, Damien Hirst, Cindy Sherman, Bansky. Vocabulary: Appropriation, Parody, and Intertextuality What are the differences? How are they similar? Create your own definition for each word. Challenge - Reimagine an Animated Character 1. Select a character (or two) 2. Pick something fundamental about them to change (personality, clothing, time period). 3. Sketch out your ideas. 4. Create your new character. Pinterest board of character remixes Challenge - Find your own way to "steal". Your choice of media. Artists Collaborate:
Some artists work together to build something bigger than the sum of its parts. Consider discussing and contrasting different ways artists collaborate from Jeff Koons and Dale Chihuly who hire people to create their work to the partnership of Christo and Jeanne-Claude or entire teams of collaborators like United Visual Artists. Challenge - Collaboratively shape and artistic investigation of an aspect of present-day life using a contemporary practice of art and design. |
Artists Observe:
Some artists observe to create art. This could be observational drawing or painting. It could be still life drawings, nature drawings, architectural drawings, or even plein air painting. Look at these artists: Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, John James Audubon, Robert Bateman. Challenge - Observation Work Must be from life, not photos or printouts Set up a still life Draw a single nature object Outdoor drawing Draw a building Draw an interior (hallway or room) Self-Portrait using a mirror Other people (quick studies or ask a friend to do a longer pose) Challenge - Create a work with the goal of getting other people to observe something they might otherwise miss. Artists Solve Problems:
Sometimes artists apply limitations and constraints to themselves style wise, material wise and concept wise. It could also speak to limitations artists need to overcome from Henri Matisse or Chuck Close in a wheel chair to Phil Hansen's "Embrace the Shake." Sometimes artists have to overcome environmental constraints like Michelangelo painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. Projects could range from limiting student materials, to working in difficult situations to creating work that addresses social issues. Challenge - Decide on a limitation in order to create a work. Challenge - Create a work that addresses a problematic aspect of present-day life. Artists Communicate:
Art is used to communicate ideas and thoughts. It could cover a range of art works from contemporary artists to commercial fields such as advertising and illustration to video and animation. Challenge - Brainstorm a message you would like to communicate. (See Superhero Exercise) Create a work that delivers your message directly. Imagine that your message is the "client" and you are the "art director". How are you going to best deliver your client's message? |