Repurposing Based Lesson Plans and Resources: This page is devoted to the use of found object and non-traditional art making media to create works of art.
Object Collection:
In this series of lesson plans, students examine their visual world through the use of a variety of media. The last lesson of the series contains an object collection activity that serves as a basis for introducing students to object collecting for art making purposes. Lesson Guide Link.
What is Contemporary Art?
In this series of lesson plans, students examine the meaning of contemporary art. Students are asked through a variety of exercises to interact with and create contemporary art using a variety of media. In the introductory lesson, students research a contemporary artist, create a sketch from the searched work, and discuss their findings with the class. From there, students are guided through a series of prompts using the fundamentals of art to create their own contemporary art. Students end the unit with an installation that they create from items that they collect from their own environments. Link to Lesson Guide.
Introducing Drawing and Graffiti Art:
Ishmael Muhammad Nieves discusses and demonstrates the basics of repurposing environments with graffiti. Use the video to inspire lessons based on street art or graffiti as a vehicle to create art. Link to Video.
Repurposing Found Paintings:
Artist Brian Presnell creates works of art by using found paintings, transforming them to create subversive meanings. The video could be used to inspire numerous lessons,starting with the one Presnell illustrates in the video. If teachers are without old paintings as a resource, students could be asked to transform each other works rather than old paintings. Link to Video.
Ink Blot Repurposing:
Students create ink blots by dropping ink in the middle of a folded piece of paper which produces Rorschach-like blots. After folding the paper to create the ink blot image, it should be allowed to dry. Note students reactions to the image created. Most are inclined to see living creatures in the symmetrical forms. From there, students create portraits inspired by their imaginary images created by the original ink blot. Link to Lesson Guide. Link to Rorschach Ink Blot YouTube.
Repurposed Street Signs:
In this lesson, students receive a print-out image of a yellow “Walk” street sign. Students transform the street sign into something meaningful from their lives or into a comment on popular culture. Link to Lesson.
Art of Bacteria:
In this lesson, students create abstract paintings from bacteria-filled petri dishes. Link to Lesson.
Repurposing Books:
In this lesson, students juxtapose our digital lives with an old hard-cover book. Students are asked to interact with the way digital media has changed our lives. To further illustrate these changes, students put old books through changes similar to the ones students face in their on-going battles with the every changing digital age. Link to Lesson and Examples.
Punk Ad Agency: Counter Bricolage:
In this lesson, students are asked to transform commercial materials such as a raisin box or a plastic bottle of apple juice to express an anarchist view of the product. Students use images that they cut out of magazines and other found sources of print to assemble their messages. Link to Lesson and Examples.
Object Collection:
In this series of lesson plans, students examine their visual world through the use of a variety of media. The last lesson of the series contains an object collection activity that serves as a basis for introducing students to object collecting for art making purposes. Lesson Guide Link.
What is Contemporary Art?
In this series of lesson plans, students examine the meaning of contemporary art. Students are asked through a variety of exercises to interact with and create contemporary art using a variety of media. In the introductory lesson, students research a contemporary artist, create a sketch from the searched work, and discuss their findings with the class. From there, students are guided through a series of prompts using the fundamentals of art to create their own contemporary art. Students end the unit with an installation that they create from items that they collect from their own environments. Link to Lesson Guide.
Introducing Drawing and Graffiti Art:
Ishmael Muhammad Nieves discusses and demonstrates the basics of repurposing environments with graffiti. Use the video to inspire lessons based on street art or graffiti as a vehicle to create art. Link to Video.
Repurposing Found Paintings:
Artist Brian Presnell creates works of art by using found paintings, transforming them to create subversive meanings. The video could be used to inspire numerous lessons,starting with the one Presnell illustrates in the video. If teachers are without old paintings as a resource, students could be asked to transform each other works rather than old paintings. Link to Video.
Ink Blot Repurposing:
Students create ink blots by dropping ink in the middle of a folded piece of paper which produces Rorschach-like blots. After folding the paper to create the ink blot image, it should be allowed to dry. Note students reactions to the image created. Most are inclined to see living creatures in the symmetrical forms. From there, students create portraits inspired by their imaginary images created by the original ink blot. Link to Lesson Guide. Link to Rorschach Ink Blot YouTube.
Repurposed Street Signs:
In this lesson, students receive a print-out image of a yellow “Walk” street sign. Students transform the street sign into something meaningful from their lives or into a comment on popular culture. Link to Lesson.
Art of Bacteria:
In this lesson, students create abstract paintings from bacteria-filled petri dishes. Link to Lesson.
Repurposing Books:
In this lesson, students juxtapose our digital lives with an old hard-cover book. Students are asked to interact with the way digital media has changed our lives. To further illustrate these changes, students put old books through changes similar to the ones students face in their on-going battles with the every changing digital age. Link to Lesson and Examples.
Punk Ad Agency: Counter Bricolage:
In this lesson, students are asked to transform commercial materials such as a raisin box or a plastic bottle of apple juice to express an anarchist view of the product. Students use images that they cut out of magazines and other found sources of print to assemble their messages. Link to Lesson and Examples.