Unit Plan Canvas

      Creating my canvas started out slow but once I started to understand the website a bit more it became more fun and easy to use. While creating my canvas I have found some great videos and links that I have even learned a few things from about Ancient Egypt. I can see how this would be helpful for students to refer back to. This canvas is a briefing of what the entire unit will be on. This is important because a student needs to know what is going on in the unit before it begins. Every student has the right to know what is coming in the future.

     My unit plan is on Ancient Egypt. This will give the students the ability to not only work on art projects about Egypt but it will also allow for time for them to research and watch videos on Egypt. This lesson plan will open students up to art history, history, technology in art and hands on art projects. This lesson plan is to help students better understand Egypt. By the end of the unit they should be able to give at least three reasons as to why Egypt is important.   

My Canvas

Microscope Photography

      Technology has and always will have an impact on art. When I was browsing the internet a few years ago I found an awesome video of a man doing photography art with paint, a microscope, a tripod and camera. This video made me realize I can use many different technologies for art. The world of art has been opened up by all different technologies. The idea of microscopes and cameras for photo art amazed me a I hope to inspire others as well. I also would love to show my students that it is totally okay for them to think way outside the box and give it is try. If they fail them we can rethink how to get the results they want. It is always important to try!

       In art it is important to always think out side of the box. Using third party tools that wouldn’t normally be used for art is always a great idea. This will enhance the art. This was not the only time I saw a microscope being used for art. When I was at the natural history museum in NYC I was looking at these beautiful art photos. I began to read the blurb on the wall and realized it is photography through a microscope of different types of moths. Within nature itself there is so much art. I can see art almost everywhere in nature. I find myself connecting a lot to nature. Bugs such as moths have fantastic patterns and when photographed close up it is just an amazing experience. Unfortunately for us who would like to work with photos and microscopes it is still rather expensive but hopefully like all technology as time goes on the price will eventually drop.     

Paint Splash Photos

Technology in Architecture

Technology is changing art. Technology has had an impact on the art of architecture. I consider architecture to be one of the most interesting forms of art. Some may put it in a separate category but, to me it is an artist designing a living space. Prior to computers architects would have to draw everything that they would even consider making a model of. Now there are many programs that architects can use so they don't have to draw out all the information. Some examples of great programs are ArchiCAD, Punch software, SketchUp, Revit Architecture, and softplan. Many architect artists will always use the pencil which is one of the greatest technology. Using a pencil to hash out ideas is always the best to get the ball rolling. The technology of the computer is great help to architects. These programs allow artist to get the measurements and what not down. Having a program to help is a big time saver. Not only does it save time but they also allow to put multiple ideas down for one room or different options for the roof. That is very helpful where as when you have a pencil and graphing paper you can not show your client all the information. The programs for architects are also great because it enables people to put the land size down and all the great information about the plot for the house. Not only are these programs great for getting an idea for the outside of the house but they also do floor plans and some even go as far as furniture to let the client see and understand how it would look. These programs are so fantastic and technology is the reason they all exist.               

Art Sales and the Internet

Etsy is one amazing site for people such as myself. Art is not always easy to sell but with technology many artists have found the internet to be an outlet of sales. Etsy is a site where anyone who has internet can buy and sell goods, it is not only limited to art. Although there are many sites where someone can buy and sell. Etsy is known more for their artsy items. I personally have ordered so many hand made objects form this site. For example I have a pair of pants, a necklace wrap and many more art items made from people all over the place. It is up to the person if they want to go international or not. This site is a favorite one of mine because it is personal. When someone goes to buy something it opens a chat for you where you can instant message the seller. This site is an important technology to artists because it opens up a new world for a person to get their art out in the world. Im sure there are people who are not fond of this site but it is a great way for artist to get a kick start. It is also good because a higher artist could see someones work and contact them. This technology is important for school kids to know because it can open a vast amount of opportunities for students. Man y art students will work on their own art outside of school if they have time and money in order to do so. This is important because the kids need to know the options they have to make money while gaining and education. The main thing is that students get their work out in the world, get feed back and keep in contact with other artists who can help them in the future. Throughout my teaching I hope to open students up to many different online art sites. It helps broaden their ideas and defiantly will help their future art work. I find it important for teachers to help their students see opportunities for their future and teach them how they can make money off the subject.   

-My hand made wire wrap necklace from a lady in Northern California-

Technology & Pedagogy

        I chose this lesson plan because it is important to bring history into art. There are classes called art history but, it is less hands on and more about slide shows and information than creation. As it is I personally find art history boring.  For me it is better to have a hands on project about history in art. Egyptians have amazing works of art from their funeral ceremonies to the great pyramids. I personally have a love for Ancient Egypt and would hope this information would be portrayed to my students throughout the lesson.

       There were gaps between the curriculum and the NJ standards. The lesson did not give enough information to the students about the history of Egypt. The students need to be taught information before using it. The teacher should allow the students on computers to get them to do some research so they can learn and look up information on their own using a web browser. The main technology that was missing in the lesson plan was a computer. The computer is so amazing and has a great deal of information and pictures from all over. The internet is a great place to find pictures from other people who have traveled the world to places we cannot see. It is amazing what you can see form other peoples vacations.

      Something that would help students out is printouts of pictures from Ancient Egypt. The lesson plan does state that the teacher would normally hand out papers on hieroglyphics and what not. The computer would help get the students to meet the NJCCCS code 1.1.8.D.1. Having the students learn more about Ancient Egypt would give them the ability to look at art and discuss about the mummification they have personally made. Also it would enable the student to then be slightly cultured in the world of Egypt.    

Spread Sheet

Youtube's impact on Art

Youtube is a large influence in all of our lives. Weather you watch youtube or are on youtube it will change your perspective on certain ideas. Youtube challenges the way we see things and come up with different ideas. Generally people will think of youtube as a comically site but, I personally use it to get great ideas from different artists all around the world. Youtube has made it possible for stop motion to become back in style in a sense. Stop motion is when you make a scene with action figures or clay figures that an artist has made by hand. In order to make a stop motion you have to move the figure little by little and take pictures along the way. At the end when you have about 1000 plus photos you link them all together to become a 6second or so clip. I find this art form very cool. It is time consuming and gets a point across in as little as seconds. Youtube has done a fabulous thing for artists, it has made it so that artists can use an old technology to do art again and a new technology to get their art out into the world. The Video linked below is an amazing stop motion done by some students. This is not a stop motion with action figures but real people. It gets a point across but it does take a few minutes. This is a stop motion that most likely took these guys quite a while to make. There were probably thousands of pictures taken in order to create it. It is a good example of stop motion because it does use the human as a type of performance art. Youtube is a great technology and especially fort aspiring artists.     

Stop Motion Video