I have known about Jen Stark’s colorful paintings and sculptures for many years, but it wasn’t until last spring that I finally settled on a Stark-inspired digital drawing project for my fifth-graders. This project was originally taught virtually, but with my fully masked students back in the art room, it became an in-class assignment. Each student’s work is unique with a nod to Stark’s amazing techniques, even though the work produced by my students is completely digital.
If we have learned anything from the past two years of COVID instruction, it’s that it’s up to us as art educators to keep creating exciting, meaningful, and engaging projects for our students. The integration of technology in the art room, primarily through the use of Google Chromebooks, has expanded my art program. Students were issued Chromebooks at the beginning of the year, and I’ve added various art projects that require the use of Google Drawings.
I have known about Jen Stark’s colorful paintings and sculptures for many years, but it wasn’t until last spring that I finally settled on a Stark-inspired digital drawing project for my fifth-graders. This project was originally taught virtually, but with my fully masked students back in the art room, it became an in-class assignment. Each student’s work is unique with a nod to Stark’s amazing techniques, even though the work produced by my students is completely digital.
Inspiration from Jen Stark
Stark’s website is filled with examples of her wall sculptures, paintings, public art, and animation. Her website’s About section provides excellent information on her drawing technique and personal inspirations. There is a wealth of information online showing Stark’s Drippies as well as her 3D illusions.
Stark’s use of bright colors, black paint, and repetitive line designs were successfully adapted to the project I called Abstract Color Compositions. Students loved Stark’s style and quickly became mesmerized by the possibilities Google Drawings provided. This was their second digital drawing project, so they were already familiar with the paint bucket, border color, line weight, and line tools.
Procedures
First, I shared information about Stark’s life and work, focusing primarily on her wall paintings. Next, I guided students through the initial steps of opening their Google Drive, clicking the “+” symbol to create a new project, and locating Google Drawings from the list of choices. Once there, I demonstrated how to use the shape tools, which I limited to the top two rows to discourage students from using hearts, moons, and other cartoon-style shapes.
I also showed students how to use the Callout shapes, particularly the 32-point star. A new Google Drawings feature for this project was learning how to insert a background image from a Google Images search.
Abstract Color Compositions
The goal with this project was for students to create a Stark-inspired abstract composition filled with five to seven shapes of their choice with bright colors; to add additional line designs using the scribble tool; and to upload a black line design pattern for the background from their Google Images search. Finished compositions were downloaded as JPEG or PNG files and submitted to our school’s online platform for grading.
Students loved this project. Engagement was high and creative solutions were infinite. From start to finish, this assignment required sixty minutes for most students. Finished compositions were printed out and used for school displays.
Jane Montero is an art teacher at Creekside Intermediate School in Dexter, Michigan. MonteroJ@DexterSchools.org
National Standard
Producing: Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation.
Resource
Jen Stark Website
Art teachers develop lessons inspired by contemporary artists and artworks. High-school students interpret contemporary issues through symbolic game cards, middle-school students research common themes found in contemporary art and create personalized landscapes, elementary students illustrate digital compositions inspired by the optical works of Jen Stark, young students use ceramic bowls as a canvas for experimenting with colorful inks, and more.
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