Art teachers use a process-based approach to engage students in art-making. Young students apply color-mixing to create vibrant watercolor paintings, elementary students are introduced to the unique process of paper quilling, middle-school students use critical thinking and ideation skills while drawing meaningful self-portraits, high-school students use fused glass techniques to create functional works of art, and more.
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In this issue, art teachers interpret, define, and apply what process looks like within their art curriculum, from designing sketchbooks to applying new clay techniques, learning to be present to enjoy those magical moments of mixing colors, experimenting with new media, and creating sculptures from everyday materials. Regardless of what level you teach, we can all learn something new to apply.
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If you want to see learning, watch young artists mix paint. “I made pink!” “I made GOLD!” “How? Show me how!” Without constraint or guidance, paint-mixing turns into mud-making. Art teachers know the value of process, but parents and administrators often need compelling results to appreciate an art project. My co-teacher and I found a fun way to have both.
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Inspired by the process of designing mandalas, students incorporated radial symmetry into designs based on the natural world. They used their sketchbooks to document their understanding of the sgraffito process and radial symmetry and sketched designs inspired by nature. This planning page was referenced throughout the project, and students discussed their ideas with one another during a peer review. This critique process helped them refine their designs and create simplified but effective compositions.
This assignment allowed students to experiment with an art technique that most of them had never tried before. I’ve never heard my classroom so quiet as everyone focused on creating their delicate quilling designs. Many students continued to make designs at home, inspired by the new skill they had learned. It was great to engage and challenge them with something new and expose them to the beautiful process of “painting with paper.”
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Process is a challenging concept for students. They live in a time and place where they can have answers and results at the sound of their voice or the touch of a button. Creative endeavors, however, take time and processing. My students have never been more distracted and less focused than in this new post-pandemic world, so how do we as art educators slow our students down and teach the discipline of critical thinking, ideation, and the power of process?
In this lesson, students practice their scissor-cutting skills, measuring skills, fine motor skills including folding paper, and learning how a binder clip is used (great to teach pinching for students with OT goals). Students will also learn sewing skills and how to tie a knot, as well as patience, mindfulness, perseverance, and how using recycled materials saves in terms of materials and cost. The best part, of course, is that they can use their finished sketchbooks to draw.
In an effort to push my kiln-firing abilities and challenge students with a new material and process, I added fused glass to my current level 3 class. I enjoyed watching students experiment, problem-solve, and collaborate, and it was just the challenge I needed to expand my skills and freshen up my curriculum.
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I’ve been starting with folded paper forms in my design classes for some time, but this is the first year I considered moving the ball further downfield. What would an advanced form look like? How could I get my students to create more advanced 3D forms with paper? This project is my attempt to answer these questions.
Art and spirituality are deeply interconnected, serving as pathways for individuals to explore and express their inner selves. In the realm of art education, integrating spirituality with the creative process enriches students’ experiences, fostering self-awareness and authenticity. Intuitive painting stands out as a transformative practice that facilitates self-discovery, emotional release, and spiritual alignment.
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The proverb “What’s old is new again” has largely proven true in relation to art throughout history. In an age when digital media seems to eclipse other art forms, it is gratifying to see the persistent renascence of art processes, subjects, and aesthetics from times past. This will continue if artists always accommodate emotion when they are making art. It is certainly the case with Saya Okayama, whose modern origami artworks are steeped in her keen sense of culture, tradition, and sentiment for her native Japan.
