Pittsburgh Obama 6-12: 8th Grade Art

Class Description: For eighth grade, I am currently teaching four sections, with each class consisting of 27- 32 students. I see each class twice a week for 50 minute periods.

Contour Line Unit
Downloadable Lesson Plan

Expanding upon last weeks lesson on the elements of design, students began to learn about line in more detail. As a class, we discussed the importance of line in art, as well as line in the world around us. Students became familiar with "contour lines" and "blind contour lines" and then engaged in a contour and blind contour drawing of their hand. After drawing their hands in contour lines, students rotated to centers around the room. Each center had a different object that students drew in a contour line.

After drawing their hands in contour lines, students rotated to centers around the room. Each center had a different object that students drew in a contour line. Students experimented with contour line, and discovered how line can create volume and shape.

Next, students recalled contour line, and how one line can be used to create a shape with volume and depth. Then, students learned about "focal point" and how artists use a focal point to draw a viewer into their work. Students then learned about implied lines, and artists can use these lines to move a viewer around their artwork. After looking at examples as a class, students were asked to work as a group on different works of art to define the focal point and implied lines on each piece. Then students used a projector to explain their findings to the entire class.

Next, students began a project which built upon the previous ideas of the unit. This project combined the past lessons on line and movement with contour line. Students first needed sketch out three hand gestures in contour line and transfer them to construction paper.

As students finished drawing their hands in a contour line, they cut them out of the construction paper. Students sketched out a plan to create a final piece using their construction paper hands to create a focal point with a visually interesting background. 

After students completed the construction of their hands, they designed a background for their work. In their background, students created a focal point and a visually interesting composition using line and geometric shapes, using pastel.