Pixel Art Jeffrey Cornwall 2015 4th Grade Visual Art
Overview: Pixel = Picture + Element The world is dominated by pixels. The age of print is more and more in the past. Society has adopted digital advertising, books, photography, newspapers and more. Although a pixel is usually seen on a screen, students will create art out of both digital pixels and physical pixels and connect it with fractions. Pixel art is not a new art form with clear connections to art styles such as Pointillism.. After completing the projects, students will determine the ratios of pixel colors used in the form fractions. This will be done by counting the total number of pixels and seeing how many of each color was used. Supplies, Equipment and Resources: - Computer - Paper - Tape - White glue - Hot Glue - Paint - Centimeter cubes - Chalk - Sticky notes
Objectives: Explore the idea of pixilation Discover the relationship of parts to a whole and parts to other parts in an artwork. Investigate the use of fractions in art National Core Art Standards: VA:Cr1.1.4 Brainstorm multiple approaches to a creative art or design problem. VA:Cr2.1.4 Explore and invent art-making techniques and approaches. VA:Cr1.2.4 Collaboratively set goals and create artwork that is meaningful and has purpose to the makers. Integrated Standards: 4th Grade Math 4.NF.B. 3a Understand addition and subtraction of fractions as joining and separating parts referring to the same whole. 4.NF.B. 3c. Add and subtract mixed numbers with like denominators
Teaching and Timeline Introduction: Give each student a piece of graph paper. Instruct them to create a picture or design by simply filling in the squares. They can just use graphite pencils or use colored pencils, crayons, markers etc. Once the students have finished, have a discussion about the good and bad of living in a digital world. Ask students what a pixel is and where they see pixels. Facilitate students in understanding the context of pixel art (digital world, video games, etc) Inquire into how a work of art is different if it is pixelated vs. realistic. Compare and contrast Pointillism and pixel art. Show students examples of pixel art and other artworks related such as Pointillism. This can be done to facilitate the discussion or used prior or after the discussion. After your discussion and viewing examples of pixel art, have students start to brainstorm about the artwork they would like to make. Have students suggest materials that could be used to make their pixel art. The possibilities for materials is endless, but here are some ideas: 2D Paper squares 3D Paper cubes Digital artwork (There are many free online pixel art makers) Centimeter cubes Chalk on brick Paint Markers, colored pencils, crayons After discussing materials, have students consider the subject for their artwork. Have students be inspired by their thoughts on living in a digital world whether good or bad. Demonstration: If allowing a wide variety of materials is not suitable for your teaching situation, you can ask students to vote on a material that they would like to use. This tactic allows for some student autonomy while also simplifying the art making process for the teacher. If you choose to allow students to choose their own material you can help students with their craft by asking them which techniques they may want to see demonstrated. You can demonstrate a few techniques for a couple class periods. Another option is to allow students to use the internet to discover online tutorials for techniques. Work Day: With students working with a wide variety of mediums, materials, and techniques make yourself available to help students get the materials that they need or with their individual techniques. Assess the workings of the class to know where your efforts are best needed. Students may need up to or beyond 120 minutes to complete this project. When students have completed their projects, have them begin the process of discovering the fractions of colors used in their pixel artwork. First they will need to count the number of pixels used for each color. Then they will add all these numbers up to get the total number of pixels used in their artwork. The total number of pixels will be in the denominator while the number of each individual color will be in the numerator. Instruct students to simplify or reduce their fraction to the lowest number.
Essential Questions: - What are the affordances and limitations of living in a digital world? - What is a pixel? - When and where do you see pixels? - How is an image different if it is pixelated, meaning you can see the pixels? Historical Element: - A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, Geroges Seurat 1884 - Super Mario, Shigeru Miyamoto, 1985-8-Bit Modern, Michael Whiting, - Pixel Sculptures, Shawn Smith - Pixelated Animals, Laura Bifano - Microsoft Paint Windows 95, Hal Lasko Vocabulary: - Digital Art - Pixel - Pointillism