Art of the Orient: Chinese Scroll Painting
HOW IT WORKS
Art of the Orient: Chinese Scroll Painting is an interdisciplinary program using the Social
Studies curriculum as an impetus to Fine Arts
lessons. Students study the cultural background
of the Orient during Social Studies periods,
while working on their Chinese scroll painting in
their Art class. During class discussions, students
share ideas about the important cultural
contributions the Chinese have made in our society.
Through readings and web research, students
discover that it is the Chinese who are credited
with the invention of the kite and compass, and
how meditation and religion influence their
art. We begin with a reading comprehension
assignment using the textbook Understanding
Art by Mittler & Ragans. Students are
introduced to scroll paintings and learn that they are
long rolls of illustrated parchment that are hung
or read like a book. Through further
investigations, and as homework assignments, students
are asked to explore a variety of web sites,
including a virtual tour of Chinese paintings at
the Metropolitan Museum of Art:
www.metmuseum.org/explore/chinese/html_pages/elegant3.htm.
Students begin sketching ideas for their own
scrolls, using the Chinese themes of landscape,
flowers, bamboo, dragons, and birds. They begin
to study pictographs and practice the art of
Chinese calligraphy. Using watercolor as their art
medium, along with pen and ink, students
creatively design an original Oriental scroll painting
illustrating a theme based on nature. Completed
painted scrolls are mounted on wooden dowels
and hung with string. A classroom gallery of Oriental art is displayed for final evaluation and
class visits.
THE STUDENTS
Two sixth-grade major art talent classes participate
in this program. The students meet in the art room four times per week, for forty-minute
periods. This program can easily be adapted for
other grade levels. Library visits are scheduled
at the beginning of the lesson.
THE STAFF
Lori Langsner has taught Fine Art on the junior
and middle school level for the past 22 years.
She has been voted Teacher of the Year and is
affiliated with Teachers Network, with many of
her lessons published on their web site. With
Dr. Pat Shea-Bischoff, she recently completed
a streaming project, Monsters and Myths, which
can be seen at Teachers Network Instruction Videos.
WHAT YOU NEED
A school library setup with a computer featuring
Internet access is necessary. Students may use
home-computer Internet access as well. The art
room has large worktables with an art supply
and storage closet. Photocopies of ‘pictographs’
are teacher-made. Required materials include 6''x 9'' white rice
paper, pencils, watercolor washes, black India
ink, paintbrushes, water cups, newspaper,
dowels, string, wallpaper, and glue.
OVERALL VALUE
Art of the Orient: Chinese Scroll Painting lends
itself easily to many subject areas. Students are
given the opportunity to explore web sites
and actual museum collections. Through reading and
responding to new information, and through
analysis and interpretation, students are able to
create their own works of art in the authentic
Chinese style. They have valuable discussions
and gain insight into the art of the Orient.
Standards addressed include: Creating and Participating in the Arts,
Knowing and Using Art Materials and Resources, Responding to and
Analyzing Works of Art, and Understanding the
Cultural Contributions of the Arts. |