A Mask For All Seasons

PROJECT URL: http://teachersnetwork.org/teachnet-lab/is24/llangsner/masklesson.htm

HOW IT WORKS

Students create plaster craft masks to depict the four seasons. By navigating various Web sites, they learn about Renaissance artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo and his "Season" series of floral faces. The students create symbolism in their masks through the use of collage materials.

Teacher preparation include locating appropriate Web sites for reference, gathering visual resources, and acquire Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" for musical accompaniment while the students work.

Student activities include viewing and discussing the "Web Gallery of Art" and Arcimboldo's paintings. They brainstorm associations and phrases for the four seasons, decide which season has the most appeal to them, bring in materials to enhance the feeling of that season, and create color studies for their masks. The students apply plaster craft over plastic molds to create the mask form. The masks are then sanded, painted, and decorated. Finally, the students set up a showcase of their work.

The students are assessed by participation in class discussion, and through short quizzes, creative writing assignments, and peer review and evaluation of work.

WHAT YOU NEED

A computer with Internet access is required as well as Hyperstudio and FrontPage software.

Required teacher technology skills include familiarity with computers, the Internet, Web page creation, and slide show presentations.

Students should be familiar with navigating the World Wide Web to gather research information and images.

THE STUDENTS

Participants are eighth-grade art students, but this project can be adapted to other grade levels.

STANDARDS

The students use sensory elements and expressive images to communicate their own ideas in works of art. They actively engage in the creation of visual arts. And they respond critically to a variety of works of an artist, connecting the individual work to other works and to other aspects of human endeavor and thought.

TIPS

Plaster craft is easier than working with papier mache, but it is just as messy. It dries more quickly and is more costly. Be prepared to work with groups of students daily rather than the entire class at one time.

RELATED LINKS

www.kfki.hu/~arthp/html/a/arcimbol/index.html Arcimboldo's "Seasons" series of human faces turned into floral arrangements.

http://ades-place.com/art/masks.htm - masks advertisements