The art of Illustration is a visual representation that explains or interprets written text. Students in 8th Grade Art were given the creative challenge to create a visual illustration to describe a word, quote, phrase, or the lyrics to their favorite song.
These visual stories were converted into reverse black and white drawings on scratchboard with silver highlights, much like visual antonyms of the black letters that formed their words on white paper.
Students learned basic hatching techniques to create value using tiny marks black ink on white paper. This skill-builder demonstrated how they could create values with lines by scratching away individual marks from the black coating to reveal the highlights from the metallic layer underneath. Taking the time to plan how the image will be revealed on the black scratchboard is a critical step to avoid hatching away too much of the surface!
Once their illustration concepts were approved, students transferred their designs onto the scratchboard with pencil indentations.
These faint impressions were the the outlines that could be carved with the scratchboard tool. They had to vary the line weight and create areas of value by hatching tiny marks side by side.
While some students chose to include their words within the design, others eliminated the text to focus on the visual imagery.
As an art teacher, I am always thrilled when students take a project and make it their own. My middle school students enjoyed having the opportunity to choose the subject matter of their pieces with their own written inspiration. It is interesting to see the students' point of view when reading their artist statements for how they interpreted these phrases into visual illustrations.
Title: "Undiscovered Island"
Artist Statement: I drew a mysterious island because everyone loves a mystery and beaches are beautiful.
Title: "C-47 Skytrain"
Artist Statement: The theme of my artwork is the Douglass C-47 Skytrain. It was the plane my great grandpa jumped out of in WWII, not knowing if he was going to return back to his wife and kids.
Left to Right: Blue Cheese, The Roses Are Sighing, & Copy Cat
Title: "Cat Got My Tongue!"
Artist Statement: This artwork was inspired by Olivia Rodrigo's song "Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl" and symbolizes someone who is oddly, unusually quiet.
Left to Right: The Lost World, Think Outside the Box, & All Lights Turned Off, Can Also Be Turned On
Title: "The Mind That Paints Your Future"
Artist Statement: This quote and drawing inspired me mainly because it stood out to me. I believe in this quote as well since middle school now is a little harder as I grow up. We can also see the person almost cracking, showing how your mindset and attitude can affect your mental health, like it's eating you from the inside.
Left to Right: She Acts Like Summer, Walks Like Rain, Scratching the Periodic Table, & Scum On Your Shoe
Title: Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus
Artist Statement: My favorite part of this artwork was drawing the dragon. It was really fun to draw and I had a good time.
Left to Right: Beauty is Pain, Secrets I Have Held in My Heart, & Life in Reflection
Title: "Espresso"
Artist Statement: I was inspired to create this scene specifically because I love the song, "Espresso." I was trying to come up with songs that I could draw, and I liked this idea the most. I created a busy town with shoppers walking in and out of the stores in the background. The cup of espresso pouring out represents myself caught up in busyness of day-to-day life.
Title: "Brainstorm"
Artist Statement: I have always thought that brainstorming was a funny thing to call thinking, so for this project, I made what a brainstorm literally would be.
Their illustrations are currently on display in an exhibition of various middle school and high school artworks in the New Buffalo High School Art Gallery!
"In Art, the hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can imagine.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
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