COMPARE AND CONTRAST

Today I did a rather interesting exercise in my Art One class. I wanted to help my students prepare for their EOCs so I decided to work with comparisons and contrasts. I gave them following handout. Well really I projected it up on the screen for all to see.

ELEMENTS OF ART

LINE: vertical, horizontal, diagonal, curved, zigzag. OUTLINE: Line that defines a shape

SHAPE: area that is defined in some way = two dimensional, geometric or free-form

SPACE: refers to the emptiness or area between, around, above, below, or within objects =

positive or negative

FORM: objects having three dimensions = cylinder, cube, sphere, pyramid, etc.

TEXTURE: refers to how things feel or look as if they might fee if touched = rough, smooth, bumpy, soft, hard, sharp,

VALUE: describes the darkness or lightness of an object = dark, light, medium

COLOR: element that is derived from reflected light = HUE: name of a color such as red, yellow or blue

- A S S I G N M E N T -

Turn your paper vertically and label as follows:

ALIKE on the left side and DIFFERENT on the right side. Draw a vertical line between the two to the bottom of the page.

First use as many of the elements of art as possible in order to COMPARE AND CONTRAST the two items on the table in front of you.

After you have used the elements of art, then THINK of all other ways that the two objects are ALIKE and DIFFERENT.

You’ll be given a set time for this assignment. There may be a surprise for the one with the most similarities and differences.

WARNING: This is not a cooperative project! No talking allowed. Do your own work.

BE SURE TO PUT YOUR NAME ON YOUR PAPER!!!!!!

As you see in the photograph the students were really thinking about how the two things were alike and different. And what were the two objects? Pringles potato chips and Snickers candy bars of course! Well what's wrong with having a small snack as they work? Hey it worked! Try it!

Larry Hewett