Lesson video

Hello, everyone.

How are you doing today? Hope you're feeling well.

My name is Ms. Afzal and I will be your art teacher for today.

I'm feeling excited about this because I love teaching art and especially because today's lesson is about collage.

The title of our lesson is Creating and refining an abstract collage.

So we're gonna be looking at abstraction, we're going to be looking at collages, we're gonna be making collages.

We will be quite busy today.

The lesson comes from the unit of work, Being curious about collage and assemblage.

So I hope you have some curiosity for this lesson and a bit of focus, enthusiasm.

If so, I think we're ready to get started.

Let's begin.

The outcome for today's lesson is I can make an abstract collage, using texture and pattern to compose and frame a strong focal point.

Lots we will be covering in this lesson.

Let's find out a little bit more.

We have some keywords in our lesson today.

They are abstract, focal point, and frame.

Let's go into each of these.

Abstract, artwork that does not depict a recognisable picture, place, person, or object in the real world.

Focal point is the area of an artwork that immediately captures your attention.

It could be the brightest colour, the sharpest detail, or even the largest subject in the composition.

And frame, surrounding or highlighting part of an image to make it stand out.

Artists can use lines, shapes, colours, or even leave empty space around a subject to draw our attention.

These are our three keywords, abstract, focal point, and frame.

Our lesson is called Creating and refining and abstract collage.

It has two learning cycles.

First of all, Creating an abstract collage to express emotion, and then Refine and frame to create a focal point.

Let's begin Creating an abstract collage to express emotion.

Artists can use a wide range of media to create their collage works, allowing them to: manipulate visual elements like colour, texture, or tone; create association between ideas and imagery; communicate emotion and mood; develop both representational and surreal scenes.

How do you think collage lends itself to abstraction? Pause the video and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing your ideas.

Let's have a check for understanding, true or false? Artists use various media to craft collages, manipulating visuals to convey meaning and mood in representational scenes only.

Pause the video and decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you selected false, and now I'd like you to say a little bit more about your answer.

Why did you choose that answer? Pause the video and share with someone.

Perhaps you said something like this.

Artists use a wide range of media to create their collage works, to manipulate visual elements to convey meaning, mood in representational and surreal scenes.

They can even work abstractly.

Thanks for sharing your answers.

Sofia, Jacob, and Jun are deep in discussion.

They're discussing collage.

"We have used found imagery from magazines," says Sofia.

Really interesting.

"Yes, so that images are recognisable." "We can also pre-make surfaces to use in our collages." Great idea.

I love that.

Can you see on this image on the right, we've got some pre-made surfaces in this collage, rather than simply a plain background.

Creating abstract collages allows artists to explore creativity freely, experiment with composition and texture, and express emotions beyond literal representation.

Collage encourages spontaneity, innovation, and personal interpretation, helping artists develop a unique visual language while breaking traditional ideas and ways of working.

Let's have another check for understanding, true or false? Creating abstract collages does not allow artists to explore creativity freely or to express emotions.

Pause the video, decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you selected false, and now I'd like you to say a little more about your answer.

Pause the video and share with someone why you selected that answer.

Perhaps you said something like this.

Creating abstract collages allows artists to explore creativity freely and express emotions beyond literal representation.

Artists can use colour, texture, shapes, and composition to communicate emotions.

Well done for sharing your answers.

Take a good look at this collage.

What emotions do you think this work is conveying? Pause the video and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing your answers.

Let's hear from Aisha.

"The colours make me think about positive emotions like happiness or enthusiasm." Hmm, I wonder if you felt that too.

And here's Alex.

"The use of patterns suggest feelings of energy and movement." Yeah, I'm feeling that too, Alex.

Some artists who create abstract works which can convey emotion include: Sarah Bagshaw uses found materials like food packaging and printed papers to create her joyful abstract collages.

Hormazd Narielwalla uses geometric shapes and a controlled colour palette in his work "Orient Love Affair," 2021.

Sam Gilliam layered painted surfaces in his 1989 "Flowers, from Tulip Series," creating vibrant and overwhelming compositions.

Torea Frey's series "Willing and Able" convey emotions around being unable to communicate using layered illegible lettering.

Such a wide variety of ways in which these artists are creating abstract works which convey emotion.

Artists can use a range of techniques to convey emotion: controlling colours, you can draw patterns and shapes, through ripping or cutting a material, through overlapping and layering the collage materials.

Pause the video and share with someone nearby, which of these four techniques are you most drawn to? And perhaps you could say a little about why you've chosen that technique.

Thanks for sharing your ideas, and now it's time for your first task.

I would like you to decide on the emotion you want to convey.

List colours, shapes, and patterns that link to this feeling.

And now I'd like you to think about and answer the following questions.

So first of all, what emotion do you want to express? Pause the video and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing.

And next, will bright or dull colours show this emotion better? Pause the video and share with somebody.

Will you use a limited range of colours? Pause the video and share your answer.

And can organic or geometric shapes help show emotion? Pause the video and share your answer to this question.

And finally, can a pattern make your artwork more expressive? Pause the video and share with someone nearby.

Thanks for sharing your responses.

You may have said something like this.

Here's Sam.

"I will show excitement using vibrant rainbow colours.

I will cut geometric shapes and draw organic patterns." Great idea, Sam.

And here's Andeep.

"I will show sadness using muted shades of blue and brown.

My shapes will be geometric both through ripping and drawing." Great ideas there.

And now onto the next part of your task.

I would like you to pre-prepare and gather papers to create patterns and textures using paint and drawing.

So you should gather papers with colours you aim to use; use paint to add or control colours on surfaces; use pencil, paint, or oil pastels to draw patterns or shapes onto surfaces.

So to control colours, you might like to have a whole palette of warm colours or cool colours, as we can see on the left of the screen.

And in terms of drawing patterns and shapes, you could go for something quite specific and controlled like the stripes, or something more organic, like the shapes on the right-hand side.

So pause the video while you pre-prepare and gather papers to create your patterns and textures using paint and drawing.

There are many possible outcomes, but you may have created something that prompts a response like this.

Here's Lucas, saying, "The use of vibrant colours makes this work look very happy and excited.

Well done, Sam!" And, "Sam, I can see you've used food packaging like Sarah Bagshaw!" I love that, when we can take inspiration from artists we've been learning about.

And now for the next part of your task, I would like you to use the papers from Task A2 to create your abstract collage to convey emotion.

You should cut or rip materials to create shapes, overlap and layer the pieces, rotate elements to see what works best, try different layouts to find the most effective one, consider the emotion you want to express.

So keep that emotion at the heart of all that you're doing here.

Glue everything down once you're happy with the design.

So you could use the techniques of ripping or cutting, as we can see on the left.

You could use overlapping and layering, as we can see on the right.

So pause the video while you have a go at this task, use your papers from Task A2 to create your abstract collage to convey emotion.

Enjoy your task.

Great to be back with you.

So how did you get on? There are many possible outcomes, but you may have created something that prompts a response like this.

Here's Izzy, saying that, "Sam's use of overlapping and layering with shapes showing through holes makes the work intriguing and the colours used feels exciting." I love these techniques that Sam has used and the effect created.

And now we're onto our next learning cycle, Refine and frame to create a focal point.

What draws your attention in this collage? Take a good look.

Share with somebody.

Here's Jun.

"These blue stripy areas stand out to me." Uh-huh, I see what you're saying.

And here's Laura.

"I noticed this contrasting tone first." Okay, fantastic.

So we can see there are different things jumping out at different people.

And I wonder if you noticed a different area.

Do you think there is a clear focal point? Pause the video and share with somebody.

Thanks for sharing your responses.

Artists can make small additions to add interesting details and create a clear focal point.

A focal point is the area of an artwork that immediately captures your attention.

It could be the brightest colour, the sharpest detail, or even the largest subject in the composition.

What kind of small additions do you think an artist could use to create a clear focal point? Pause the video and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing your ideas.

Let's have a check for understanding.

Which is the most likely way artists can create a clear focal point in their artwork? Is it A, avoiding contrast in colours or shapes; B, making every part of the artwork equally detailed; C, placing all elements randomly; or D, using small details to draw attention? Pause the video while you decide which is the most likely way artists can create a clear focal point in their artwork.

Well done if you selected D.

Indeed, using small details to draw attention will help to create that clear focal point.

Take a look at this image.

What has been added to this abstract collage? Pause the video and share with someone.

Aha, there is a framed focal point.

A frame has been created and added on.

There's a short piece of text within that frame.

There's some contrasting collage.

Drawn shapes.

By refining our collage, we can consolidate the idea, meaning, or emotion.

Artists can frame parts of their work in a number of ways, including: outlining the focal point, adding contrasting colours or textures, creating depth with built up layers, using negative space, adding in directional lines.

Can you think of any more techniques that could be used? Pause the video and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing your ideas.

I'd like you to fill the gaps in using the word bank.

Artists can frame parts of their work in a number of ways, including: something the focal point, adding colours or textures, creating depth with built up, using space, adding in lines.

And the words you can choose from the word bank are contrasting, directional, layers, negative, and outlining.

Pause the video while you fill in the gaps using the word bank.

Perhaps you filled in the gaps in this way: outlining the focal point, adding contrasting colours or textures, creating depth with built up layers, using negative space, and adding in directional lines.

Well done if this is how you filled in the gaps.

Oh wow, take a look at the frame around this image.

Trimming or creating a frame can pull an artwork together.

By refining our collage, we can consolidate the idea, meaning, or emotion.

It's time for your next task.

I would like you to rotate your work and reflect on the balance, composition, and focal point.

Select your preferred orientation.

Here are some options.

Pause the video while you do this.

So, how did you choose to rotate your work? You may have tried something like this.

Here's Sam.

"I chose to turn my work around.

I was surprised by how effective the composition was this way." Yeah, a simple shift, a simple rotation can make quite a difference.

For the next part of your task, I'd like you to add small additions to create and frame a clear focal point.

You could use any combinations of: outlining the focal point, adding contrasting colours or textures, creating depth with built up layers, using negative space, or adding in directional lines.

So pause the video while you have a go at this part of your task.

Great to see you.

Again, there are many possible outcomes, but you may have tried something like this.

Here's Jacob.

"I'm definitely looking at the light blue circles first, as Sam has added outlining, contrasting colours here, as well as framing curved lines." Great noticing there, Jacob.

And now for the final part of your task, I would like you to trim, to crop your work, or create a paper frame to present your work.

You should select how much you want to trim from your work; trim edges using a straight edge cutter or using a ruler to mark lines first; if using a paper frame, test different cropped sections; consider the colour of your frame.

Pause the video while you have a go at this final part of your task.

It's great to be back with you.

Again, there are many possible outcomes, but you may have created a frame like this, perhaps like this, or like this.

Here's some feedback from Sofia.

"Sam, this looks so professional now, the framing makes it look more purposeful." I couldn't agree more.

I love these frames that you've created.

Well done, everyone.

In our lesson Creating and refining an abstract collage, we've covered the following.

Artists can use a wide range of media to create their collage works.

Creating abstract collages allows artists to explore creativity freely, experiment with composition and texture, and express emotions beyond literal representation.

Artists can make small additions to add interesting details and create a clear focal point.

Trimming or creating a frame can pull an artwork together.

By refining our collage, we can consolidate the idea, meaning, or emotion.

Well done, everyone, for all of your hard work in this lesson.

I love these abstract collages that you have created, creating that focal point, and then bringing it all together by trimming or creating a frame.

I think it's been a fantastic lesson, I hope you've enjoyed it too, and I look forward to seeing you at another art lesson soon.

Until then, stay creative.