Lesson video

Hello, My name is Mrs. Tipping and I'm really looking forward to learning with you today all about Me in a box: Thinking about drawing and sculpture through personal representations.

We're going to do lots of thinking, talking and exploring together in this lesson.

So, shall we get started? Let's go.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to create and join elements for your assemblage sculpture.

Before we start, I would like to introduce you to some keywords.

We'll be using these keywords during the lesson, so it might be a good idea to write these words down.

The keywords we'll be using today are assemblage and elements.

I'm gonna say those again, and I would like you to repeat them after me.

Assemblage.

Elements.

Good job.

Now let's think in more detail about what these keywords mean by taking a look at their definitions.

Assemblage is an art form that involves creating a composition by combining objects into a unified artwork.

Elements are individual parts of an artwork that join together to make one cohesive piece.

Pause the video here to make a note of these keywords, and when you're ready to continue, press play.

Here are two more of our keywords for today.

The keywords are expressive letterform, and joining techniques.

I'm gonna say those again and I would like you to repeat them after me.

Expressive letterform, joining techniques.

Good job.

Now let's check out the definitions for each of these keywords.

Expressive letterform is a letter design that shows emotion or meaning through its shape and style.

And joining techniques refers to the methods used to connect two or more materials or parts together.

So pause the video here and make note of these other two keywords, and when you are ready to continue, press play.

These are the learning cycles I'll be working through together in today's lesson.

Creating elements for assemblage and using joining techniques.

In this first learning cycle, we're going to have a go at creating elements for assemblage.

You might remember sketching out your ideas for your assemblage sculpture.

Here is an example here to remind you of the type of things you might have sketched inside yours.

You might have gathered some elements that you will be able to put straight into or onto your box.

Now there may be other elements that you may need to make for your assemblage sculpture.

Sofia says, "I want to create an element similar to this weaver bird, as it represents both a memory and significant people in my life." She says, "I'm going to use drawing and collage to make this element." There is no one correct way to make the elements for your assemblage sculpture.

You might choose to use a technique or process that you have enjoyed using previously, so you might use a mixture of drawing and collage, or a printing technique, or maybe even mixed media using materials such as fabric and ink.

Here are some examples of the types of techniques you might have had a go at already.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Which of the following is true about assemblage sculptures? They can include drawings as part of the artwork.

They can only be made from natural materials.

They cannot include any two dimensional elements.

So pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think which of the following is true about assemblage sculptures, and press play when you are ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said that they can include drawings as part of the artwork, you're absolutely right.

Assemblage is a form of sculpture that includes everyday objects, but can also be made from natural materials, manufactured items, photographs, text, and drawings.

If you choose to draw, you might start by sketching an outline.

Like the outline of this bird here.

You could use pieces of coloured paper or magazines to collage the shape of your chosen idea.

You might choose to use personal materials similar to those on the outside of your box to create parts of your collage.

Can you see on this bird how different elements have been used? Got some yellow card, some different paper with words on, some printed, some that have been handwritten, so lots of different bits to collage there.

And you can use a glue spreader to create a smooth finish.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Which tool will help to create a smooth finish to your collage? Is it A, B, or C? Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think and press play when you are ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said C, you are absolutely right.

A glue spreader can be used to create a smooth finish.

Now why might an artist choose to use their name or initial for their assemblage sculpture? Hmm.

Pause the video here and have a discussion with your partner And press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you think? Why might an artist choose their name or an initial for their assemblage sculpture? Looking at this A here, it has an interesting design on that initial.

While adding your initial, name, or a special word can help to make your assemblage sculpture reflect your identity.

Take a look at this example here.

We've got the initial S there.

You might choose to make your initial personal to you by making it an expressive letterform.

To create an expressive letterform, you can begin by lightly sketching the basic shape of the letter.

Creating an expressive letterform uses drawing and designing skills.

You do not need to have neat handwriting.

You can then experiment with the design of the letterform.

Try adding decorative details or patterns to change its style.

Let's have a look at this letter A, can you see how it's changed using different decorative details and patterns? Expressive letterforms might use similar colours or shapes, but in different ways.

Look at these two as an example.

What is similar about these expressive letterforms? Pause the video here and have a discussion with your partner and press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you think? Have a look.

Can you see maybe some similar colours in the oranges and the blues? Maybe the lines within the letter A.

They look quite similar, quite soft and curved.

Now both of these letterforms, they've used warm and cool colours.

Did you spot that within the orange and the blue? Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

To create an expressive letterform, you should have neat handwriting skills.

Is this statement true or false? Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think and press play when you are ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said that's false, you are absolutely right, well done.

But why is that statement false? Pause the video here and have a discussion with your partner about why this statement is false, and press play when you are ready to continue.

What did you discuss? If you said something like, "Designing and drawing an expressive letterform does not require any handwriting skills as letters can be designed using many different art materials." You are absolutely right.

Well done.

Now think about what emotion or idea you want to be expressed through the letterform design.

Aisha says, "I like space so I could use black and white circular shapes like planets with stars to represent the universe." And Jun says, "Retro video games are my inspiration.

I want a letterform that looks pixelated with bold colours." Thinking about the shapes, styles, and colours can help you to design your letterform.

Here's Aisha's.

She said, "I sketched the outline of this space letterform in pencil first, then I drew circles and added tone using a pencil." Have a look at her design there.

Can you see how she's included those stars and she's added that tone, those darker tones around those stars so that they look really light.

Now, Jun, this is his design.

He says, "I used felt-tip pens to create my pixelated video game letterform.

I used a ruler to get straight lines and I tried to create symmetry." What do you think? Can you see the symmetry there? If we put the mirror down the middle, would it look the same? I think looking at the yellow, and the orange, and the red, that's a really great use of colour.

This now brings us to our first learning task.

I'd like you to design, draw, and collage elements for your assemblage sculpture.

You might think about making an object that represents a memory or experience, or a letterform using your name or initial.

So pause the video here and give yourself enough time to have a go at designing, drawing and collaging elements for your assemblage sculpture and press play when you are ready to continue.

How did that go? Well, you might have made an object that represents a memory or experience like this bird here and collage different elements to create that object.

Maybe you did a letterform using your name or initial, maybe has something like a space theme, or football, or nature depends on what is important to you.

So well done for having a go at creating some elements for your assemblage sculpture.

This now brings us to the second part of our lesson.

We're going to be using some joining techniques.

Once you've made or gathered your elements for your collage, you'll need to think about how to join them to your box.

You'll need to think about which joining technique will be best for each element of your box.

Some joining techniques include glueing , and L-brace, or flanges and tabs.

Can you remember any of those techniques? Well, let's take a look at them.

One of the most common methods for joining is using glue.

Now, the advantages of using glue are that it dries clear, it's good for lightweight materials, and it's easy to use.

But the disadvantages are that it takes time to dry.

It can get messy, and it's not very strong for heavy materials, and it's also hard to undo once the glue is dry.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

One advantage of using glue is that it can be changed once dry.

Is this statement true or false? Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think and press play when you are ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said that's false, you are absolutely right, but why is that statement false? Pause the video here and have a discussion with your partner and press play when you are ready to continue.

What did you discuss? If you said something like, "This is a disadvantage of using glue, as it can be hard to take apart the glued elements once dry." Well done.

Sofia thinks about where she could use glue as a joining technique.

She says, "I could strengthen my bird element by using glue to join it to cardboard." Another joining technique is an L-brace.

Now the advantages of an L-brace are that it helps hold the shape and it's easy to undo, but the disadvantages are that it can be fiddly to use in a small space and it's not always needed.

Sofia is considering where she could use an L-brace in her assemblage sculpture.

She said, "I could use an L-brace with my bird to attach it to the side of my box so that it sticks out." Hmm, that's a good idea.

You can make an L-brace by cutting two strips of cardboard, folding one strip in half, and the other strip at both ends.

Take a look at that picture there.

Can you see the first one folded in half and the other piece has got folded on each of the ends.

Now using masking tape, you join the pieces of card together, and then attach your element using masking tape or glue.

So have a look there, can you see where the folded piece is and how the bit with both ends folded is attached at either side using masking tape.

Now, you might also consider using flanges and tabs.

Advantages for those are that they're good for lightweight materials and they can be hidden in the design.

The disadvantages though are that they're not very strong and they're difficult to fold neatly.

Sofia is now considering where she could use flanges and tabs in her assemblage sculpture.

She says, "I think these might be good for using with my plectrums as I can make a stand for each one." Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Which images show adjoining technique? A, B, or C.

Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think and press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said all of them, you're absolutely right.

Flanges, tabs and glue can all be used to join materials together.

Well done.

This brings us to our final learning task.

I'd like you to use joining techniques to attach your elements to your assemblage sculpture.

You might think about using glueing , the L-brace, and flanges and tabs.

So pause the video here and give yourself enough time to have a go at using those joining techniques and press play when you are ready to continue.

How did that go? Did you use all three techniques? Or did you just use one or two? Well, you might have used glueing to attach some lightweight materials together, maybe you used an L-brace to attach heavier materials, and maybe flanges and tabs were used to make subtle joins for 3D elements.

Like this example here with the bird, maybe you some glueing to add some cardboard to strengthen it and then maybe an L-brace so you could place it inside your box, but also have it sticking out a little bit.

Or maybe flanges and tabs were use to create some kind of platform for you to put one of your elements on.

Well done for having a go at using these different joining techniques in your assemblage sculpture.

Before we finish this lesson, let's summarise what we've learned about assemblage in your box design.

Assemblage is sculpture made by combining everyday objects, photos, text, or materials into one artwork.

Artists might choose to use expressive letterforms and personal materials to create elements of their sculpture.

And artists may choose joining techniques such as glueing , L-braces, flanges and tabs within their sculpture.

Thank you for joining me in this lesson today.

I hope to see you in the next one.

See you next time.