Arts Explorer #6: Collaging with Scissors

Media, radio, television, cartoon.... all of which children are exposed to on a daily basis. The question is whether or not it is a negative or positive exposure? Personally anything that is over done or watched can have it's negative toll but that does not mean it is completely harmful to children. From my experiences with children they watch a minimum of two hours a day of cartoons and T.V. It becomes a mesh or collage of cartoons running around in their heads. Some time my nephews pretend play by adding characters from their favorite show all in one act. All I hear is "never fear spongbob is here! lets go to dexter's laboratory to find the poison fish"  Something like what is seen in this picture. A definition of the word Collage is an artwork composed of different shapes and elements (p.364). I think that a collage is not only based on art but can also be incorporated into one's mind and thought.

The reason I chose this collage is because so many of my experiences with children at play are involved with cartoon characters or actions mimicked from tv. When asked to create a collage as a child and even during my experiences with children, the first form of materials children are given to work with are dry foods, paint and pictures from magazines. So why not use pictures of cartoon characters? they're colorful, fun looking and familiar!

Activity for collage

1) provide ample amount of different cartoon characters from many different shows and cultures.
2) bring one large black paper, scissors and glue
3) have the children choose, cut and paste the different pictures onto the one big paper

Final product = inside the mind of a child : D

References

Schirrmacher, R., & Fox, J.E. (2009). Art and creative development for young children (6th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Delmar

Arts Explorer #5: Donnie Darko

This film was by far the worst choice I've made in movies. I always tell my self that I don't have the strength to watch a horror movie, but I always end up watching it just for the thrill and suspense.

Throughout the movie my interest was growing stronger as to what was going on and what will happen next. However, the second the film was over the movie kept replaying in my head. I thought at any moment Frank (the scary bunny) would jump out or would be standing over me while I'm sleeping.
This film is very surreal, in other words dreamlike or unreal hallucination feature of a dream that appears real. I absolutely would not recommend this movie to children to watch but I would tell friends to check it out since it has soo many elements and events that people can relate too or be interested in.

The main idea I found that was interesting  about the story line was that Donnie was living an imaginary life with an imaginary friend. It was very interesting to note that he talked to and had an imaginary bunny. This can be related back to children because like most children, creating imaginary friends is a big part being a kid. I know I had a imaginary friends growing up. They would listen and not judge you, well course not since you answered for them...
This can also relate to children in ways that children may have trouble fitting in in school with friends and sometime families.Which can lead some children to create their own friends for the sake of comfort.

Although this story is unrealistic, there are still many aspects that children, teens and adults can relate to with themselves or with someone they know.

References

Schirrmacher, R., & Fox, J.E. (2009). Art and creative development for young children (6th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Delmar

Arts Explorer #4: Spot the pattern

In case you couldn't figure out what this picture is... its a pineapple. But not just any pineapple, a pineapple that has be specifically selected among the many others surrounding it. Alike all special fruits, it is only a matter of time before this delicious pineapple is gobbled down. Aside from its extra ordinary taste, the outer layer of the pineapple provides an amazing textural pattern. To define the term pattern: it is forms, shapes, lines, colours, textures, or symbols that move across a surface in a recurring sequence (p. 142).

What really inspired me to take a picture of the patterns on a fruit is the element of it being a unique pattern created by nature alone. I find that man made patterns are not distinctive from one another, whereas patterns form by nature is not repetition of with one another and is naturally formulated according to the process of nature. Not only are the patterns apparent, but the texture has a particular flow and shapes. The 3D texture is important to pinpoint since it plays a vital role for keeping the inside of the fruit fresh. Although we come across many different patterns in our urban settings, the natural ones are usually the ones that are WOWed! and noticed. 


Growing up creating patterns was the ideal activity for children because it allows open-ended thinking instead of a fixed activity. From what I can remember the first type of pattern my teachers introduced to me is the patterns we see on a butterfly. I still remember designing our own butterfly patterns with different coloured paint on paper and folding it in half to create a rhythm of motion of different colours and designs. Even today I find when working with children that the most enjoyment comes from creating patterns with different materials, colours and objects.

References

Schirrmacher, R., & Fox, J.E. (2009). Art and creative development for young children (6th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Delmar