I. Unit of Study:                                  Lines and Symbols

II. Lesson Title/Length of Time:       Fusion of Lines: Design from Afro-Portuguese Ivories and

Printmaking

10-12 days (can be shortened based on number of prints required)

III. Author/County:                            Jessica Guzman

Montgomery County, MD

IV. Grade Level/Subject Area(s):     Grades 9-12 Fundamentals Art/Art 1

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V. Abstract

Students will study the use of design and symbols in ivory works created through the interaction of Portugal and Africa. We will examine the evolution in style, imagery, symbol systems, and technique. They will study a brief history of Portugal's trade with Africa during the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries. They will apply what they learned by creating a design that incorporates their own symbols influenced by Portugal and Africa. The designs will then be carved onto a linoleum plate.

VI. Background

Students will need background knowledge of:

• printmaking vocabulary

• Portugal's trade during the 15th, 16th, and 17th century

• use of symbolism in ivories made for Portugal vs. Africa

• carving techniques

• clean up and safety procedures (working with tools and linoleum)

VII. Materials

• Pencil

• Paper

• Linoleum plate

• Water Soluble Printing ink

• Linoleum Cutters

• Safety plate to hold linoleum in place on the table.

• Plexiglass to roll ink on (or old cookie tray)

• Storage for the works in progress

• Newspaper or other materials to cover the tables.

VIII. Resources

• Printmaking Techniques:

• http://ncta.osu.edu/japan/vallette-Jpn.pdf

• Ivory Carving History:

• http://www.all-art.org/history182.html

• http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/wci31/modern-ivory-carving.php

• http://crafts.indianetzone.com/ivory_craft.htm

• Ivory Carving Examples:

• http://www.asia.si.edu/collections/singleObject.cfm?ObjectId=24197

• http://www.worldbook.com?features/explorers/html

• The History of the Atlantic Slave trade:

• http://witcombe.sbc.edu/ARTHafrica.html

• Designs:

• http://www.brazilca.com

• Overview of Brazilian art and culture:

• http://www.oberlin.edu/amam/Sierra.htm

IX. Standards/Learner Outcomes

A. Fine Arts Standards

• Standard 1: Understanding and applying media, techniques and processes

• Standard 2: Using knowledge of structures and functions

• Standard 3: Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols and video

• Standard 4: Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures

• Standard 5: Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others

• Standard 6: Making connections between the visual arts and other disciplines

B. Content Standards

• Outcome I: Perceiving and Responding- Aesthetic Education: The student will demonstrate the ability to perceive, interpret and respond to ideas, experiences and the environment through the visual arts.

• Outcome II: Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the visual arts as a basic aspect of history and human experience.

• Outcome III: Creative Expression and Production: The student will demonstrate the ability to organize knowledge and ideas for expression in the production of art.

• Outcome IV: Aesthetic Criticism: The student will demonstrate the ability to identify, analyze and apply criteria for making visual aesthetic judgments.

Social Studies Standards

X. Objectives/Skills

Students will be able to:

• describe a work of visual art clearly, concisely, and sufficiently thoroughly for reader to be able to form an image of the work in question.

• analyze for both form and content (the what? and the how?) a work of visual art, using proper terms appropriately.

• compare two or more works of visual art thoroughly, concisely, and clearly and to draw some basic inferences from the comparison.

• relate forms of visual expression to relevant historical and cultural data and to propose some explanation of the significance of those connections.

• explain how the decoration of Afro-Portuguese ivories expresses meaning.

• become familiar with the features of Portuguese and African imagery, features of decoration, including the use of convention, and symbolism.

• create a linoleum print that incorporates symbols and design that represent the maker.

• create a linoleum print with at least 2 symbols/designs, use of lines and shapes, repetition, and unity.

XI. Keywords/Vocabulary

• Positive and Negative space

• Sculpture

• Sierra Leone (Sapi-Portuguese)

• Kingdom of Benin

• Kingdom of the Mouth of the Congo River

• Subtractive

• 3-Dimensional

• 2-Dimensional

• Carving

• Printmaking

• Motifs

• Patterns

• Texture

• Geometric

• Figure

XII. Motivation

Students will be motivated by looking at visual examples of Sapi-Portuguese, Beni-Portuguese, and Kongo ivories and prints.

XIII. Scope and Sequence

Day 1: Students will learn about the history of Portugal's trade and examine ivories.

• Warm Up – Teacher Directed:

• Project images of ivories and symbolism used.

b. Guided Practice:

• Give examples of differences found in African vs. Portuguese ivories. 

c. Independent Practice:

• Students will learn about the differences in ivories.
• Students will create a Venn diagram describing the differences in design and symbol systems between Portuguese-commissioned ivories vs. African ivories by comparing photo examples.

Days 2-3:

• Warm Up – Teacher Directed:

• Review students’ Venn diagrams of differences between African and Portuguese ivories.
• Identify current symbols we see today (products, street signs, etc) and how they use art elements and principles to create an effective symbol.

• Guided Practice:

• Provide examples of current symbols that we see today that represent characteristics or values.
• Demonstrate examples of designs that use interesting positive and negative space. 

• Independent Practice

• Students will identify and compare designs created on the ivories to current designs we see everyday.
• Students will identify characteristics that represent them, their culture, family, and or values.
• They will sketch a design that incorporates these symbols and complex negative and positive space.

Days 4-5:

a. Warm Up – Teacher Directed:

• Demonstrate carving techniques for a linoleum plate, safety guidelines and clean up procedures.

• Guided Practice:

• Students will submit their design ideas for approval. 

• Independent Practice:

• Students will review carving techniques and trace his/her design on the linoleum print.

Days 5-6:

a. Warm Up – Teacher Directed:

• Review carving safety guidelines.

c. Independent Practice

• Students will carve his/her linoleum plate with their traced design.

Days 7-11:

a. Warm Up – Teacher Directed:

• Demonstrate how to ink a linoleum plate with a brayer and obtain a “good” print.

b. Guided Practice:

• Students will review the handout on what makes a “good” print. 

c. Independent Practice:

• Students will practice inking his/her plate and making a clean print.

Day 12:

a. Warm Up – Teacher Directed:

• Review use of symbols and demonstrate procedures for analyzing student work.

b. Guided Practice:

• Break students into pairs and have them analyze a print:

• Craftsmanship
• Use of art elements
• Is the print a "clean" print (clear and free of mistakes)?
• Use of color
• Use of symbols and how it represents the carver.

c. Independent Practice

• Students will write a reflection on how their work compares to the ivories commissioned by the Portuguese or Africans, how the work represents themselves, and their own evaluation of their plate, effort towards the project.

XIV. Assessment

• Venn Diagram comparing use of imagery and designs in Ivories created by Sapi-Portuguese, Beni-Portuguese, and Kongo.

• Sketches of planned design that includes use of at least 2 symbols, use of art elements and principles (line, shape, color, texture, pattern, and space).

• Linoleum plate and 4 prints that incorporates symbols or designs influenced by Portuguese or Africa combined with their own style.

• Use of at least 2 symbols.

• Designs are repeated, symmetrical, and in a pattern.

• Designs show evidence of effort, neatness, and creativity.

• Work shows evidence of printmaking carving techniques.

• Reflection that describes how the symbols reflect themselves, his/her values, and or family, how it describes the student and it's influence of Sapi, Beni, or Kongo ivories symbolism, and their evaluation of craftsmanship and classroom management.

XV. Closure/Reflection

Students will have a gallery walk where they will share their reflections and view their work.