Art 2003

	: Dog Walk	Trend Task

Approach: Independent

Level: Year 4 and year 8

Focus:Students can create and depite an expressive image appropriate to a defined context (dog walk) and perform a demonstrated printmaking process.

Resources: Video on laptop computer. Per student: brayer, tube of purple ink, A1 polythene desk cover, sheet of newsprint paper, blue greasy crayon, HB pencil, card plate, lino inking plate.

8.6Mb

Â	Click here for exemplars

Questions/instructions:

Arrange four independent (non-interactive) work spaces, each with its own set of materials.

In this activity you are going to be making a picture using a process called monotype printing. We’ll begin by watching a video which explains how to make a monotype picture. Watch the video carefully so that you will know how to do it.

Click the Monotype Print: Dog Walk button. The video will start.

[Video provides a three minute description and demonstration of materials and technique for monotype printing]

Your picture is to be about taking a pet dog for a walk. This is no ordinary walk, because the dog is very very keen – it is very very big – and it is very strong. It is so strong, that it is really taking you for a walk as it pulls you along on the end of the rope. The dog knows where it wants to go – which may not be where you want to go! Its nose is busy as it busily sniffs out smells and the things that interest it – but not you!

Try to draw your picture so that it really shows what it would be like to be getting tugged along by this very excited dog. Think about what you will look like and the position of your body. Think about what the dog will look like, and how it is sniffing as it tugs you along.

You have about 20 minutes to do this activity. I will let you know when you have used up half of your time.You can make more than one print if you have enough time. The materials you need are on your tables, so you can start now.

When half the time is up: Half of the time has been used. There are 10 minutes left for making your pictures. See how much more you can get done in that time.

When time is up, ask students to finish off their work.Ask the student to identify the print they think turned out the best. Keep that print for NEMP and allow student to take remaining prints.

% responses

[click on graph for enlargement]

Key attributes: (0 low – 3 high)

expressiveness:
image effectively tells a story appropriate to the task;
conveys movement;
imagination

0.80

0.96

composition:
arrangement of objects in space;
balance and depth;
relationship of person and dog to environment

0.81

0.98

use of media:
technical control;
exploiting a range of mark making;
mark making supports expressive focus

0.99

1.06

Global rating:
(0 low – 5 high)

1.18

1.35

Commentary:
The difference between year 4 and year 8 in the mean scores for each of the three attributes of expressiveness, composition and use of media was small, and this was further confirmed in the mean global ratings. 8% of year 4 and 13% of year 8 prints were given marks on the top three points of the six-point global scale. Over half of year 4 and year 8 prints were given marks on the bottom two points of the global scale. While students clearly enjoyed this printmaking task and were able to follow the printmaking procedures demonstrated on video, it was generally apparent that few had much experience or practice in this picture making process.

DOG WALK EXEMPLARS –
Key criteria: expressive, composition / space / shapes, details, media skills.
[Note that some images have been digitally enhanced to ensure clarity of image and therefore meaningful reproduction]

[click on pictures to enlarge]

MID RANGE EXEMPLARS:
The text offers possible answers to two diagnostic questions: What can the student do? Where to next?

A large dog leans forward in anticipation while a woman owner just in view uses both hands on the lead to restrain his muscular legged eagerness. The owner appears startled through raised eyes and has been drawn firmly to give a solid presence. Elsewhere in the drawing the student has filled space with decorative gestures and spatial cues using different-sized marking tools to give softer and detailed textures. Overlapping cues such as the lead in front of the body and tail have begun to be observed. One senses this student is ready to explore the challenge of moving the drawing away from a determining base-line to exploring alternative compositions and the illusion of depth but they may need help with this transition.

In a wonderfully absurd change of scale this pet has completely dwarfed its owner. A can of dog food of house proportions sits within reach of the dog only. But will it be able to operate the person-sized can opener that faintly dangles overhead by two strings? The humour of the situation is set but not exploited through a sense of movement. Some control over pressure of the drawing tool would have brought texture and line into stronger relief.

A hairy beast of pitbull proportions shoulders his way calmly forward dragging a happily horizontal owner. The figure could have been drawn with more care to express the frustration, resistance or helplessness of its predicament. Our four-legged friend is yet to graduate beyond a silhouette to become fully three dimensional.

The student has sufficient control of the monotype process to maintain a crisp clear line drawing. Mastery of a new process can be so absorbing that students neglect the expressive possibilities of the narrative. There is no tension or drama in the relationship expressed through the figure and dog symbols which are happily stereotyped.

LOW RANGE EXEMPLARS:

HIGH RANGE EXEMPLARS:



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