As part of a science unit on fruits and vegetables and the different kinds of plants that produce them, the teacher presented a slide show on the work of Italian artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo who created art works based on fruits and vegetables. She had the students identify the fruits and vegetables Arcimboldo used in his work. She then had students go to a fruit and vegetable table she had prepared for inspiration for their own works.
Students were asked to sketch a plan on paper and make a list of materials they would use. This helped focus their thinking, but it also stopped them from running and grabbing everything. Arcimboldo created portraits and profiles but the students were told they could create anything and given square 8x8 wax paper to hold their creations.
These four students were able to create art works with ideas of their own within the constraints of Arcimboldo’s idea, form and materials.
I can get new ideas, or build on or combine other people’s ideas, to create new things within the constraints of a form, a problem, or materials.
I can get new ideas, build on other’s ideas and add new ideas of my own, or combine other people’s ideas in new ways to create new things or solve straightforward problems. My ideas are fun, entertaining, or useful for me and for my peers, and I have a sense of accomplishment. I can usually make my ideas work within the constraints of a given form, problem and materials if I keep playing with it.