This Creative Challenge invites students to create a conceptual self-portrait by integrating drawings or paintings of the "zoomed in" bones of a human being (from a skeletal model) with the skeleton of their individual "power animal," as defined by various shamanistic traditions.

 

Human skeletal models (I borrowed them from our health and science departments) "Power Animal" handout (do an Internet search of "power animals" or "spirit animals" to find your favorite site that provides a brief definition and provides a list of animals and the characteristics they embody; there are even "tests" to help students identify their animal) Printouts of animal skeletons from the Internet

Sketchbook or sketch paper

Pencils

Erasers

Watercolor paper, tag board or corrugated cardboard (many students used the latter to great effect) Masking tape (to tape margins of support) Acrylic paint Palettes, brushes, water, containers Optional: Matte medium or ever-so-slightly watered down glue Glue Box cutters and cutting boards Black permanent markers

 

An understanding of and sketchbook practice with modeling techniques (hatching, cross-hatching, stippling, cross-contour marks, etc.) Familiarity with "weighted line" (widened and tapered line) and varied line quality Knowledge of a value scale Basic understanding of composition and Elements and Principles of Design Basic painting introduction or experience, including paint mixing (especially monochromatic tints and shades)

 

1. Teacher introduces Creative Challenge, including the concept of a "power animal." 2. Working from skeletal models, students draw modeled thumbnails of zoomed-in and cropped bones; students should incorporate all they know about strong composition in each thumbnail.

3. Discuss power animals; spend most of a class in the computer lab allowing students to identify their individual power animals and search/printout skeletons of their animals. (There is a lot of information online.)  Glue pertinent references into sketchbooks.

4. Generate thumbnail sketches that incorporate human bones with the skeletons of their power animals.

5. Introduce Georgia O’Keefe’s paintings of animal bones. (See "Hooks and Mini-Lessons" below.)

6. Introduce the "Creative Problem Solving" (CPS) strategy "SCAMPER" (see "Hooks and Mini-Lessons" below) and discuss application to this Creative Challenge.

7. Students revisit their thumbnail sketches in light of "SCAMPER" and make revisions as desired/needed. Discuss various students’ solutions as a class to spark more innovative solutions.

8. In conjunction with teacher, students choose their strongest thumbnail sketches. 9. Students transfer thumbnails to supports (we used watercolor paper, tag board and corrugated cardboard), drawing and painting according to any parameters your choose, e.g. for intermediate students, I limited their palette to neutral warm and cool whites and grays, while advanced students were allowed to use additional color, but with limited palettes. I also encouraged all but the least experienced students to paint some significant aspect of their compositions.