General's Charcoal Drawings
Lesson Plan and Artwork by John Goshorn, Sax Art Consultant, Ohio
Grades 9-12
Description:
Using compressed charcoal, students will develop variations of patterns and implied textures by
experimenting with the sides, edges, and pressure of the charcoal. Then, using these ideas, they
will develop them into an abstract, geometric visual composition.
Objectives:
Students will understand the terms non-objective, abstract, and Cubism as they are used in Art.
Students will understand geometric shapes vs. abstract and non-objective shapes.
Students will understand the term pattern and implied texture as used in Art.
Students will understand the possibilities and limitations of charcoal.
Students will know the term "compressed charcoal" as used in Art.
Students will experiment with the various surfaces and edges of compressed charcoal.
Students will develop various renderings of pattern and implied texture using compressed
charcoal.
Students will develop a geometric design by using the various patterns and implied textures
created by the compressed charcoal on various shades of surface.
Materials:
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General's Compressed Charcoal 960S-6B Soft, Box of 6 (866 247884)
Strathmore Series 500 Professional Quality Charcoal Paper Pads
o Spiral Bound, 24 Sheets, 18" x 24", White (866 234480)
o Tape Bound, 24 Sheets, 18" x 24", Multicolored (866 234486)
Sax True Flow Workable Fixative, 11 Oz. (866 466337)
Prismacolor Fixative, Matt, 11-3/4 Oz. (866 403014)
Steel Inking Rulers, Cork Back, 18" (866 444455)
Super Compass Safety Ruler, Classroom Pack of 10 (866 317835)
General's Drawing Pencils, 2B, Box of 12 (866 227012)
Sax Economy Kneaded Erasers, Pkg. of 36 (866 452672)
Sax Majestic Economy Rubber Cement, Brush in Cap, 4 Oz. (866 443138)
Rubber Cement Thinner, Quart (866 443150)
Elmer's Quick-Set Glue Stik (can be used instead of Rubber Cement) (866 401199)
Rubber Cement Pik-Up Eraser (866 245425)
Titanium Bonded Scissors (866 069778)
Deluxe Cutting Mat, 18" x 24", Green (866 247211)
Deluxe Cutting Mat, 24" x 36", Green (866 435116)
Sax Artist Utility Knife, Medium Duty (866 401111)
All-Purpose Non-Stick Work Surface (866 402515)
Display Board, Black, 14-Ply, 22" x 28" (866 415702)
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Resources:
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Art: An A-Z Guide (Book) (866 402199)
Art Appreciation Videos - Fauvism through Surrealism, Set of 2 (866 441530)
How Does An Artist See? (Prints), Set of 12 (866 452888)
Major Styles of Modern Art (Prints), Set of 15 (866 452897)
Elements of Art (Posters), Set of 8 (866 404612)
Directions:
1. The student should be introduced to the terms pattern and implied texture. The teacher
should demonstrate some examples of these using the compressed charcoal.
2. Using compressed charcoal, the student will experiment with various pressures on the
charcoal's surfaces and edges to develop either implied texture or pattern on various
sheets of Strathmore charcoal paper. The paper should be cut into at least 9" x 12" pieces
to give the student enough area to create the variations.
3. The student should have at least six or eight different patterns or implied textures to work
with in their final design.
4. The student will use the white Strathmore charcoal paper as the background paper for the
design. The patterns and implied textures will be done on the different colors of the
Strathmore charcoal papers. Limit the colors of the Strathmore papers used to no more
than three or four to maintain unity in the composition.
5. The teacher should discuss the Cubist Movement in Art as well as the ideas of abstract and
non-objective Art.
6. The student should pick one pattern or implied texture for the main piece to start the
design and glue that down onto the main background (the background paper size should
be at least 11" x 14"). Care should be taken by the student in deciding on the main
background shape, as that will determine the other shapes that the student picks.
7. Before cutting the various designs from the charcoal patterns and implied textures, the
charcoal renderings should be sprayed with the workable fixative so the student can work
with the surfaces without destroying the patterns and textures.
8. Using the ruler, compass, and cutting tool, the student should begin to cut the geometric
shapes they will use in the design. This is a good time to discuss the process of design
development and the decisions that come into play.
9. The student should cut the shapes he or she wants and then try different arrangements
until one is satisfactory. The student should limit the number of geometric shapes in the
design and use great care in creating positive and negative shapes
10. The shapes should be lightly outlined on the background and then both surfaces should be
glued with the rubber cement and laid aside to dry before securing them to the
background paper. Put a clean piece of paper over the glued areas and either rub or use a
brayer to finalize the bond. The student can use the rubber cement cleaner to rub the
excess glue from the edges.
11. When the design is finished, the student should spray it with the permanent fixative. Then,
using a piece of the Strathmore paper that highlights the design, cut this color so that it
leaves an inch or half-inch border around the outside of the main background paper.
Repeat this process with the black mat board to back the entire work. Using rubber
cement, glue both of the papers to each other and the background.
Assessment:
1. Students can display their work and discuss how they developed their designs in the
charcoal and the paper; what they had to consider in the design development; how the
patterns and implied textures influenced their decisions; and how the number of shapes
either helped or hindered their decision process.
2. Students could keep a small journal during the entire process of this assignment.
3. Discuss how the first shape determines the rest of the design.
4. Discuss how the positive and negative shapes enter into their design decisions.
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5. Students should explain how Cubism effected their decisions and how it changes (if it
does) how they look at objects.
6. Students could discuss how charcoal is different from other media they have used.
7. Students could discuss what they consider the strong and weak characteristics of charcoal.
National Standards:
Content Standard #1: Understanding and applying media, techniques and processes.
Content Standard #2: Using knowledge of structures and functions.
Grades 9-12: Students create artworks that use organizational principles and functions to
solve specific visual arts problems.
Grades 9-12: Students evaluate the effectiveness of artworks in terms of organizational
structures and functions.
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