Collection, Connection and the Making of Meaning
Under the Surface Abstraction
For grades 8 - 10
By Charlene Gavel
Secondary art teacher (retired) and teacher for Artists for Kids
Introduction:
John Hartman’s aerial view painting of Vancouver, 2011 is representational. From a distance, the
viewer knows it is Vancouver. Observed at close range, we are seduced by the thick paint, the
colours and the brushstrokes. Close-up it is abstract. What else can you find hiding under the
surface?
Graham Gillmore’s graphic painting, No Hostage Needed, 2005 is abstract, a riddle. The words tease
and the surface shines. Look below the slick surface to solve the riddle.
Guido Molinari’s Blue Quantifier #6 is enigmatic. The dark and light blue stripes are mesmerizing. It is
abstract, but does it have meaning beyond abstraction?
These three works in the collection are connected by colour, rich painted surfaces, and a deeper
meaning below the surface that the artists would like the viewer to discover.
Lesson 1 – Soaring
• Google maps, images for inspiration and collage
• canvas board/stretched canvas 20x24”
• acrylic paints
• brushes
• palette knives
• surface for palette
Set Up:
Look at John Hartman’s
Vancouver, 2011 at the Gordon
Smith Gallery
Look at John Hartman’s
paintings of other cities
(johnhartman.ca)
Students each receive a
photocopy of John Hartman’s
Vancouver, 2011 painting
Students download and print a
section of their neighbourhood
from Googlemaps
Set up for acrylic painting
John Hartman
Vancouver, 2011
oil on linen
60” x 65”
This project will take approximately 5 hours.
Objectives:
Students will:
• Learn about point of view – bird’s eye, worm’s
eye, aerial view
• Learn about the rule of thirds for composition.
• Use acrylic paint to create an aerial view
painting of their neighbourhood.
• Work with 3 colours that reflect their personal
palette or the colours of their neighbourhood.
Vocabulary:
point of view, impasto, artistic license, rule of
thirds, underpainting, collage, en plein air
Materials:
• class set photocopies of John Hartman’s
painting
Engage:
Students find the Google view of Vancouver.
Compare it to John Hartman’s painting.
Look at other city views he has painted
(johnhartman.com)
What changes to the Vancouver landscape has
Hartman made in his painting?
What do you call this? (artistic license)
Do a walking field trip to a point of land to get a
bird’s eye view of the city.
Students draw from this vantage point.
Respond and Reflect:
Students find street view and aerial view of their
neighbourhood on Google.com.
Students search for a view that includes a river,
body of water or interesting landform.
What can be changed or abstracted before
making a painting of this view?
What three colours best describe the character of
this neighbourhood?
Create:
Students print the Google copy of the street view/
aerial view of their neighbourhood .
Use the rule of thirds and artistic license for
strong composition. (see rule of thirds diagram)
Redraw in pencil on 20x24” canvas board or
stretched canvas.
Underpaint and establish the darks by starting
with burnt umber, then raw sienna,
yellow ochre and titanium white. This paint layer
should be thin and almost transparent.
Build up the paint layers with thicker paint and
true colours over underpainted the surface.
Impasto (thick paint) added last using palette
knives.
Collage parts of Google maps /images into
sections of wet painting for detail/abstraction.
Assessment
Evaluate how engaged the student is in
discussion, field trip and painting project.
Use walkabout technique to share work of
students with each other throughout the project.
Painting assessed on composition (rule of thirds),
paint application, colour choice,
collage for detail.
Enrichment extensions:
Try the same exercise but use other media –
water colours, printmaking, pure collage.
Photograph a section of the finished painting and
change it using photoshop techniques. Paint “en
plein air” using water colours.
Resources
Google.com.maps, images of Vancouver from the
internet
johnhartman.com
Cities John Hartman, Scotiagroup
artists for kids.com
Lesson 2 – Wordplay
Vocabulary:
resin, mixed media, composition,
acrylic medium, focal point,
figure of speech, slam poetry,
overlap
Materials:
• class set of photocopies of No Hostage Needed 2005
• stencils
• pencils
• tracing paper
• water soluble pencil crayons and pastels
• sharpies
• heavy drawing paper
• watercolour brushes
Set-up:
Look at Graham Gillmore’s
work, No Hostage Needed,
2005,Gordon Smith Gallery
Google Graham Gillmore to see
more examples of his ‘text style’
work
Each student receives a
photocopy of No Hostage
Needed, 2005
Set up for mixed media drawing
Graham Gillmore
No Hostage Needed, 2005
oil, resin on board
72” x 60”
This project will take 3 hours to complete
Objectives:
Students will:
• Rewrite a familiar expression or figure of
speech.
• Create a mixed media drawing using this
expression.
• Experiment with water soluble drawing
materials to create a variety of lines, shapes
and textures.
• Work with focal point / abstract composition
Engage:
Students research ‘famous expressions’ in
Google, Shakespeare, the classics, etc.
You tube - Slam Poetry for word ideas
Share examples with the class.
Respond and Reflect:
Students choose a specific expression or poem
to change.
What font style best conveys the tone or
message of the words?
Is there a focal point for their abstract
composition?
Create:
Students create, in their sketchbooks, a new
expression from a familiar/famous one.
Use stencils or chosen font and set up the words
to fill the drawing paper.
Tracing paper can be used to overlap the letters
The letters will be the main design element.
Use 3 colours and water soluble pencil crayons
and pastels.
Allow some of the drawing to remain dry.
Other parts of the drawing will be blended with a
wet water colour brush.
For a shiny surface, apply acrylic medium
carefully over the finished drawing.
Assessment:
Observe student engagement during research
period.
Encourage walkabout to view ideas and drawings
of peers.
Assess final drawings based on: originality of
words, technical skill, composition and overall
design.
Enrichment Extensions:
Art students collaborate with English students to
illustrate original prose or poetry.
Repeat one key word and overlap many times to
create a geometric design for a new painting or
print.
Research other artists who use text in their work
– graffiti artists, Banksy, etc.
Resources:
Internet links for literary expressions, font styles,
slam poetry
Reference books to find famous expressions and
lettering styles.
grahamgillmore.com
artistsforkids.com
Lesson 3 – Trompe l’oeil
Materials:
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class set of photocopies of Blue Quantifier #6,
bench hooks (for cutting the lino safely)
rollers(brayers)
printing ink (water soluble)
lino blocks
lino cutters
inking surface (plexiglas or glass)
palette knife
newsprint and printing paper
Set-up:
Look at Guido Molinari’s painting, Blue Quantifier
#6, 1992/ Gordon Smith Gallery
Google Guido Molinari to see more about his
work and life
Each student receive a photocopy of Guido’s
painting
Set up for lino block printmaking
Engage:
Guido Molinari
Blue Quantifier #6, 1992
acrylic on canvas
48” x 39”
This project will take 6 hours to create.
Objectives:
Students will:
• Learn about minimalist abstraction and Op
Art.
• Manipulate complementary colours for visual
effect
• Work with the reduction print technique using
lino blocks
• Research other minimalist and op art artists
Vocabulary:
complementary colours, geometric shapes, Op
Art, Optical effect, linoblock, printing ink, bench
hook, palette knife, brayer, abstract, proofs,
quantifier, edition, tromp l’oeil, reduction printing,
minimalism
“Art is essentially about the memory and that is
necessarily something which deals with how we
encode experience and how that experience can
be relived.”
• What does Molinari mean by this statement?
• Do you think his words describe this painting?
Why or why not?
• How would you describe his painting? Are the
lines parallel?
• Do you think this would be easy to paint?
Why or why not?
• Look at other Op Art / minimalist artists from
the 1960s – Vasarely, Bridget Riley, etc.
Respond & Reflect
Students work with complementary colours and
geometric pattern in their sketchbooks.
Try a variety of combinations of complementary
colours.
Do these designs suggest a memory for you?
Are they abstract?
Create: Reduction Print
Students use 2 complementary colours (pencil
crayon) and create an abstract op art geometric
design in their sketchbook.
Redraw this design on the linoblock using pencil.
Cut away, using lino tools, the parts of the design
that will be white when printed.
Roll on the first (lightest) colour of ink.
Use newsprint to print proofs (tests) of the first
colour. Print 3 or more proofs.
Print 10 good prints of the first colour on good
paper.
Printing can be done using a printing press or by
hand by rubbing the back of the paper with a dry
roller or spoon.
Cut away parts of the design from the lino block
that will retain the first colour.
Roll on the 2nd (darker) colour and make proofs
on newsprint.
Overprint the second colour on each of the 10
good copies.
The final result will be 10 prints on good paper
that have an abstract op art design
with 2 complementary colours and white.
Make sure the printing area remains clean and
organized throughout the printing process.
Finished prints should be placed on a drying rack
to dry overnight.
Assessment
Observe engagement of students during the
research period.
Encourage walkabout to share ideas throughout
the project.
Group critique when the project is complete
Final mark: completion of 10 good prints, original
design, craftsmanship
Extension Activities:
Have students research other artists of the 1960s
who worked with Op Art
Enlarge their print design and make an acrylic
painting but use different complementary colours.
Paint an Op Art mural in the school as a group
project.
Resources:
guidomolinari.com
Google Op Art and other artists who have worked
in this style
artistsfor kids.com