Art Production ENCOURAGING QUALITY ART PRODUCTION FROM STUDENTS In an effort to compile effective approaches that encourage quality art making in the classroom, a request for responses to questions about art production was posted on ArtsEdNet, the World Wide Web site of the Getty Education Institute for the Arts. The following comments illustrate the variety of approaches that can be used to encourage students to do their best in making art. How do you encourage quality art production and promote originality and creativity in your students' artwork? In order to get students to push themselves further in quality art production, I: ask for more detail, elaboration, or embellishment when they say "I'm finished;" model and demonstrate production techniques; break down tasks to be accomplished into component parts; encourage students to slow down when working; give productivity grades as well as project grades, including both when averaging; have everyone who finishes early do another independent project which begins with a one page report and a production plan for the project; reward and praise the careful workers; try to reprimand privately and praise publicly; ask students directly how they can improve or perfect their work; encourage students to edit each others writing and to critique each other's work in a friendly and productive manner; use lots of images for research but do not allow copying or tracing; ask them for assistance in editing or drawing so that they understand that objectivity which helps us see better and thus improve; frequently make preliminary sketches or maquettes. Sharon Warwick (warwick@iglobal.net) I teach art to first grade students. When I am demonstrating a project, I try to make my example as "generic" as possible, and talk about it as being just one example. I don't leave my example up because I don't want 22 clones of my example. I usually give some clear guidelines or frameworks for what I'm looking for, bu I always leave lots of room for individual choices. I generally ask for ideas from students as well. If possible, I also show student examples. I also make generous use of visuals; for example, if we are doing drawings of animals, I have many photographs or posters of animals on display to use for inspiration, as well as art reproductions with animals as subject matter. As the students are working, I continually circulate around the room, talking to students and asking about their ideas, sometimes giving suggestions. I talk about the interesting ideas I see happening and how wonderful it is that everyone's work doesn't look the same (wouldn't it be boring if it did?). I also will ask at various times for everyone to get up and step back from their work so they can see it from a different vantage point, telling them that this is a process artists use to evaluate their work. Sometimes you can tell what else needs to be done when you look from a distance. Mary Holmgren (tnelson@ties.k12.mn.us) I try to find ways to reward students for doing their best work (by displaying it, using it as examples, etc.). I purposely design projects so that they start out easy, to give students confidence. I give them "tools" that enable them to make their work look better (skills, techniques, and tips). I try to give them options to choose from so that they feel a sense of ownership about their own productions. Never, never do a project in which each student is expected to make the same product!!! It's also important to design projects with lots of flexibility and options for individual variation, and to bring attention to those who are doing exceptional jobs. I encourage creative problem solving approaches - try something, analyze it, reflect upon it, revise or start over. It's OK to make mistakes and to learn from them. Sandra Hildreth (shildreth@northnet.org) "Art by definition must be quality or it is not art! There are many variations on this theis, but I stay on the idea that it's not art if its slack, and I continually remind students that it's my job to push them towards a superior performance. Merge this thought with the challenge that ‘Only you keep yourself from making good art,' and keep that thought alive in the classroom. It's the dialogue and commitment to the theis that seems to insure a quality outcome. Once students have discovered a few helpful skills and techniques for improving their image making, and begin to believe that underlying form is mostly the awareness and application of the principles of design, they begin to make the leap to quality quests. A lot of praise and encouragement along the way are essential as well." Shelton Wilder (wilderse@conrad.appstate.edu) In my experience, high expectations are requisite; each student should be expected and encouraged to do his or her best, without comparison to others. I believe the study of a number of images from different cultures, times, and perspectives through a DBAE approach frees the student from any desire to copy, while encouraging individual and original responses. I also think students' self esteem and pride in their work is promoted by public displays of artwork throughout the school and the community. Nancy Walkup (walkup@art.unt.edu) What aspects of art production do you consider most important? In general I am interested in how students are able to use their own ideas. An interesting activity related to this is using the art game Token Response, where students judge artworks on different criteria such as originality, quality of workmanship, how long it takes to make the art, would this look good in your home, etc. It gives another aspect to talk about as far as the focus of a particular piece of artwork. Mary Holmgren (tnelson@ties.k12.mn.us) The great majority of my students are never going into art careers, so the degree of artistic excellence is not important to me (though I recognize it and reward it). What I would like them to take away from my classes is a sense of self confidence in terms of being able to create unique things that look good, to put it very simply. Knowing that they can do that, that is valued, is something that will help them throughout their education and life. Be proud of doing a good job, take care of materials, create something unique that looks good and is hopefully meaningful to them. Self-discipline. Responsibility. Originality. It should apply to science lab experiments, English paper, careers, etc. Sandra Hildreth (shildreth@northnet.org) I think the actual art production is incredibly important, from beginning to end. It is creativity that is the important factor. To nurture the creative spirit within every child and help them learn to use art to express their wishes, dreams, ideas, and feelings in a way that makes them feel great. This is what I try to do. Rosa Juliusdottir (rojul@ismennt.is)