by Mary Erickson, Ph.D. and Arizona art teacher Hillary Andrelchik

Tricks of Perfection provides activities that teachers can use can use • toprepareyoungpeopletoexploretheMasters of Illusionexhibitionatthe

Tempe Center for the Arts (TCA), • tofocustheirattentionduringavisitand• tocreateillusionintheirownartworks.

Teacher/Parent Introduction (pdf) Lessons LessonOne:WelcometotheMagicShow(pdf)LessonTwo:AndtheCurtainGoesup…(pdf)LessonThree:TricksoftheTrade(pdf)

ResourcesTricksofPerfectionPowerPointHowdidtheydothat?PowerPointBasicFormDrawingWorksheet(pdf)WatchMyHandsVeryClosely(pdf)NowYouTryPowerPoint

OptionalQuestor’sQuestionsaboutRealisticArt

SuppliesApplesorotherroundshinyfruits,suchasoranges,grapefruit,grapes,tangerinesorpears.Onefruitforevery3-4students.Chooseavarietytomakefinisheddrawingsmoreinteresting.Orchoosemagazinephotographsoffruit.

LargevarietyofcrayonsAssortedcolorsofconstructionpaperWhitedrawingpaperScissorsGlueorgluesticks

Web resourcesComputerandDigitalProjectororSmartBoard

SneakPeekofMastersofIllusionPowerPointMastersofIllusionExhibitionArtistsMaryEricksonVentures

®Masters of IllusIon

ElementaryUnit:TricksofPerfection

CreditsRichardHaasforpermissiontousephotographsofhistrompe l’oeilmural.PatrickBailey,ClintonT.Hobart,EllenMurrayMeissinger,JohnSchief-ferforpermissiontoreproducetheirartworkusedinLessonThree.TomEckertforpermissiontoreproducehisartworkforLessonOne.HillaryAndrelchikandMaryEricksonforphotography.HillaryAndrelchikforsampledrawings.

®Masters of IllusIon

Teacher/Parent Introduction

Themes TricksofPerfectionisbasedontwothemes.

Theme in Life:Wealladmireextraordinaryskill.Theme in Art:Someartistsaresoskillfultheycantricktheeye.

Key QuestionLessonsapproachthethemesthroughonekeyquestion.

• Howdoesvalue(lightanddark)helpartistscreaterealisticdrawings? ConnectionsBroadthemesandkeyquestionsnotonlygivefocustospecificactivitiesbutalsoprovideconnectionsthatchildrencanusetogobeyondthoseactivities.

Thebroadtheme in artcanbeanentrypointtoexploreartfromdiverseculturesandtimes,especiallyinthewest.Thebroadtheme in lifeconnectsarttowidely-heldhumanconcerns.

Similarly,thekeyquestioncanguideinquiryintoagreatmanyartworks,notjustthoseintroducedin thelesson.

Adaptations & ExtensionsThelessonsinthisunitarewrittenforelementarystudentsorstudentswithlessartexperience.

Seethesecondaryversionofthisunitwhichismoreappropriateforolderstudentsorstudentswithmoreartexperience.

Studentsvarygreatlyinmaturityandpriorexperience.Ofcourse,asyouplantoimplementspecificactivi-ties,youwillwanttomakeadjustmentstobestsuittheabilitiesandinterestsofyourstudents.

Visit the Tempe Center for the Arts.YouareencouragedtovisittheMastersofIllusionexhibition.Selectedworksfromtheexhibitionarereproducedinthe“NowYouTry”PowerPoint,whichyoucanuseifatriptotheTCAisnotpossible.

Estimated Time PreviewandLessonOne=90minutesLessonTwo=FieldTripLessonThree=135minutes

Objectives1. Studentsidentifycharacteristicsoftrompel’oeilimages.2. Studentsusevalue,lightsource,shadedareas,litareas,highlights,andshadowin

theirdrawings.

Arizona Visual Arts StandardsCREATE:Materials,ToolsandTechniquesPO101,201:Demonstratepurposefuluseofmaterials,toolsandtechniquesinhisorherownartwork.

RELATE:ArtworldsPO104:Identifyanddiscussmembersofthelocalartworldcommunity.

EVALUATE:Materials,ToolsandTechniquesPO001,101:Describethevisualeffectscreatedbyanartist’suseoftools,materialsandtechniques inartwork. PreparationPreview“TricksofPerfection”and“Howdidtheydothat?”PowerPointsunder“Resources.”

Usetheinternettolocatetwoworksofart,onetrompel’oeilandonenot,touseduringguidedpractice#1activityinthislesson.

ActivitiesUnitPreview:IntroducethelessonsofthisTricks of Perfectionunitbydiscussingitstwothemes.Introducethe theme in life(wealladmireextraordinaryskill)byaskingstudentstoidentifypeopletheyadmirewhohaveextraordinaryskillsandareasinwhichtheydemonstratethoseskills.Forexample,afamoussoccerplayerandtheteamforwhichheorsheplays;atalentedmusicianandthetypeofmusicheorshemakes;orafamilymemberwhohasdonesomethingextraordinary,etc.

Introduce the theme in art (someartistsaresoskillfultheycantricktheeye)byshowingsomefamousexamplesofartworkwithwhichyourstudentsarelikelytobefamiliar.Explainthatmanyartistsmakeartthatreferstoorrepresentssomethingoutsideitself.Forexample,VanGogh’spaintingsofsunflowersareNOTactualsunflowers,butarepresentationofsunflowersmadeonaflatsurface.However,VanGogh’ssunflowersarenotrealisticenoughtofoolaviewerintobelievingthattheyarereal.Someartistsdesiretotricktheeyeinaveryrealisticway;theseartistswanttomakeaudiencesbelievethattheirpainting,draw-ingorsculptureisactuallytherealobjectitself.Artworkthattrickstheviewerintobelievingthatitismadeofsomethingelseiscalledtrompe l’oeil.

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LessonOne:WelcometotheMagicShow

DefinitionsandExamples:Show“TricksofPerfection”PowerPointtointroduce:• Unitthemesandkeyquestions• Definitionoftrompel’oeil• Local,everydayexamplesoftrompel’oeil• Basicideasofwhatmakestrompel’oeileffectiveinfoolingtheeye• 3-Dtrompel’oeilartworks

GuidedPractice#1:Askstudentstodescribeanyotherexamplesoftrompel’oeiltheymayhaveseen.

Showstudentstwoexamplesofartworksyoulocatedusingtheinternet.Askstudentstoidentifywhichistrompel’oeilandwhichisnot.Askstudentstodescribecharacteristicsofeachimageinordertoexplaintheirchoice.

DefinitionsandExamples:Show“Howdidtheydothat?”PowerPointtointroduce:• Vocabularyterms:shape(twodimensional),form(threedimensional),value,light source,shadedarea,litarea,highlightandshadow.• Tipstomakingartworkthatfoolstheeyeincludingusingalightsourcetodeterminewhere

thedifferentvaluesshouldgo.• Demonstrationofhowtousevalueinacrayondrawinginordertomakeanobjectlook

three-dimensional.

GuidedPractice#2:Askstudentstousethe“BasicFormDrawing”Worksheettoaddvaluetoanumberofbasicshapes,therebycreatingdrawingsofforms.Ifdesired,providestudentswiththree-dimensionalsolidstolookatwhiledrawing.

TransferatTCA:ExplainthatwhenstudentsvisitMasters of Illusion at the Tempe Center for the Arts, theywillexaminetheartworkstolocatedifferentthree-dimensionalforms.Thestudentsthenwillcreatesketchesofspecificareasoftheartist’swork.

Extension IdeasUse“Questor’sQuestionsaboutRealisticArt”tobroadenstudents’thinkingabouttrompel’oeilandotherrealisticartworks.

Showstudentsfurtherexamplesoftrompel’oeilartworksbybrowsingthefollowingterms/artists’ontheinternet: SistineChapelDonaldClapperJohnHarberleWilliamHarnettKarenShapiroInternationalGuildofRealismPhotorealismTrompel’oeilUltra-RealisticArt

Askstudentstocreatea10-stepvaluechartthatstartswiththelightestvalue(white)andendswiththedarkestvaluetheycancreate(black)usingonlygraphite.

Askstudentstoexperimentusingcrayonsorcoloredpencilstocreatedifferentvaluesofonespecificcolor(forexampleaddingwhiteorblacktobluetocreatea10-stepvaluescale).

LanguageArtsAskstudentstomakestandardpapersizedpostersforvocabularyterms.Eachpostershouldcontaintheterm,itsdefinition,andadrawnofcollagedimagethatdemonstratesthemeaningoftheterm.Hangpost-ersthroughouttheroomtohelpstudentslearnvocabularyterms.

Vocabularytrompel’oeilshapeformvalueshaded area litareahighlightshadowlightsource

Assessment Checklists

Objectives:1. Studentsidentifycharacteristicsoftrompel’oeilimages.

Usethefollowingcriteriontoassessstudents’participationto“Howdidtheydothat?”PowerPoint:___StudentpointstocharacteristicsinPowerPointexamples.

2. Studentsusevalue,lightsource,shadedareas,litareas,highlightsandshadowin theirdrawings.

Usethefollowingchecklisttoassessthe“BasicFormDrawing”worksheet:___Student’sdrawingindicateslightsourcewithvisiblemarkonpaper.___Student’sdrawingincludesalitarea,shadedareas,highlightandshadows.___Student’sdrawinguseawiderangeofvalues.

ObjectiveStudentslocateandsketchcharacteristicfeaturesoftrompel’oeilworks.

Arizona Visual Arts StandardsEVALUATE:ElementsandPrinciplesPO001,101:Identifyelementorprincipleinanartworkthatsupportsitsmeaningand/orpurpose.

EVALUATE:Materials,ToolsandTechniquesPO001,101:Describethevisualeffectscreatedbyanartist’stools,materialsandtechniquesinawork.

PreparationRead“WatchMyHandsVeryClosely”worksheet(fourversions).Eachversionisidenticalinformat;how-ever,eachrequiresstudentstoviewfourdifferentartists’work.Distributeanevennumberofeachversiontostudentsinordertokeepcrowdsfrombuildingupinfrontofparticularworksofart.

ArrangementsforfieldtriptotheTCA

AdvancediscussionwithassignedTCAdocent,ifpossible.Providethedocentwithacopyof“WatchmyHandsVeryClosely”worksheetpriortoyourtrip,anddiscusstheextenttowhichstudentsmightcompleteanyoralloftheworksheetatthecenterorwhetheranyorallofthequestionsorideasmightbeaddressedduringtheirtour.

ActivitiesReviewandApplication:Distribute“WatchmyHandsVeryClosely”worksheettostudentsandaskthemtocompleteallfourquestionsaftertheirtourhasbeencompleted.IfcompletingthesketchesisnotpracticalorpossibleduringtheTCAvisit,usetheworksheettoguidestudentsinfocusedobservationascircum-stancespermit.Forexample,duringthetourstudentscouldlocateandlistareasthatshowexamplesofdifferentlevelsofvalueorshadedversusshadowareas.Then,youcouldleadstudentsinadiscussionofwhattheywroteontheirlistswhentheyassembleforortravelbacktoschool.

Takenotesonanynewinformationpresentedbythedocent,aswellasinterestingquestions,observationsorresponsesmadebyyourstudentsduringtheirtour.

Ifthecircumstancesofthevisitdonotallowstudentstocompletetheirworksheets,explainthatlater,inclass,youwillleadadiscussionofdiscoveriestheymadeaboutvalue,highlights,shadedarea,lightsourceandshadow.

Assessment ChecklistObjective:Studentslocateandsketchcharacteristicfeaturesoftrompel’oeilworks.

____Studentcompletesallfoursectionsof“WatchmyHandsVeryClosely”worksheet.____Studentsketchedareasofartworksshowingshadedareas,shadow,value,three dimensionalformsandlitareas.

®Masters of IllusIon

LessonTwo:Andthecurtaingoesup…

Objectives1. Studentscreateafinisheddrawingusingvalue,contrast,shadeandhighlights.2. Studentsarrangeobjectsinvariouswaysandchooseaninterestingcomposition.

Arizona Visual Arts StandardsCREATE:MeaningsofPurposesPO101,202:Selectandusesubjectmatterand/orsymbolsinhisorherownartwork.

CREATE:ElementsandPrinciplesPO001,101,201:Identify,selectanduseelementsandprinciplestoorganizethecompositioninhisorherownartwork.

CREATE:Materials,ToolsandTechniquesPO101,201:Demonstratepurposefuluseofmaterials,toolsandtechniquesinhisorherownartwork.

RELATE:ArtworldsPO104:Identifyanddiscussmembersofthelocalartworldcommunity.

EVALUATE:Materials,ToolsandTechniquesPO001,101:Describethevisualeffectscreatedbytheanartist’suseoftools,materialsandtechniquesinartwork.

PreparationDecidewhethertoreview“TricksofPerfection”or“Howdidtheydothat?”PowerPointpresentationswiththestudents.

Preview“NowYouTry”PowerPoint.

Decideifyouwillhavestudentsworkindividuallyorinsmallgroupstoarrangetheirdrawingsoffruitintofinalcompositionsfortheassignmentinthislesson.Eachstudentcandrawafewpiecesoffruitandthenarrangetheminterestinglyonaseparatesheetofpaperandgluethefruitinplaceforafinishedproduct.Orstudentscanalsoworkingroupstoarrangetheirdrawingsoffruittomakeafinishedproduct.

Resources and Supplies“NowYouTry”PowerPointLargevarietyofcrayonsAssortedcolorsofconstructionpaperScissorsGlueorgluesticksWhitedrawingpaperApplesorotherroundshinyfruitssuchasapples,oranges,grapefruit,grapes,tangerinesorpears.Onefruitforevery3-4students.Chooseavarietytomakefinisheddrawingsmoreinteresting.Orchoose magazinephotographsoffruit.

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LessonThree:TricksoftheTrade

ActivitiesDefinitionsandExamples:View“TricksoftheTrade”PowerPointto:• Reviewbasicconceptssuchastheuseofvalueandhowtocreateadrawingthatcreates

theillusionofthreedimensions.• Introduceandexplaintheuseofsubjectmatter.

Assignment:Askstudentstochooseapieceoffruitoranimageoffruitthattheywouldliketodraw.Then,usingtheskillstheyhavelearnedandpracticed,askthemtocreateafinisheddrawingusingcrayons.Askthemtocreatedrawingsthatshowawiderangeofvaluesinordertomakethedrawingslookasrealisticaspossible.

In-ProcessFeedback:Askpairsofstudentstoshoweachothertheirin-processdrawingandpropose alterationsinvalue,shape,litareas,shadedareas,highlightsandshadow. CompletionandExhibition:Whendrawingsarecomplete,askeachstudentcreateanametagforhisorherdrawing.Thenametagcouldincludethestudent’sname,thetitleoftheimageandhisorherclassorage.Displayimagestogetheronawallorflatsurface.Havestudentsdiscussthesuccessesandpossibleimprovementsoftheclass’sdrawings.

Assessment GuidesObjectives

1. Studentscreateafinisheddrawingusingvalue,shadedareas,litareasandhighlights.2. Studentsarrangeobjectsinvariouswaysandchooseaninterestingcomposition.

Fails to Meet Approaches Meets Exceeds Expectations Expectations Expectations Expectations

Value No value is Drawing has a Drawing has a Drawing has shown. minimal range moderate range a wide range of value. of values. of values.

Lit/Shaded No shaded/lit Drawing Drawing has a Drawing hasAreas areas are has minimal moderate number shaded/lit areas shown. shaded/lit areas. of shaded/lit in all appropriate areas. areas.

Highlights No highlights Drawing has a Drawing has an Drawing has have been highlight if appropriate highlights in all added. appropriate. number of appropriate highlights. areas.

Composition Composition Composition Arrangement of Composition has Includes only includes several objects in strong visual one object. objects. composition has interest. some visual interest.

Name: ______________________________________________ Date: ________________________________

Basic Form DrawingUseacrayontoaddvalue to these shapes and turn them into forms.Don’tforgettoaddyourlight source, lit area, shaded area, highlight and shadow.

What can I See? Whatlitareas,shadedareas,highlights,andshadowsdoIsee? WhatelsedoIsee?

What else can I learn? WhatbackgroundinformationwouldIliketoknowabouttheartist? Dateofbirth? Wheres/helives? Howorfromwhoms/helearnedtomakerealisticart?

What does it mean? HowdoIrespondtorealisticartworks? AmIcurious,amazed,amused? DoIthinkaboutthesubjectmatteroftheworkinanewway? DoIseeamessageinthework?

How does it compare?Throughthecenturiesandacrosstheworldartistshavemadeartworksinawidevarietyofstyles.

Comparerealisticartworkswithotherartworksyouhaveseen,forexampleartworksthatsimplifyordistorttheirsubjectmatterorartworksthathavenosubjectmatteratall.

HowcanIexplainthefactthatsomeartistswanttocreaterealisticillusionsandothersclearlydonot?

Questor’s Questions about Realistic Artwork

Name: ______________________________________________ Date: ________________________________

Watch My Hands Very Closely (#1 Elementary)

Findartworksbyeachofthefollowingfourartists.Lookattheartworkandsketchtheareasoftheartworksshowingatrompel’oeileffectthathelpstheartisttomakeanobjectlookmorerealistic.

1. Ellen Murray Meissinger Whereisathree-dimensionalform?

2. Donald Clapper Whereisashadedarea?

3. Ellen Wagener Whereisaverydarkvalue?

4.Tom EckertWhereisthebiggestshadow?

Name: ______________________________________________ Date: ________________________________

Watch My Hands Very Closely (#2 Elementary)

Findartworksbyeachofthefollowingfourartists.Lookattheartworkandsketchtheareasoftheartworksshowingatrompel’oeileffectthathelpstheartisttomakeanobjectlookmorerealistic.

1. Larry Charles Whereisalitarea?

2. Billie Jo Harned Whereareacaststhebiggestshadow?

3. Donald Clapper Whereisathree-dimensionalform?

4. Cynthia Peterson Whereisaverylightarea?

Name: ______________________________________________ Date: ________________________________

Watch My Hands Very Closely (#3 Elementary)

Findartworksbyeachofthefollowingfourartists.Lookattheartworkandsketchtheareasoftheartworksshowingatrompel’oeileffectthathelpstheartisttomakeanobjectlookmorerealistic.

1. Craig Cheply Whereisamiddlevalue?

2. Patrick Bailey Whereisaverydarkarea?

3. Lorena Kloosterboer Whereisaverylightvalue?

4. Robert PetersonWhereisathree-dimensionalform?

Name: ______________________________________________ Date: ________________________________

Watch My Hands Very Closely (#4 Elementary)

Findartworksbyeachofthefollowingfourartists.Lookattheartworkandsketchtheareasoftheartworksshowingatrompel’oeileffectthathelpstheartisttomakeanobjectlookmorerealistic.

1. John Schieffer Whereisaverydarkvalue?

2. Clinton Hobart Whatcaststhebiggestshadow?

3. Jane Jones Whereisathree-dimensionalform?

4.Anna YoungersWhereisanareashaded?