Romare Bearden was born in Charlotte, NC in 1912 and moved to Harlem, NY when he was 3 years old. His family moved up to the North East from South Carolina in what is known as, The American Migration Experience of African Americans or The Great Migration. He studied art at the Art Students League in NYC and his art career started as a political cartoonist for the Baltimore Afro-American. Mr. Bearden painted abstract pictures for a time but found more success when he began to combine his paintings with different collage techniques using a variety of materials. He gained recognition after a major art exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art, and in 1967 organized a major exhibit of 55 African American Artists.
I can construct a digital collage and express a central theme in a work of art by combining various symbols and motifs that share a relationship in the scene’s context.
I can extract an image from a neutral (Plain, standard) background by using the Magic Wand Selection Tool in Adobe Photoshop and deleting.
I can extract objects from complex backgrounds by using the Magnetic Lasso Selection Tool to surround and select the object.
I can refine my selections to improve the accuracy of the object’s edges by using the Eraser and the Brush Tool in the Quick Mask Mode to refine the Mask meet the objects edge.
I can combine a variety of images within a digital collage by using various Selection Tools in Adobe Photoshop (AP) to extract objects from the background areas of the scene.
I can create a variety of effects using the Filter Gallery in AP and adjusting the settings within the filter and customize the effect.
I can create blend layers together and create dynamic effects by exploring the Blending Modes in the Layers Panel as well as adjusting the Transparency/Opacity settings in the Layer Panel.
I can Modify and refine my selections by using the Select Modify features in AP to Feather, Constrict, or Expand the selections.
I can assess, refine, and evaluate my work by comparing it to the items listed in the rubric and adding attributes that are missing or need more refining.
Collage generally refers to a 2 dimensional assemblage or combination of different items together to create a new overall composition. The term collage originally comes from the French word coller, which means to glue. In computer graphics or computer generated imagery, images are combined together without the traditional cut and paste as in the featured. In this project students are to combine a variety of images around a central theme and practice the various collage techniques for selecting items to form a new image. When gathering pictures for a theme it is important to think of many ideas that can be related to your main theme. .
What are the distinguishing features of Bearden’s collages?
What motifs, symbols, or icons do you see his work? What experiences might Bearden’s artwork recall in your mind?
What are the different part or elements of his work, how is it made? Based on the evidence, what do you think he is expressing?
Can you describe the different parts of a picture and how they are organized?
How would you prioritize the images you gathered for your collage?
What objects has the artist gathered to develop the motif of the work? How many different icons can you discern?
What collage materials can you identify, what texture do you see that shows you what the orginal material was?
How will you organize elements to create a story or theme?
Photoshop Collage
Use the following tutorials as guides to help you combine 25 or more separate, but related, images together in a single composition. The finished composition should express a central theme using a variety of different images. Work to expand the ideas of the theme to include objects and items that usually aren’t associated with it. A central part of the grade also depends on the student’s ability to make precision cuts and selections around an object by skillfully using both studio and digital tools to cut and paste images. Cut and store paper images in the envelops provided, save and title digital images in your network folder (Do Not to delete the extension). Find images that will work to build a background setting to the images selected. Open each image in Photoshop and use the appropriate selection tool to cut the image from the original scene. Title and save the selected item as a png. Create a new document 11 inches by 8.5 inches titled Collage. Copy and paste the background image and all selected images onto the page, transform, resize, and place as needed. Experiment with the various effects, distortion tools, brush hardnesses, and transparency settings.
Tutorial | Magic Wand Tool
Using the Magic Wand to select, copy and paste an image
Collage;n. 1. a form of art in which various materials such as photographs and pieces of paper or fabric are arranged and stuck to a backing. Composition;n. 1. Arrangement of artistic elements so as to form a unified whole. Color Harmony;n. 1. A grouping of colors based on relationships between the colors on the color wheel. Depth;n. 1. the amount of space in a picture. Juxtapose;v. 1. to place side by side, especially for comparison or contrast. Pattern;n. 1. repetition of shapes, lines, colors, or forms. Space;n. the feeling of depth in a picture. Shape;1. the outward form of an object defined by an outline.
ForegroundObjects in the front in a scene
Gather images from magazines and newspapers to construct a collage of a portrait, a series of figures in a setting, a landscape scene, or a still life scenario using a variety of images that you will use to compose a collage. Choose to create a portrait, a scene of figures, or a scene/place. Each option should include a background setting, middle ground medium sized areas, and small details. Use the rubrics below to assess and evaluate your work against the project’s criteria. 1. Print your name and period number on the envelop provided, tape or secure the envelop into your sketchbook as a pocket to save the images into. 2. Gather 5 images related to your theme from the materials provided. Create a thumbnail sketch for each one in your sketchbook. Darken the lines and shade the thumbnails, add details and frames. 3. Gather additional images that will let you construct your subject using various parts from different images using the techniques we see in Romare Bearden’s work. Include images for background areas that will be the setting for your subject. 4. Select through the images gathered to layout the background areas of the collage combining the images with other textured papers provided. Skillfully paste the background areas onto the 9 x 12 inch paper provided. 5. Design the different subjects in the scene by skillfully cutting the subjects from your images and neatly pasting down to the page combining many different parts together.
I can combine a variety of images within a digital collage by using various selection tools to extract objects from the scenes of an image and paste them together in a single image document.
I can construct a digital collage and create a theme with a captivating expression by integrating a variety of images and objects that relate to each other in the context of the scene to create a motif.
I can extract an image from a neutral background by using the Magic Wand Selection Tool in Adobe Photoshop to select the background and going to Select > Inverse and copying the newly selected object to paste onto my project document.
I can create the element of space and depth by overlapping shapes in a composition to show foreground, middle-ground, and background areas of a design.
I can draw a complex floral design by repeating the shape of the pedal in a variety of locations and distortions within the composition.
I can show the principle of unity in a composition by using very similar and analogous colors in a design.
I can show the principle of emphasis in a composition by using complimentary colors in a design, thus creating contrast.
I can create different textures on a form by creating rough and smooth brush strokes when mixing and applying colors.
I can draw leaf details and patterns by analyzing and emulating patterns evident in scientific botanical illustrations.
Learn More | The National Core Arts Standards
Creating
VA:Cr1.1.HSI Use multiple approaches to begin creative endeavors.
VA:Cr1.2.HSI Shape an artistic investigation of an aspect of present-day life using a contemporary practice of art or design.
VA:Cr2.1.HSI Engage in making a work of art or design without having a preconceived plan.
VA:Cr3.1.HSI Apply relevant criteria from traditional and contemporary cultural contexts to examine, reflect on, and plan revisions for works of art and design in progress. Presenting
VA:Pr.4.1.HSI Analyze, select, and curate artifacts and/or artworks for presentation and preservation.
VA:Pr5.1.HSI Analyze and evaluate the reasons and ways an exhibition is presented. Responding
VA:Re7.1.HSI Hypothesize ways in which art influences perception and understanding of human experiences.
VA:Re7.2.HSI Analyze how one’s understanding of the world is affected by experiencing visual imagery.
VA:Re9.1.HSI Establish relevant criteria in order to evaluate a work of art or collection of works. Connecting
VA:Cn10.1.HSI Document the process of developing ideas from early stages to fully elaborated ideas.
VA:Cn11.1.HSI Describe how knowledge of culture, traditions, and history may influence personal responses to art.
