High School

Art by Heaven W., grade ten.

The Essential Questions
Why do we draw the way we do? What are some of the many methods of drawing?

Objective
Students will create contour-line drawings using the picture plane and grid method.

Materials
transparency sheets, masking tape, permanent and washable markers, rulers, drawing pencils, drawing paper

Procedures
1. Students create a picture plane using a transparency sheet, masking tape, and permanent marker. Next, they use washable markers to create contour line drawings of various objects on the transparency sheet.
2. Students choose a letter from the American Sign Language (ASL) alphabet that they identify with in some way. They position their hand in the shape of that letter and create a contour drawing of their hand somewhere on the picture plane.
3. Students use the grid method and transfer their hand drawing onto a sheet of drawing paper using a ruler, washable marker, and pencil.
4. Students add objects to their hand drawing related to their ASL letter using their pencil, emphasizing the use of value to create a detailed, three-dimensional look.

Assessment
Students photograph their drawings and create an artist statement, explaining their figure-ground relationship with their ASL letter.

MaryJane Long is an art teacher at Dover High School in Dover, Delaware.