Middle School

The Essential Questions
How can we create abstract art from something recognizable?

Objective
Students will draw their names in a unique font that has an even amount of positive and negative space and will be interesting to the viewer when the letters are rearranged.

Materials
pencils, square paper (small and large), construction paper, scissors, glue sticks, markers

Procedures
1. Instruct students to fold the small paper into fourths and practice drawing their name in a unique font while trying to take up an even amount of positive and negative space in each square. It will take students a few tries to do this successfully, so it’s best if they use pencil.
2. Ask students to trace their names in black marker and add a background color to all of the squares.
3. Have students cut the squares on the fold and rearrange them so it is difficult to determine the letters or name.
4. Once students have achieved the desired effect, ask them to repeat the steps using the larger square paper.
5. Students can mount their finished compositions on a construction paper background 2" (5 cm) larger than the paper.

Assessment
Did students create an abstract arrangement using their names? Is their artwork balanced with an even amount of positive and negative space?

Colleen Lam is a visual arts teacher at Edgewater Elementary in Edgewater, Colorado.