Brentwood Preparatory School Incipe 2017-18

An Aspect of Art Cartoon Enlargement In Year Five, pupils create a cartoon enlargement, visiting ideas from Pop Art culture and in particular, the American artist Roy Lichtenstein. Inspired by comic book images, Lichtenstein produced precise compositions that documented while they parodied. We discuss how these cartoon images could be viewed as childish – not real art. They learn how these everyday objects (Andy Warhol’s soup cans is a good example) turned into art, caught the attention and imagination of the public at that time. To make their cartoons, our pupils need to choose their source image wisely. There are many different styles of cartoon and pupils are encouraged to view as wide a range as possible before making decisions. Usually parents or relatives are a good port of call as they may have comics stored away, but the newsagent is there if not. Once each pupil has made a shortlist of images, a conversation with the teacher takes place. Through experience, they can usually tell which images will prove suitably challenging for each child. The selected image is scanned and adapted to isolate the image from the rest of page or book. An actual size colour print is given to each pupil to work from. Pupils are presented with a piece of A2 paper with a correctly proportioned border already drawn on by their teacher. They must consider the complexity of reproducing a very large image from a very small one (their completed facsimile can be more than twenty times larger than the original). They are encouraged to simplify the problem of getting the correct scale (as well as a large blank page) by considering only three success criteria; to press lightly with their pencil, to show no recognisable detail and to work across the whole picture (not just in one small area). Of course most pupils will immediately draw too small, press too hard and produce drawings loaded with detail! They gradually learn to draw differently to suit the work they are trying to build. The process of learning varies greatly depending on each child’s abilities and the complexities inherent when making marks on their paper to construct the appropriate size of their image. Pupils are shocked and excited when they realise just how big the elements of their work will be, and once on their way they tend to adapt quickly. The making of mistakes at this stage (and successive stages) is discussed, accepted and encouraged. Pupils draw and redraw many parts of their work in an attempt to ‘get it right’. They discuss the imperfections and remind themselves that they are only ten years old; that this is normal. They view each other’s work, criticizing, commenting and comparing with the original image in mind. Some need little encouragement but others require plenty of reassurance and guidance until the point is reached as they become self-sufficient when comparing and adjusting their mark making to suit what they have set out to achieve. This breakthrough is often a momentous personal realisation and occasion of great pride for all involved. Each cartoon now bears its own intrinsic problems to solve and its own inherent route to success. Pupils learn core themes with each other and take on independent struggles. They become the best teachers by sharing their experiences with their peers. Details are placed upon the basic construction marks with relative ease and enjoyment (they are now drawing ‘normally’ after all). They deal with text as a banner, of speech or thought bubbles in methodical ways that lend balance and authority to the writing. They learn ways in which text can be centred within a given space and look very closely at the font used (they don’t just write in their own script). Pupils then set about adding colour to enhance their work, usually using paint. Experience urges them to follow the procedure of adding the lightest colours in turn, saving the addition of black until the very last. They use only cyan, magenta, yellow, white and black in their palette. Matching colours is not easy, nor is mixing the appropriate amount of any given colour. The pupils gain experience from their mistakes until some kind of alchemy exists between them and the colours they create, and from here they begin to embellish their drawings with colour. Typical problems that they now face could be blending colours across a large area, obliterating pencil lines altogether, or simply a lack of experience when attempting delicate work. The eventual addition of black pulls the whole picture in, tightening up loose areas just as it does so dramatically in the print industry. This is a most instant and satisfying moment, as their work comes to an obvious and most definite resolution (a strangely rare thing in art). Some pupils need more time to complete their work as no one ever works at the same pace. These pupils complete their cartoons at lunchtimes and some do this during their time in Year Six. Each subsequent year of pupils is inspired by the variety and quality displayed in pictures on the walls of the art room, created by the last group of pupils. Each element of every cartoon picture can be used as an example of the complex struggles that have created each piece. This level of detail investigation by primary age children should not be underestimated. For them to construct such a replica, with the difficulties they encounter, is quite a feat. It’s reasonable to suggest that for adults to experience just how well pupils have done, they might consider giving it a go themselves. Brentwood School Preparatory 78