- a digital self portrait project using digital cameras and MetaCreations Painter Classic

by Stacey Bernstein

Grade Level: Middle and High School
Length of Lesson: Six one hour class periods
Unit of Instruction:
Basic-Intermediate Painter Classic Tools and Processes

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Instructional Goals of the Lesson:

To build the technological literacy of students, particularly in the use of Painter Classic, an exciting and versatile natural media paint program.

To utilize tools and processes of Painter Classic in the creation of a digital self portrait series.

To reinforce and develop the pictorial literacy of visual arts students through the integration of source images from a digital camera into artistically interpretive self portrait images.

Standards:

Colorado Model Content Standards for the Visual Arts
Information Literacy Guidelines of Colorado
Colorado Technology Competency Guidelines For Classroom Teachers

Overview:

Students will work in small groups to take pictures of each other using a digital camera. After transferring the digital format images to their server folders or individual workstations, students will open their files in MetaCreations Painter Classic and generate a small series of painterly self portrait images.

In particular this lesson will familiarize students with the cloning capabilities of Painter Classic and the variety of Cloner brushes. Additional Painter Classic tools will also be utilized when appropriate for students' expressive objectives. Students will be expected to create a triptych image, a series of three images conveying different aspects of themselves.

The teacher is the guide and the expert, the one who demonstrates how to use Painter Classic tools and processes, and visits with each student based on need for one-on-one instruction. Additionally, the teacher provides feedback on the quality of technique and compositional choices made by the students. The students must decide how to alter and augment their digital self portraits, and must demonstrate proficiency with the tools in Painter Classic, using them with increasing skill and refinement. Students are expected to create a compelling composition utilizing the elements and principles of design. Also, students must be capable of planning their triptych and articulating reasons for choosing particular effects and colors in relation to the ideas and emotions being communicated through the self portrait images.

Clone Yourself! Learning Objectives:

Using image sources from a digital camera and MetaCreations Painter Classic to create a self portrait triptych, students will develop and refine their use of Painter Classic tools and processes such as: source cloning, cloning brushes, applied textures, and other natural media tools provided in the software.

Additionally, by planning and reflecting upon the expressive potentials in a series of self portrait images, students will demonstrate higher order thinking skills through the production of and writings about the self portrait project.

Resources, Tools, and Materials Needed:

Digital Camera/s
Computer Lab
MetaCreations Painter Classic
Display device for the teacher workstation
Props to support expressive objectives
Pen or pencil for filling out Planning and Reflection sheets

Prerequisite knowledge:

Use of a digital camera and transfer of files to computer workstation.
Basic facility at opening software, creating new files, and saving files.
Visual arts vocabulary.

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Clone Yourself! Instructional Activities Sequence

Day One

Handouts: Project Outline, Project Planner, and Project Reflection given and explained to students.

Teacher Clones Self
Demonstration of in-progress self portrait series to show operations, processes, and tools in the building of a "Clone Yourself!" triptych.

Before the demo: Three source images have already been made, two images are completed self portraits, and one is not.

Show the two completed images. It is essential that the teacher's samples show distinctly different expressive uses of color, texture, and brushes that support the emotions and ideas conveyed in each image.

Demonstrate the steps of cloning source of unfinished image, canvas size adjustment, and the use of Painter tools to alter and develop the source image.

Demonstrate critical thinking by comparing the images and describing choices made to meet expressive objectives.

Planning "Clone Yourself!" Project

Using a project Planner students take time to write down ideas for three different images of themselves.
Considerations include: facial expression and what "story" that tells, props that support a particular expressive objective, and potential colors, or effects that might be incorporated into the images to support the expressive objectives. To be handed in at end of class.

Homework:

Students gather props needed for photo shoot during next class period.

Day Two

Photo Shoot

Small groups of students take pictures of each other and upload digital image files into server folders or onto individual workstations.

Day Three

Clone Yourself! Painter Classic Work

Students open images and following the guidelines provided in the Project Outline, begin the work of creating the "Clone Yourself!" triptych.
The teacher moves about the room, providing help, and giving feedback as necessary. Beginning level students may require additional demonstration by the teacher. More experienced students are encouraged to help peers and are acknowledged for their support.

Days Four and Five

Continue and complete "Clone Yourself!" Project Work

Day Six

Gallery Activity

Each student displays a self portrait image on the screen of their workstation.
Whole group walks through "the gallery."
The teacher leads a group critique on the images.
Topics include: image meanings; technical prowess; image merit; and compositional choices.
Students are expected to participate, to speak about their own work, and the work of their peers.
Activity repeated for each image of the "Clone Yourself!" triptych.
This experience may extend to the following day, depending upon timing and depth of conversation.

Homework: Reflection & Self Evaluation

Students use Reflection sheet provided by the teacher to conduct a self evaluation to be handed in next class period.

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Evaluation

Students will complete a self evaluation in the Reflection sheet.
The teacher completes an evaluation form containing elements similar to the student's self evaluation in the Reflection sheet.
The teacher must consider students' variable emergent, intermediate, and advanced abilities, and fairly assess each student's progress and product in that individualized context.
The effectiveness of the lesson will be determined by the quality of expressive imagery, techniques, and reflective thinking demonstrated by the students.
The students will be given the opportunity to describe and evaluate the learning experience, thus providing feedback to the teacher.