a faithful attempt

Nōtan (濃淡) is a Japanese design concept involving the play and placement of light and dark elements as they are placed next to the other in the composition of art. This use of light and dark translates shape and form into flat shapes on a two-dimensional surface. Nōtan is traditionally presented in paint, ink, or cut paper, but it is relevant to a host of modern-day image-making techniques, such as lithography in printmaking, and rotoscoping in animation.

We can also look at it in terms of positive and negative space.

These were created by junior high students.

The biggest challenge is keeping track of all the small pieces and not losing them! 

They create a large heart shape from coloured paper. Then they cut out shapes from the edges and flip them over and glue them in a mirror image outside of the heart shape. 

I found the idea for the project HERE on the Apex Elementary Art blog.

Some finished notans: 

For our final project in our "Art of Japan" unit, my Grade 7 students looked at the art form of "gyodan" or fake food.  This is super realistic food that is displayed in restaurant windows throughout Japan in order to visually advertise their menu and to entice the customer inside. 

Originally they were made out of wax but now it's made from plastics. They are carefully sculpted to look ultra-realistic and artists may study up to seven years to be considered a master. This is a good article that explains the fake food industry in Japan.

We watched a video on Youtube showing the process, which is super fascinating!! 

Here's how they make wax tempura.

So we made ours using white polymer clay.  You bake it in an oven and then paint it.

I provided the kids with an assortment of plates and bowls.

We used placemats (shout out to Ikea) to protect the tables as Sculpey is a bit oily.

Once they're made, I baked them in a toaster oven I have in the art room.  It was a huge hassle baking these as I had so many (2 classes) and the toaster oven would only hold maybe five at a time.  It took FOREVER. Just so you know in case to try to do this.  I was considering using the oven in the staff room, but baking polymer clay does give off a chemically/plastic-y type odour and I didn't want any other teachers to freak out. 

Once they're baked they're really hard.  Paint them with acrylics. Once they're dry, you can varnish parts of the food- anything that needs to look, er, moist, I guess.

Ta da!

This was the second project I did with my Grade 7's during our "Art of Japan" unit. They designed their own kimono using a version of a bookmark template found here on the Crayola website.

Kimonos are the beautiful traditional floor length robes worn mostly by Japanese women on special occasions. They are very expensive (often exceeding $10,000!) and beautifully patterned. I showed students examples of kimonos and then had them sketch ideas for a pattern in their sketchbooks.

There were lots of Obi-Wan Kenobi jokes during this demo...lol

I drew my own simple template and then photocopied it onto regular paper. When I do this project again, I would copy it onto cardstock, as the regular paper was too thin, really. 

I mean, it worked, but cardstock would be better (more sturdy).

Draw your design/pattern in pencil then colour in with colored pencils or markers or watercolours.

Students could do any type of pattern they wanted- not only traditional.

Here's a camouflage pattern below, for example.

Draw a little face.

Colouring with markers.....

Then cut all the pieces out...

The Crayola sheet shows how to fold it all together- I also walked around and helped the kids individually fold it. It's quite simple. Here they are lined up and chilling out against the whiteboard. If you have a laminator, I would laminate them to make perfect bookmarks (and to make them sturdier).

Ta da!

     

    

On display with their 'Cherry Blossom' paintings.