Elements of Art with God in Heart

Why, What and How can we learn about Elements of Art (EOA) through Theology, Theory & Practice in 8 Essential, Engaging & Equipping Lessons?

Let me explain by braking down this title into 3 parts:

- Why do we need to learn about EOA?

- What are those EOA that you can learn through Theology, Theory & Practice?

- How we can learn EOA in 8 Essential, Engaging and Equipping Lessons?

WHY?

Why do we need to learn about Elements of Art?

Can you create an art piece without knowing about EOA? Yes absolutely, and children are very good at it, actually! Can you create art without using EOA? No. That would be very hard because we cannot draw, paint or sculpt without Dot, Line, Shape, Form, Color, Value, Texture and Space. You can’t cook a dish without ingredients, and you can’t build a house without building materials. You really need EOA to create art, so why not to learn about them, how they work and how they can be used in creation of an art piece?

The importance of knowing EOA, can be compared to the importance of learning language by starting with an alphabet; and to the introduction to mathematics through counting, and to the first steps of mastering music - through music notes. If we want our students to be not only professional artists, but well rounded human beings, we should approach art in the same manner, as we approach math, english and music.

Have you heard of this Chinese proverb: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”? Nowadays children are starving for arts, and we need to teach them how to “fish” to satisfy their own hunger for creativity. We need to give them that “fishing pole” - aka pencil, paint, brush and a paper, and show them how to use it. We need to stop giving them cooked “fish” in a form of cut outs and glue, coloring books and crayons, and think that that’s enough for their creative well being. We must show them how to use that “fishing pole”, how to “fish” - by using imagination, how to prep that “fish” for cooking - by practicing artistic skills, and many different ways of “cooking” it - by using knowledge and creativity!

Your job as an art teacher - is to pass your knowledge to the next generation. And the best way of doing it is to break it down into small steps, and build it from ground up, from introduction of the simple pieces to the concurring more complicated goals. By doing that you will create “chefs”, who will be able to invent their own “dishes”, and not those who can only warm up a frozen dinner and eat it (please don’t take offense - I like frozen dinners too!).

WHAT?

What are those Elements of Art that you can learn through Theology, Theory & Practice?

EOA are like components or details that all work of art is made of. There is eight Elements of Art: Dot, Line, Shape, Form, Color, Value, Texture and Space.

These elements are used not only in art, but also in many other disciplines and industries. Some of them are simple, but mighty, and some of them are mysterious and mind blowing. Some we never notice but they are always there. They can give, change or take away meaning in a picture. They can show movement and development, or transition from past to future. They were invented by God, used by famous artists and now they are here waiting to be put into work by us and by our students.

As your pupils will be learning about every element separately and in depth, they will gain deeper understanding of the basic steps that help artists to organize their ideas and develop their story in a form of an art piece from start to finish.

This program is also designed to look at the EOA from the Christian perspective. The main idea and the heart of this program is to bring God back into art, and art back to God.

HOW?

How can you learn Elements of Art through 8 Essential, Engaging and Equipping Lessons?

Every lesson is made of 5 essential parts. All parts have different combination of theology, theory and practice, to keep students interested and engaged throughout the whole lesson. Let me explain. Please, take a look at the pages of the workbook for students, Lesson 1, Dot:

As you can see, first part that will be introduced to the students is Theological perspective on every element of art. In this section we will read Bible and learn about God, as the Creator, and when He created and used each of 8 EOA. After that students will practice placing that element on animals or plants.

Next section is Theoretical part 1. Your students will learn how that element is used by people, in school’s subjects, and in different industries. Then they will have another chance to practice that element.

Third section is Theoretical part 2. Here students will discover how that element is used in art, its different names, styles and forms. They will learn which famous artists used that element in their artwork.

Fourth section is Practical part 1. Your students will start practicing that element with different art tools, media, materials and techniques.

Fifth section is a Practical part 2. Students will create one art project from scratch, from beginning to the end, by using that particular EOA that they have studied.

During this equipping lessons we will exercise imagination, hard work, creativity, detail orientation and patience. These are extremely important qualities in being an artist, and we will be nurturing and developing these traits as well. When your students complete this program, they’ll exhibit not only better artistic skills and knowledge, but cross curricular improvement in math, english, science, robotics as well as they will be able to demonstrate incredible observational skills and critical thinking.