Title: Abstract Letter Design Grade Level: 11th and 12th Time: 45 min Pre-Assessment Objectives: Students will

be able to create an abstract drawing using different fonts and vectors. Using the historic examples from the Art Deco Movement and artist such as Charles Demuth, we will get a better understanding of how typeface can be used as a design element. We will be using color schemes and hardedged drawing to create this work. Purpose: Letters come in many styles and shapes having flat even spacing called Gothic, thick and thin letters called Roman. Using serifs, flourishes and scripts, lettering can be used for design as well as the function of communication. The right style and placement can be the most important thing in an advertisement or brochure. I want to use letters as a design element. Looking for the different styles or fonts can be fun and some letters just look good as a design. NJCCCS: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 Materials: Typeface handouts, Newsprint/Magazines/books for examples, Rulers, Compasses, Triangles, Pencils, 6x 6 drawing paper Vocabulary: Art Deco, Charles Demuth, Typography, Fonts, Design Element, Color Scheme Procedure: 1. We start by asking what is Art Deco? What encompasses this Movement and what notable artists can be derived from this? We start PowerPoint and discuss the Movement and focus on Charles Demuth and his work of Figure 5 and a bit on Picasso w/Cubism. ( http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/49.59.1 ) 2. Demonstrate on center table the activity show in steps 3-8. Also show sample done. 3. Choose a focal point or area of emphasis. Begin with a few straight lines to divide the format and create a division of space. Add more lines using a variety of space between lines. Have some of the lines go across the others creating more shapes and giving it some horizontal movement. Repeat this until there are more lines in the area of emphasis and less towards the edges. 4. Choose letter font or type cases from some of the books in the room and from this hand out. These can be distorted and sized to fit in spaces or go over more than one line. Be mindful of keeping the area of emphasis the most interesting area. Add letters or numbers until you like what you see. Use at least 3 but I would try top use 5 or more for interest. Keep all of this as outlines. 5. Begin the color scheme process. We will be using any one of these color schemes: Complement, Double complement, Triad, Split- complement or Analogous. Use the worksheet to experiment with colors and choose 8 to 10 values of colors ranging from almost black to almost white. 8. Use the lightest colors in your scheme in the area of emphasis. Each time you use a color, try to go from the top to the bottom to see it used in more than three areas. As you go to the next color in the scheme place them next to the first few and work outward to the sides of the format. Each shape and or letter form will be colored until you get to the outside shapes and hopefully they will be the darkest value. Go back and touch up edges and change colors if need be. Assessment: To close, students must know and understand the concept of abstract art in Art Deco and in relation to the assignment. They should also know what type of color scheme they used and what their classmates have chosen.

***Longer Version Below*** Title: Abstract Letter Design Grade Level: 11th and 12th Time: 1 week full assignment Objectives: Students will be able to create an abstract painting using different fonts and vectors. In the beginning of the lesson, we may use the smaller plan for a short pre-assessment and practice on smaller paper with colored pencils. Using the historic examples from Art Deco Movement and artist such as Charles Demuth, we will get a better understanding of how typeface can be used as a design element. We will be using color schemes and hard-edged painting to create this work as well as sponge and relief. Purpose: Letters come in many styles and shapes having flat even spacing called Gothic, thick and thin letters called Roman. Using serifs, flourishes and scripts, lettering can be used for design as well as the function of communication. The right style and placement can be the most important thing in an advertisement or brochure. I want to use letters as a design element. Looking for the different styles or fonts can be fun and some letters just look good as a design. NJCCCS: 1.1 The Creative Process 1.2 History of the Arts and Culture 1.3 Performance 1.4 Aesthetic Responses & Critique Methodologies Materials: Typeface handouts, Newsprint, Rulers, Compasses, Triangles, Pencils, X-acto Knives, Illustration board/ Posterboard, Scrap illustration board, Glue, Tempera Paint, Brushes, Small Sponges Vocabulary: Art Deco, Charles Demuth, Typography, Fonts, Design Element, Color Scheme Procedure: 1. Decide on the format- Vertical or Horizontal. Next consider the shape, long and narrow or rectangular or even circular. This size will fit onto a 15" x 20 (38 x 51 cm) board. Get some newsprint, rulers, compasses, triangles, pencils and three sheets of newsprint. 2. Look at the format and by using the division of thirds choose a focal point or area of emphasis. Begin with a few straight lines to divide the format and create a division of space. Add more lines using a variety of space between lines. Have some of the lines go across the others creating more shapes and giving it some horizontal movement. Repeat this until there are more lines in the area of emphasis and less towards the edges. 3. Choose letter font or type cases from some of the books in the room and from this hand out. These can be distorted and sized to fit in spaces or go over more than one line. Be mindful of keeping the area of emphasis the most interesting area. Add letters or numbers until you like what you see. Use at least 3 but I would try top use 5 or more for interest. Keep all of this as outlines. 4. Transfer the design onto the illustration board and begin the color scheme process. We will be using any one of these color schemes: Complement, Double complement, Triad, Split- complement or Analogous. Use the worksheet to experiment with colors and choose 8 to 10 values of colors ranging from almost black to almost white.

5. Mix these colors and save it in small containers with lids. We will be using a lot of these so make enough color. 6. If you want to create a relief with board, sand, or ? Do it now before you add the paint If you are using sand it would be best to paint the area around it before you use sand , so in this case you can do it later. Scrap illustration board can be used to build up negative spaces as well as positive space (letters). Trace out the area from your sketch onto some board and cut it with an X-acto knife. Glue it down to the board with white glue. 7. Use the lightest colors in your scheme in the area of emphasis. Each time you use a color, try to go from the top to the bottom to see it used in more than three areas. As you go to the next color in the scheme place them next to the first few and work outward to the sides of the format. Each shape and or letter form will be colored until you get to the outside shapes and hopefully they will be the darkest value. Go back and touch up edges and change colors if need be.

8. The use of sponges and different colors can be applied over the first layer. Sponging can give a nice texture and will use different colors that will enhance its contrast and will give a nice effect. Use this in at least 5 areas.

***Teacher References*** Handout: http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/high/Typeface_Handout.pdf Color schemes: Complement- any complementary pair. Two colors opposite each other on the color wheel. Add black and white for value changes. Double Complement- Two pairs of complements next to each other on the color wheel. An example would be Blue and Orange, and Blue-Violet and Yellow-Orange. Add black and white to change values and create tones. Split Complement- Any complementary pair is chosen, then discard one color replacing it with the two colors on either side of that color on the color wheel. Such as Blue plus Yellow-Orange and Red-Orange. Again use black and white to change values and tones of gray. Three Analogous plus a Complement- Any three colors next to each other on the color wheel and one of the colors complements. Black and white for value changes. Analogous- Any three to five colors located next to each other on the color wheel, plus black and white for value changes and tones of gray.

Links:

Fontscape- Typeface directory Periodic Table of Typefaces Rare and Unique Fonts- This site includes unique fonts that you can print out for handouts. Students can also play around with fonts on their online fontmaker. This site is also one of the most beautifully designed sites I've seen. Resources: Type: A Visual History of Typefaces and Graphic Styles, Vol. 1 - This book offers an overview of typeface design, exploring font catalogs from the history of publishing, with a special emphasis on the period from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century. Lettering & Type: Creating Letters and Designing Typefaces (Design Brief) - Fundamentals of design, once the exclusive domain of professional typographers, have become an essential starting point for anyone looking for a fresh way to communicate. Practical information about creating letters and type often amounts to a series of guidelines for executing a particular process, font program, or style. A Visual History of Typefaces & Graphic Styles, 1901-1938 (v. 2) - This book offers an overview of typeface design, exploring the most elegant fonts from the history of publishing. Taken from a distinguished Dutch collection, this two-volume edition traces the evolution of the printed letter via designed catalogs, showing type specimens in roman, italic, bold, semi-bold, narrow, and broad fonts. Examples/Samples: (The Demo Version Ones I am creating now)