It's about time: functional artworks.(Essay)

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One of my art coworkers, Phil Miller, shared his clock idea with our department. He used the rainforest as his theme, but said he changes his theme from year to year.

My interpretation was to use famous works of art as our inspirations--and the docks turned out amazing! Students enjoyed duplicating famous artworks in a circular format, and loved turning their art into something functional they could hang in their house and use every day.

Clock movements are available from www.clockparts.com, and cost about $1 per student. If funds aren't available from the art budget, you could collect from students or ask your PTA to help defray the cost. There are also art-based fund-raisers you can contact. It's well worth the effort, a this project is a favorite with the students and their families.

To introduce the idea, I created a slideshow of clocks as artwork using an Internet search engine, and used it to stimulate discussion of when and where function and art collide. Some clocks look more like artworks than others, but, regardless, students all had an opinion of which ones they thought qualified as art.

I took this opportunity to review how to tell time, a skill at which even fifth-grade students are remiss due to digital clock usage. We discussed the placement of numbers, and whether or not time could be assessed without any numbers or with fewer numbers (i.e., just four numbers, or one in each quadrant).

I hung prints of famous art-works all around the classroom for students to look at and decide upon for their theme. It is best to choose prints that are easily recognizable, such as Mona Lisa, The Scream or American Gothic, but not too simple, so students are challenged, yet not frustrated. During the first session, students had to practice sketching the artwork on a 12-inch paper circle. I gave students a 12-inch cardboard circle to trace onto lightweight drawing paper. We discussed how to adjust the composition to fit in the circular format, while being sure to include the most significant elements.

Students drew in pencil, outlined in permanent black marker, erased the pencil lines and colored with crayons. If they had time, they could experiment with numbers to see which font might coordinate best with the subject of their painting. It helped students when we discussed how certain fonts seem to belong to different time periods or art styles.

The next session, students did a self-critique to decide what parts worked better and which ones needed improvement. Then they sketched again, this time directly on the cardboard circle, outlined in permanent black marker, and erased the pencil. The numbers were also drawn in permanent black marker.

Tempera and acrylic paints both work well for this project, but I suggest you use the medium you are most comfortable with and is readily available. You could also use markers instead of paints, if you prefer.

It will take two one-hour sessions to complete the color portion. Encourage students to paint carefully, mix colors and add details. If students are done early, I ask them to read about the artist and write a few sentences about their artist in their journal.

The final session, students assemble the clock. First, they need to poke a hole through the center of the cardboard. To accomplish this, I put one pattern on each table, which is simply a 12-inch cardboard circle with a hole punched through the center. Using the pattern, they first put a dot in the middle of their circle. A compass with a sharp point works very well to poke through the cardboard circle.

The clock movements have several pieces, including hands, washers and nuts, which I arrange on a table. I give students a cup in which they must collect all of the clock parts with a diagram of how to put it all together. After I demonstrate the procedure, students assemble their clocks. Teachers should be sure to tighten the nut at the end of the assembly using a pair of pliers.

You can supply a battery or just send it home with directions as to what type of battery it takes. It doesn't seem to be a problem since batteries are always readily available at home.

This project is a huge hit with students, parents and staff. I put some in a display case, and everyone was amazed with not only the quality and subject matter, but the concept of creating clocks as artworks.

Isn't it "about time" your students created functional art?

MATERIALS

* 12" x 12" practice paper

* 12-inch cardboard circles (pizza circles)

* Clock movements (available from www.clockparts.com)

* Photos of clocks as art

* Prints of famous artworks

* Fine permanent black markers

* Pencils and erasers

* Tempera or acrylic paints

* Paintbrushes, water containers and paper towels

* Sample numbers in a variety of fonts

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Upper-elementary students will ...

* create functional artwork.

* replicate famous works of art.

Joan Sterling teaches art at Hickory Woods Elementary School in Walled Lake (Mich.) Consolidated Schools, and is coauthor of "Art by the Book," published by Pieces of Learning.