7th grade interactions with Notan

"As a guiding principle of Eastern art and design, Notan (a Japanese word meaning dark-light) focuses on the interaction between positive and negative space, a relationship embodied in the ancient symbolism of the Yang and the Yin. In composition, it recognizes the separate but equally important identity of both a shape and its background."  Dorr Bothwell

Goals for 7th grade work:

Idea choices:  non-objective, illustrated story or hobby

Technique: well cut, clean of glue, mounted nicely, use of “notan” constrictions

Artistic process: focus on “refining” and stretching oneself, creating a formative and then a summative piece, showing growth.

Students created a draft or two of notan to understand how the concept works and then developed a final.  Here are some finals!