Art Elective: Zentangle Unit

So I decided to start out my first unit with my art elective as Zentangles.  Originally I had planned to incorporate the zentangles with the graffiti unit for 7th graders, but as I dove into planning that unit, I realized I already had a lot of content to cover with the graffiti techniques and styles.  I gave the art elective students (10th and 11th graders) a survey to fill out on the first day, and unfortunately the students really did not give me much to go off of.  I received a lot of requests for photography (which is not my strong suit, especially film photography), so I'm going to stay away from that request just a little bit until I get my three computers in my classroom to do digital photography.

I think the zentangles are a great way to start out because (1) it's nearly impossible to mess them up and they can be confidence boosters and (2) it's a good way for me to assess what these students already know about the elements and principles.  At first, they seemed a little hesitant and not enthused by the idea of zentangles...but after their sketchbook assignment over the weekend, I think the ladies in the class really got into them!  Right now we are three days into the zentangle unit and here is what we have done so far.

The first thing I did was make a packet with some vocabulary and all of the information students would need about zentangles.  Unfortunately, I did not write down my sources (eek, bad teacher!) but if you're interested in seeing the packet, feel free to let me know and I can send it to you and the original documents I saved (some of the documents have links to websites and such).  I picked and pulled my packet pieces from three different sources.  (Vocabulary included the elements and principles, shading vocabulary and the zentangle vocab, including the four steps to zentangle: (1) Draw a border, (2) Draw the string, (3) Fill with patterns, (4) Add value).

For the first "mini project", we created a zentangle tile.

The first one here is mine, and the group picture are the tiles made by the seven students in the class.

Following the zentangle tiles, I assigned the students the following sketchbook assignment last Friday:  Draw a contour drawing of an unusual object and fill it with zentangles.  This one is mine (it's my goal to always try and do any sketch assignment I assign any class...it's been so long since I've done drawing just for myself, I figure this is a good way to get back into it!):

And even though I only asked them to do one drawing, a few of the girls got into and did multiple drawings.  This student didn't quite understand the contour part of the assignment, but she experimented a lot with color.

The top two are done by two different students...I love the lamp one!  I'd say she was one of the more creative ones when it came to picking an unusual object to draw.  The bottom two were done by the same student.

These four were done by the same student.  She REALLY got into the zentangles...and did a really nice job!  Everyone thought her apple was the best one during critique.

So, our first zentangle project is to design an alphabet.   This is the handout students received for the project.  They must choose 9 consecutive alphabet letters.  Some decided to free-hand their letters and other printed off their favorite font to use.  I allowed them to use the light box to trace the letters onto the heavy vellum paper we are using.

These are my starting letters...(Ravie is my favorite font!)

And to my surprise, one of the students took her letters home and FINISHED them all!!!  Love it!

 We are going to mat these professional.  Since one student was finished, I was going to help her mat them, but when I pulled out the mat cutter that was in the high school room, I discovered it was horribly sliced up and beat up!  Luckily for me, I bought a brand new mat board cutter last year for the elementary room using the extended day grant money, so I sent to girls down to the other room and the finished student helped me put it together.  Next class I anticipate that we will be ready to mat a bunch of these...the ladies seemed eager to get them done at home!

For the final project in the zentangle unit, I want students to bring in a random object.  We'll prime it with gesso and zentangle it.  Well, I was thinking of having them bring in an object or I might bring in bowling pins for each one to zentangle, as I have 10 boxes of 10 pins in my garage at home!  Having them bring in an object would be pretty cool to do...but I think the bowling pins would look awesome zentangled too!

What's your thoughts?