Term 2 2012 Visual Art and Italian Positano Collaboration

Visual Art and Italian Cultural Collaboration

The Art of Positano

This term in Visual Art students have been examining what is involved in creating a pattern and art work on a variety of surfaces such as the wall, tiles and ceramics, fabric and re-cycled boxes. Students have engaged in the process of organising elements to create a design and have also focussed on the skills required to create on a range of surfaces other than paper or canvas. Different surfaces require different understandings and artists use a range of materials when they create works on these different surfaces.

The grade 3/4 students have had the opportunity to collaborate with the Italian program to explore the ceramic art of the Positano region in Italy. They have examined how to paint on a ceramic surface using porcelain paints and pens.

Using the Italian language students discussed patterns and designs on Positano ceramic art works and delved into the cultural and symbolic significance of the colours and meaning behind the traditional design elements.

After this discussion, students created their own designs for their plates. They discussed size, scale, balance, symmetry and repeating patterns in an effort to understand and unpack the key to creating a successful design. They were inspired by the colours of the Positano region, the ultramarine of the sea and the marine life, the yellow of the sun and lemons, the purple of the grapes and the green of the mountains. They were encourged to create their own designs using these symbols and organised them in such a way as to create a unique design reminiscent of the Almalfi coast.

Students designed their plate in the first week and then painted their plate in the second week. They discovered that working on a ceramic or porcelain surface using porcelain paint and pens was a lot more difficult than designing on paper.

The students created some impressive work.