Jim Dine-Inspired Hearts

Jim Dine is a famous American artist most known for his bathrobes, hearts, and antique sculptures. Dine has been associated with many different art movements and his works include painting, drawing, printmaking (in many forms including lithographs, etchings, gravure, intaglio, woodcuts, letterpress and linocuts), sculpture and photography; his early works encompassed assemblage. For this project, the students were instructed to create a Dine-inspired heart using warm and cool colors. The painting technique of using short strokes with a flat brush was also encouraged. In this project, the students were also given a quick introduction to symmetry and printmaking. The folding of the paper to create a print on the other side for many students was a fun addition to the overall process. You may have noticed though that unlike some of the other projects you've seen so far this year, this lesson was quite structured and teacher-directed. As an art educator I strive to allow my KG3 students to complete as many choice-based art projects as possible, while teaching about a specific technique, skill, or artist. However, sometimes teacher-directed projects are necessary. It helps equip me (as the instructor) to understand the students' strengths and weaknesses and then tailor the learning experience to their needs.