Sumi-e Painting

Lesson Summary

Part One: Using a PowerPoint presentation and actual physical examples, students will examine Sumi-e paintings to learn and evaluate this special art form. Students will be exposed to ancient and modern Sumi-e paintings. Students will examine and assess the paintings to find common themes in the art work. They will learn techniques and qualities that are specific to Sumi-e paintings. The purpose of this activity is to prepare for creation of student initiated Sumi-e paintings.

Part Two: Using Sumi-e techniques studied, students will create an original artwork that consists of the following elements: chops, calligraphy, and a natural theme. Sumi-e painting traditionally used the themes of landscapes, flowers, birds, and plants. In individual paintings, students will artistically demonstrate how the agriculture of ancient China influenced the development of the Huang Ho river civilization.

Arts Benchmark

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

A. Compare and contrast the distinctive characteristics of art forms from various cultural, historical and social contexts.

Indicator: Compare and contrast visual forms of expression found throughout different regions and cultures of the world.

Part Two ~ Visual Arts

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

B. Create a work of art which incorporated the style or characteristics of artwork from a culture other than their own.

Indicator: Analyze and demonstrate the stylistic characteristics of culturally representative artworks

Academic Benchmark

Part One

History

B. Describe the political and social characteristics of early civilizations and their enduring impact on later civilizations.

Indicator: Compare the geographic, political, economic and social characteristics of the river civilizations in the Tigris and Euphrates (Mesopotamia), Nile (Egypt), Huang Ho and Indus valleys before 1000 B.C. including: [6B4] a. Location; b. Government; c. Religion; d. Agriculture; e. Cultural and scientific contributions.

Part Two

Geography

C. Explain how the environment influences the way people live in different places and the consequences of modifying the environment.

Indicator: Describe ways human settlements and activities are influenced by environmental factors and processes in different places and regions including: a. bodies of water; b. landforms; c. climates; d. vegetation; e. weathering; f. seismic activity [6C5]