What is Frottage?
Frottage is a drawing technique popularized by Surrealist artists of the early20th century where the artist creates a rubbing of a textured surface using a pencil, crayon or other drawing tool.
Stage 1 – Desired Results
Anchor Standard 1:
Creating — Generate and conceptualize artistic idea sand work
VA.1.CR1.HS1 HS Proficient
Use contextual research and direct observation to generate ideas and to produce a work of art that demonstrates understanding of artistic techniques and organizational structures.
Anchor Standard 2:
Creating — Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
VA.2.CR2.HS1 HS Proficient
Experiment, innovate, and take risks to pursue ideas, forms, and meanings that emerge in the process of art making or designing with attention to quality craftsmanship and organizational structures(i.e. elements and principles of design, composition).
Anchor Standard 3:
Creating — Refine and complete artistic work
VA.3.CR3.HS1 HS Proficient
Analyze and reflect on how the elements and principles of design and other experimental approaches are working to convey the artistic intention and make necessary adjustments for the most effective solution.
Transfer Goal(s):
- That a variety of materials and methods can be used to pursue ideas.
- Demonstrate willingness to experiment with a variety of approaches and artistic processes.
- That a variety of criteria can be established to evaluate work.
Understanding(s):
Artists experiment and take creative risks to develop techniques, personal style and refine their skills.
Everyday objects can be used in art making processes and techniques.
Utilizing different color schemes and combinations can change the mood of an artwork.
Collage material can be layered to suggest pictorial space (foreground, middle ground and background)
Art can be evaluated by a variety of criteria.
Essential Question(s):
How do artists use everyday objects to create textures?
How can I employ the elements of art/principles of design to create a visually compelling composition?
How can I use experimentation to develop and refine my technical skills?
How does one determine criteria to evaluate a work of art?
Student Objectives (outcomes):
Understand and implement the frottage (rubbing) techniques demonstrated in class.
Use everyday objects to create a variety of rich textures using frottage.
Employ the elements of art and principles of design to create a compelling landscape composition.
Understand how artists use everyday items to create art.
Evaluate their work and the work of their classmates using project specific criteria.
Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence
Performance Task(s):
Create a landscape that emphasizes the element of texture, using collage and frottage techniques.
Use everyday objects to create textures using frottage rubbing techniques.
Create a landscape collage that suggests space/dimension by layering paper with different textures and colors.
Reflect on the process of creating these collages, paying specific attention to the way the elements of art and principles of design are used in the composition and how skills and techniques were refined throughout the making process.
Other Evidence:
- Visual analysis
- Peer critique
- Self-reflection and assessment
- Class critique
Stage 3 – Learning Plan
Learning Activities:
- 1: Access prior knowledge of rubbings/frottage by showing examples of frottage artworks by the Surrealist artists. Use Project Zero thinking strategy See-Think-Wonder to lead a discussion about what students observe in these images. (Link)
2: Use Project Zero thinking strategy Think-Pair-Share to discuss/share personal experiences with frottage techniques and to brainstorm items around the room that could be used in this technique.
3: Review Elements of Art and Principles of Design and discuss how students can consider these when creating their landscape collage.
4: Collect a variety of textured objects and create rubbings using chalk pastels and colored paper. Experiment with thick and thin paper and color combinations.
5: Use spray fixative (follow all guidelines and directions for CL labeled materials) on chalk pastel rubbings to prevent smudging.
6: Plan out landscape composition considering pictorial space(foreground, middle ground, and background) and Elements of Art andPrinciples of Design.
7: Cut and layer paper to create the landscape collage, use spray adhesive (follow all guidelines and directions for CL labeled materials) to secure frottage elements to the support paper.
8: Discuss what criteria should be used to evaluate the work (technique, composition, concept) Facilitate small group critiques to analyze color variations, layering techniques and use of texture in the final collages. Also ask students to identify which Elements of Art and Principles ofDesign are dominant in the collages.
9: Provide students time for self-reflection and assessment.
