Interview conducted and lesson created by: Shannon BoydRuth Cox has been a native of the South Carolina/Myrtle Beach area her whole life. She studied at Coastal Carolina University and was Aynor High Schools first ever art teacher. I was immediately drawn to her stunning plein air painted landscapes of Brook Green Gardens and her ability to capture light and color through an impressionistic painting style. Ruth has become a respected artist of the community with her large acrylic murals that can be seen from Conway's Chamber of Commerce down to hotels and businesses all along the beach. Today, Ruth continues to live as a muralist and teaches art workshops on her painting techniques using oils and acrylics.
Students will learn how to paint landscapes in acrylics using the technique of painting en plein air (in the open air) with the style of local area artist, Ruth Cox. This lesson will introduce the techniques practiced by Ruth Cox in her self developed “Ruth's Rules”, and use acrylic paints to create an impressionist inspired landscape en plein air.
Ruth Cox: Plein Air Landscape
Grade Level: High School Level 4
Task Description: Students will learn how to paint landscapes in acrylics using the technique of painting en plein air (in the open air) with the style of local area artist, Ruth Cox. This lesson will introduce the techniques practiced by Ruth Cox in her self developed “Ruth's Rules” (rules attached), and use acrylic paints to create an impressionist inspired landscape painted en plein air.
Curriculum Connections: Students will make connections with other curriculum areas like earth science and botany by painting outdorrs in nature.
Goals:
Standard 1: Creating Works of Visual Art
– The student will demonstrate competence in the use of ideas, materials, techniques, and proceses in the creation of works of visual art.
Standard 2: Using Structures and Functions
– The student will use composition and the elements and principles of design to communicate ideas.
Standard 3: Exploring Content
– The student will examine the content of works of visual art and use elements from them in creating his or her own works.
Standard 4: History and Culture
– The student will understand the visual arts in relation to history and world cultures and the technologies, tools, and materials used by artists.
Standard 5: Interpreting Works of Visual Art
– The student will analyze and assess the characteristics and qualities of his or her own works of visual art and those of others.
Standard 6: Making Connections
– The student will make connections between the visual arts and other arts disciplines, other content areas, and the world.
Visual Arts Curriculum Standards:
Standard 1: Creating Works of Visual Art
The students will
VAH4-1.1 Recognize and analyze the similarities and differences among the materials, techniques, and processes in works of visual art. (Obj. 1, Obj. 2)
VAH4-1.4 Apply materials, techniques, and processes with skill, confidence, and sensitivity sufficient to make his or her intentions observable in the artwork that he or she creates. (Obj. 3, Obj. 5)
VAH4-1.5 Use a variety of art materials, tools, and equipment in a skillful, safe, and responsible manner. (Obj. 4)
Standard 2: Using Structures and Functions
The students will
VAH4-2.2 Create works of visual art that use the elements and principles of design and other compositional strategies. (Obj. 5)
Standard 3: Exploring Content
The student will
VAH3-3.1 Explore the sources of the subject matter and ideas in variety of works of visual art. (Obj. 1, Obj. 3)
Standard 4: History and Culture
The students will
VAH4-4.2 Identify specific artworks as belonging to a particular culture or historical period and explain the characteristics that led him or her to make that identification. (Obj. 1)
VAH4-4.5 Apply a knowledge of art history, various cultures, and technologies in the creation of original artworks. (Obj. 5)
Standard 5: Interpreting Works of Visual Art
The students will
VAH4-5.2 Make complex, descriptive, interpretative, and evaluative judgments about his or her own artworks and those of others. (Obj. 6)
Standard 6: Making Connections
The students will
VAH4-6.3 Identify specific visual arts careers and describe the knowledge and skills one needs for these careers. (Obj. 1, Obj. 2)
Objectives:
1. The students will view a Power Point presentation with the works and career of Ruth Cox and actively make comparisons to her style of work and the style of the impressionist painters. (VAH4-1.1, VAH4-3.1, VAH4-6.3)
2. The students will view a Power Point presentation on the techniques of Ruth Cox using “Ruth's Rules” and also analyze the style and techniques of painting en plein air. (VAH4-1.1, VAH4-6.3)
3. The students will invesitgate various scenes in nature to develop multiple thumbnail sketches in acrylic paints to practice the style of plein air painting as well as applying “Ruth's Rules” and the techniques of the impressionists. (VAH4-1.4, VAH4-3.1)
4. The students will demonstrate a responsible and skillful se of all materials while creating their plein air sketches and final compositions. (VAH4-1.5)
5. The students will chose their favorite thumbnail sketch to create a final plein air landscape composition of that specific scene in nature using acrylic paints and following “Ruths Rules” and chanelling impressionistic characteristics. (VAH4-1.4, VAH4-2.2, VAH4-4.5)
6. The students will present their finished artworks as well as participate in a peer critique to express and evaluate their effective use of plein air painting, “Ruth's Rules”, and their interpretation of the impressionists painting style. (VAH4-5.2)
Time: This lesson will be paced over 3 days, each being 90 minute sessions.
Materials and Tools:
– A copy of “Ruth's Rules” and view finder with value scale (1 per student)
– Bristol Board for thumbnail sketches (1 per student 18” x 24”)
– Drawing boards (1 per student)
– Canvas paper or canvas board for final work (1 per student 18” x 24”)
– Acrylic paints set (1 per student)
– Paint palette (1 per student)
– Paint brushes (4-5 per student of varying size and tip shape)
– View finder and value scale (1 per student)
– Plastic cup/jar for water (1 per student)
– Paper towels (5+ per student, may also substitute with wash rag)
Visual Resources:
– Power Point presentation with work of impressionist paintings, and Ruth Cox's paintings
– Teacher sample of plein air landscape
– Open area in nature with multiple options for visual reference
Vocabulary: Plein air, impressionism, Monet, Ruth Cox, Cezanne, Renoir, acylic, juxtaposition, value, shade, tint, thumbnail
Background and/or Instructional Context:
The teacher will present a Power Point presentation on the artist and artwork of Ruth Cox. The Power Point will also incorporatethe Impressionist painters and the characteristics of that art movement. The teacher will lead the class in a discussion on the comparisons of Ruth Cox's work and those works of the Impressionists. The presentation will introduce plein air painting and combine it with “Ruth's Rules” to create the students' lesson. Following the Power Point, the teacher will check for the students' understanding by reviewing the characteristics of the Impressionist painters and the rules that Ruth Cox uses for plein air painting. Following the acknowledgement of their understanding, the students will receive their own copies of Ruth's Rules and view finder with value scale. The students will go outside to find their own place to paint their Ruth Cox inspired plein air landscape using acrylic paints as the medium. Each student will present their plein air landscapes as well as participate in a peer critique to evaluate the effectiveness of their artwork as related to Ruth Cox and the Impressionists' style.
Procedure:
Part 1.
Overview of the Lesson: a study of plein air painting, specifically centered around the ideas of local artist, Ruth Cox, that connects her work to the Impressionist painters resulting in student reproductions inspired by the two.
Teacher Preparation: Develop a Power Point presentation that introduces Ruth Cox and her work. Also include the Impressionist painters with side by side comparisons of Cox's work and those of the impressionists. Include in the presentation an explaination of painting en plein air as well as “Ruth's Rules.” Conclude the presentation with further explaination of “Ruth's Rules” and her use of the view finder and value scale. Prepare a sample of a thumbnail sketch that shows one thumbnail of only the 3 darkest value shapes and another of the same scene with further color development. Prepare a final plein air landscape of the thumbnail sketch. Print out and bring a copy of “Ruth's Rules” and individual view finders with value scales for each student. Provide a drawing board, canvas paper, paint brushes, and acrylic paints for each student and gather them before class to be ready for use when the class begins.
Motivation: The students will be motivated by the opportunity to paint outdoors instead of inside the school building. This project allows them to investigate their familiar surroundings and teaches them to see nature from a different perspective. The idea that this lesson is based off of the work of an artist from their local area will instill in the students a sense of pride for their community.
Part II.
Criteria for Grading: The teacher will use an art production rubric to assess the students' achievement. The teacher will also assess by observation of call-time use and participation.
Part III.
Sequential Description of Steps:
Day 1:
Step 1- Introduce the lesson by using the Power Point presentation of Ruth Cox, the Impressionist painters, and painting en plein air.
Step 2- Check for student understanding by reviewing through a discussion of Impressionist characteristics, the concept of plein air, and “Ruth's Rules.”
Step 3- Introduce the view finders with the value scale and practice finding a focal point.
Step 4- Using the viewfinder and “Ruth's Rules”, the students will find a place outside to paint en plein air and begin creating thumbnail sketches of various compositions using acrylic paints.
Step 5- The students will show the completion of the 3 value thumbnail and the color developed thumbnail from a single composition before moving onto the canvas paper used to create the final landscape painting.
Step 6- Once the thumbnail sketches are completed, the students will begin painting their final chosen compositions for their plein air landscapes on the large 18” x 24” canvas paper.
Step 7- Allow 5-10 minutes at the end of class to go back into the classroom for clean-up.
Day 2:
Step 1- Students will gather their supplies to go back outside to their plein air painting location.
Step 2- Students will continue to complete their final plein air landscapes.
Step 3- Students will complete their final plein air landscapes before or by the end of class-time.
Step 4- Allow 5-10 minutes at the end of class to go back into the classroom for clean-up.
Day 3:
Step 1- Students will individually present their finished plein air landscapes to the rest of the class.
Step 2- Students will follow with the participation in a peer critique.
Step 3- Students will submit their finished projects for assessment.
Clean Up:
5 to 10 minutes will be allowed at the end of each class for clean-up. If outside, each student will gather their own belongings and the equipment they used during class to bring back inside the classroom. The students will put the equipment they used during class time away in its respectful place. Students will then be assigned a specific clean-up task based on their table or row. One group will clean up and put away any left out drawing boards, drawing pencils, and paper. Another group will be assigned to put away any left out paintbrushes and will be sure to check that each brush has been properly cleaned off. Another group will be sure to put away any left out paint palettes and will be sure the check that each palette has been properly cleaned off. The last group will be responsible for carefully placing any wet or unfinished work on the drying racks. Each student will be responsible for placing their names on any tools or projects being left in the room. Students will gather all personal belongings that are leaving the classroom with them before class-time ends.
Evaluation: See attached art production rubric.
Accommodations:
This lesson can be adapted to accommodate learners with special needs by allowing those students to paint from a photograph rather than en plein air. The student may also only be asked to create a single thumbnail sketch of what he or she would like to paint. The student may also use a more familiar medium like crayons, pastels, or colored pencils.
Extensions:
This lesson can relate to other curricular areas like social studies by the history connected to the Impressionist art movement. The lesson also connects to social studies by examining the culture of the student's own community through the study of local artist, Ruth Cox. This lesson ties into earth science, biology, and botany by painting landscapes in nature through the style of painting en plein air. Students could even view this lesson as inspiration to gaining a career as an artist themselves by learning about the successful career of local artist, Ruth Cox.
Source:
This art activity was inspired by Myrtle Beach's own muralist and plein air artist, Ruth Cox. Her work used in the Power Point presentation can be found on her website www.muralistic.com. The lesson also uses “Ruth's Rules” which were developed by Ruth Cox and are attached to the end of the lesson plan. The lesson was fully developed by myself and evaluated during the MAT program at Coastal Carolina University for future use by myself and other art teachers.
