PEZ

PEZ dispensers are a favorite of mine.  I've been collecting them for entirely too long and am in a constant battle with myself not to purchase yet another one.  I think it came out of a need to validate my purchases that I started bringing PEZ to school for my students to draw.  The first experience was in a Warhol lesson so many years ago that I don't even remember.  Students selected a dispenser and drew it large from four different angles.  I wish I had work to share with you but that was in the days prior to this blog and also prior to Artsonia where most images are now stored.  The latest number of years, the dispensers have made their way into my lessons to demonstrate Space in art.  Students have total freedom to select which PEZ they wish to draw with the vision of demonstrating space.  The focus is on overlap, size, placement and linear perspective.  Fourth graders have previously exposed to Space in earlier grades but with this project they take the reins to plan the composition.  Let me just say, it is a home run every year.  Something about those PEZ dispensers that they can hold in their hands and play with as they draw makes this an instant success in popularity.  I'm still working on getting them to see and understand shadow so forgive any striking errors you might note.  It is a work in progress.  What do you love that you can bring into your classroom for an engaging lesson???  Think about it, telling your students you love something seems to really spark interest.  Oh, and the other positive was all the PEZ gifts I received after the fact!

Student Work 2019

Building a Still Life Composition.

After taking an AOE Studio Drawing course this past summer, I have rethought my process for observational drawings.  This year I have decided to truly involve students in the still life process by allowing them to touch the items and put together the components of their own still life rather than being limited to what I might assemble for them.  The focus for the assignment is to demonstrate an understanding of Space in art by using overlap, placement, and linear perspective.  Students in 4th grade are drawing Pez dispensers.  Part of the fun is truly examining the dispensers and choosing which ones are most personally appealing. Here are some photos of the process as students are spending week two on building their still life compositions.