Brockmoor School Roy Lichtenstein Project
About the project
In my class of 30 pupils in year 2 (aged to 7) this project was started by linking it to their English lessons by exploring the use of speech bubbles and think bubbles. The class looked at the work of Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein mainly the work "Wham" and "In the car". The work was linked to that of comic book art that they had come into contact with. They first tried to work out and decide what the previous scene and the following scene would have been about. And how the story would have developed and this also tied in well with their English work, developing clear beginnings, middles and endings.
The pupils at the same time were learning how to use the Internet and were able to go into the Tate Gallery's web site and find information about Roy Lichtenstein and the painting "Wham". They saved this painting into the programme Colour Magic. They then were able to change and alter any part they wanted to. Their final work was then saved and printed (with help).
Then groups of four children developed their own stories linked to our topic of travel. They worked together on one A1 sized piece of cartridge paper folded into four equal sections and first talked about an agreed story line with each section reflecting a part in the development of the story. Some chose aeroplane crashes, or rockets in space and some chose stories familiar to themselves like going shopping or going on holiday and the stages of travel until they got to their destination. They drafted each scene out in pencil roughly first. At the end of the lesson each group discussed their story line and the other pupils gave their opinions if they followed on in sequence correctly or if it needed more happening in one section.
The next lesson was concerned with adding speech/think bubbles to the sections to enhance the understanding of the story line. They also had to think if the work needed sound effect words to enhance the action taking place in some sections (again linked to English), like "Wham" and many others, that they brainstormed as a class on the board, eg. Woosh, bang, weee, splosh, crash, pow, etc.
In the following two lessons the children worked on any necessary changes and they coloured the final sections in when they were happy with them using felt tip pens. Some groups also decided to outline parts in black to make them stand out as Roy Lichtenstein had done, if they felt a section needed to be clearer, and stand out more than the rest.
This project lasted about four weeks, and I think Roy Lichtensteins' work really helped to clarify the use of speech/think bubbles for the class, and that the Internet is useful when you have something really specific to find out.
In year 2 this project has improved their creative writing dramatically. they now have a visual model in their heads for how speech/think bubbles work an for the concept of splitting a story line - beginning, setting the scene/and characters; middle - the problem/plot; ending - the resolution to that problem/plot.
Also need to credit Art and Craft Magazine/Scholastic where this article has been published.
Sharon Goodship : Brockmoor Primary School