Teaching Perspective in Adobe Illustrator.

Originally when I started this blog, I thought I would be updating on a weekly basis with my lessons and such. However, a few grad classes and huge life decisions made it hard to actually take the time to blog. So here I am, near the end of the summer, finally taking out my curriculum and looking things over. I figure I should start with lessons that were particularly successful that people have been waiting for me to post up. Since I got a new computer a few months ago, not all my actual lesson plan files are on this computer, but I do have my handouts and examples. I think that should suffice.

Anyway, I generally begin my Multimedia and Art 1 classes with the Elements of Art and slowly build everything on that. I also familiarize my students with the basic function of a Mac computer and do a lot of pre-assessments to see where they are computer and art wise. Once I do the usual value scales, texture rubbings, line drawings, forms, etc. (you should know the drill if you're an art teacher), I begin larger assignments. One of my old favorites is the perspective unit. I'm not going to go into how I do it in Art 1, as most general art teachers know how to do that - it's the computer thing that can get kind of tricky - especially if you're working in CS4 and older.

Perspective is hard just using rulers and pencils, add a computer that students may not be familiar with, and things can get really complicated. I generally go over  how to use guides, lines, and basic geometric shapes in Adobe Illustrator. I show how the lines all go to the vanishing point, and what a horizon line and all of that looks like/is. The students follow along and do it with me so they don't get totally lost. Once I go over basics, I go over light sources and how to achieve that look using the program.

I've always taught the perspective unit near the beginning of the school year because (at least to me) I think it's a great combination of all the Elements of Art I went over the first few weeks and just makes sense. To me it shows that the kids "get" the Elements of Art when they put all of them to use for this big assignment.

So here goes...following this will be the files for the requirements (box.com is annoying and will say you don't have "permission" or something, so just click on the link anyway), rubric, and self-assessment based on Feldman's method of questioning the students did at the end of the assignment, and a couple of examples. You can take whatever you want from here and turn it into your own fabulous lesson somehow. This blog was created so you could get ideas and turn them into your own (or use the same material I have).

Perspective City Requirements

Perspective City Checklist Rubric

Perspective City Self-Assessment