Sarah Jayne Bleiweis

Lesson Plan #1:

Graffiti Master-“PIECE”: Elements of Art & Principles of Design

I. I NTRODUCTORY INFORMATION
• Grade Level: 9-12th grade, Intro to Art
• Class Size: 20-30 students
• Length of Class Period: One Hour
• Number of Classes: Five Classes
• Lesson Topic: This lesson is an exploration of graffiti as
an art form. Students will learn about the recent history
and developments within the field of Graffiti art, and the
motivation that leads Graffiti artists to write their “tag”
or “piece”. Through learning about the 3 components
(1. Letters, 2. Icon or Character, and 3. Background) that
make up a “piece”, students are introduced to some of
the basic elements of art and principles of design. They will explore how these basic elements of art &
design have been used and altered by various Graffiti artists through the creation of their own Graffiti
“Piece”. Students will be challenged to apply the art and technique of Graffiti within their own “piece” in
order to create a complete “PIECE” composition. Their final “PIECE” will be an original design,
depicting their name, and representing their personality, while incorporating the elements of art and design
within their technique.
• Relationship of Lesson to Curriculum: This is an introductory lesson that is intended to be used at the
start of a new semester. It is ideal for the first day of classes because it helps the teacher learn students’
names and the different levels of artistic ability and drawing experience that each student has had prior to
the introductory art course. Additionally, the teacher will be able to learn more about the student’s
personality as they brainstorm symbols/designs and other ways of representing themselves. Future lessons
will be a more in-depth exploration of the elements of art and principles of design that this art lesson
introduces. Also, the concept of artistic intent and the importance of originality in the final design is a
common theme that will be built upon throughout the rest of the semester.
• Possible extensions to this unit would be to:
o Create a class mural/community mural with a local graffiti artist.
o Research an artist that has influences in graffiti or public art. Then create an artwork in their style.
o Create a graffiti MANTRA master-piece. Apply Graffiti Art Techniques learned to designing a
positive word of inspiration.
• Enduring Understandings: The Student will understand that…
o Graffiti is considered an art form by many artists, art critics, and art historians.
▪ Graffiti Art can be a visual recording, illustrating the concerns and issues of the
community in tangible ways that the usual news channels might not focus upon.
o Artists can graphically communicate their own identity and message through images,
words, messages and writings.
▪ Graffiti Artists can connect to where they are from and to their community
through their graffiti artworks.
o The city is a gathering place where people can exchange ideas and develop their art.

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II. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
• How is Graffiti a form of art? How is Graffiti vandalism?
• What inspired Graffiti art and when did it first begin to appear?
• Why are people who make Graffiti considered to be “artists”?
• What are the essential components of a “piece”? How can Graffiti
“Piece” incorporate the basic elements of art and principles of
design, while representing the artist’s own identity and message?

III. LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Students will discuss environmental, historical and social factors

that influence Graffiti artists and their work.
• Students will reflect upon how artists' views about visual art have
changed to now accept Graffiti as an art form.
• Students will develop an understanding of the basic elements of visual art and principles of design,
while learning creative lettering and Graffiti techniques.
• Students will incorporate the principles of design in their Graffiti Name “Tag”.
• Students will design an original tag that is representative of self.
• Students will create a Graffiti-style “Tag” of their name that includes a background and character
or symbol that represents their identity.
• Students will demonstrate a tolerance for diversity of ideas, artistic style and respect informed
opinions that differ from their own.
• Students will reveal their insight and newly-gained knowledge about Graffiti while presenting their
own work and participating in critiques of their classmates’ artwork.
• Students will understand the functions of visual art and examine how it mirrors and influences
society and individuals .
• Students will continue to develop an understanding of the work of various artists and the context
in which their art was created .
• Students will demonstrate critical thought and support interpretations and opinions when
responding to visual art .

IV. ASSESSMENT / PERFORMANCE TASK

• CRITERIA:
o Students will learn about the history of the Graffiti art and other art forms which influenced
when it first began to appear, during the 1970s.
o Students will consider the implications of vandalism, challenge the definition of art, and
identify what constitutes as high art versus low art.
o Students will gain familiarity with the different vocabulary terms and concepts used in the
Graffiti art field.
o Students will explore different techniques of creative lettering, including the bubble, block &
wild-style fonts; as well as elaboration of text through appendages, swirls, 3-D shadows &
outline built onto letter structure.
o Students will employ a chosen background design and incorporate a character or symbol
within their composition so that, when combined with their stylized text, their Graffiti
composition is representative of them.
o Students will reflect on the aesthetic choices they made and elements of design that were
applied to their “Tag” and how it represents their identity.
o Students will be able to present and describe their Graffiti Name “Tags” to the class. They
will explain the rationale behind their text, background, and choice of symbols & design.
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 o As a group, students will engage in questioning and respectful critiquing of one another’s
artwork.
o Students will engage in class critiques about their peers’ artwork and their own final product.

• STRATEGIES :
o The teacher will discuss with students what Graffiti art is and why it is used.
o The teacher will present images of Graffiti artwork that will engage students’ attention and
inspire ideas for their own individual artwork.
o The teacher will introduce the basic principles of art and how they are applied to Graffiti,
while also defining concepts and clarifying vocabulary terms used within the field.
o The teacher will discuss symbolism used today around us, from brand logos, to graffiti, and
ancient & modern art.
o The teacher will acknowledge ways in which symbols, characters, and elements of design can
represent our identities and convey feelings within artwork.
o The teacher will lead a class discussion about artistic intent, and promote the concept of
Graffiti as art form to a much deeper level.
o The teacher will visit with students as they work on their Graffiti “Piece” – ensuring that they are
going to include the 3 required elements within their composition, being 1. Name as Stylized text., 2.
Creative background, 3. Character or Symbols to promote the representation of self when integrated
with all the other elements of the “piece”.
o The teacher will facilitate discussion and critique of the students’ completed identity maps.
o The teacher will model and require the use of respectful, empathetic language during critique.
o The teacher will challenge students to dive into detail and promote an in-depth exploration of
the concepts discussed and principles of design that the project requires.

• ASSESMENT RUBRIC: (83, Art for Life)

o 1. The work of art itself (its physical, compositional, technical qualities)
o 2. The artist, particularly the artist’s intentions in making the work
o 3. The viewer, particularly his or her sensory experience and emotional and
intellectual states
o 4. The context in which the work is made, seen, and used.

• PRODUCT:
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• Students will be evaluated focusing on the elements of art and principles of design
as well as creativity and originality. Anecdotal records may also be kept on any risk
taking, challenges, problem solving and changes students went through to come up
with their final product.

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 ASSESMENT RUBRIC:

YOUR GRAFFITI “PIECE”

Name ________________________________
Little or
CR ITERIA Excellent (5) Exceeding (4) Satisfactory (3) In Progress (2)
No Effort (1)
THE “PIECE” COMPONENTS:
Letters are strong, bold, and full
of style. Name is easily legible
“Piece” Component #1: Letters are easily legible, and Letters are somewhat legible, The letters appear but with
and uses bubble, block, or wild-
incorporate at least one shading uses font style with no little consideration of essential
T he Letters style fonts with patterns, arrows,
or outline technique. additional details or effects. lines.
flourishes, 3-D shadows &
outline.
“Piece” Component #2: Character is carefully thought Character is little originality / Character is not
Character is idea creative / some
Character / Symbolism out and meaningful explained explanation of symbolism
Character is no meaning or symbolism in incorporated within the
well and creative design composition.

Background design is unique and

“Piece” Component #3: interesting, thoughtful Background design is full of
Background design is use of
Background design is lots of empty space and/or no
B ackground Design composition, excellent use of space incorrect type of balance
sense of balance. plan
space, correct type of balance.

THE “PIECE” FINAL PRODUCT:

Each component (letter,
character & background) has a
strong sense of its own space &
“Piece” as a Cohesive works as an individual layer, on
Each component (letter, Each component (letter, Each component (letter, Each component (letter,
its own. Each layer incl elements
Whole character & background) character & background) character & background) character & background)
of art & design. As a whole, all
3 elements work together so the
sum is greater than the
individual components.
Principle of Art#1: no organized use or
principles of art evident and evidence of principles used, but
understanding of the principles
explained very well poor or little explanation
_ _ ____________ of art

Principle of Art#2: no organized use or

principles of art evident and evidence of principles used, but
understanding of the principles
_ _ ____________ explained very well poor or little explanation
of art

THE “PIECE” AS PROCESS & PRESENTATION:

Final composition is fully
Final composition demonstrates
developed and thought out. Final composition
Effort: Consideration of the potential to be more fully
Craftsmanship is of high quality, Final composition is not fully Final composition is not demonstrates very little
developed or more thought out.
idea, design, and good lots of care and neatness.
Craftsmanship is of average
developed and thought out. developed and thought out. effort, poor craftsmanship,
Craftsmanship Demonstrates a labor intensive satisfactory. poorly done, messy, lack of care and no attention to
effort, some problems with
approach to execute & to design.
neatness
visualize & sketch out.
Excellent utilization of class
Works through class but is minimal effort, poor use of
Use of Class Time time, high effort, works Solid effort & use of class time
sometimes distracted class time
diligently and thoughtfully
Demonstrates a strong grasp of
lesson objectives & successfully
Unity/Overall represents the self through the 3 Successfully represents the self
Composition required parts: 1. Letters, 2. through choices of composition
Background, 3. Symbol or
Character.

Student’s has fully considered Student vocalized the elements

Student’s “Piece” purpose and meaning in work, and ideas of design to the class, Discussed elements of actual
Presentation choice of design and elements and demonstrated an work, but not
are well- articulated to the class. understanding of assignment.

To tal Points:

Gr ade:

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 • PRODUCT:
• Specific characteristics in student products we should examine to determine the
extent to which the desired results were achieved:
• Describe final work presented / and how it demonstrates that students met learning
objectives
• Describe your benchmark product or sample
• Students will be evaluated focusing on the elements of art and principles of design
as well as creativity and originality. Anecdotal records may also be kept on any risk
taking, challenges, problem solving and changes students went through to come up
with their final product.

V. NATIONAL STANDARDS & MA FRAMEWORKS

• National Standards:
o Content Standard 1: Understanding and applying media, technique, and process.
▪ Apply media, techniques, and processes with sufficient skill, confidence, and
sensitivity that their intentions are carried out in their artworks.
o Content Standard 3: Choosing & evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and
ideas.
▪ Apply subjects, symbols, and ideas in their artworks and use the skills
gained to solve problems in daily life.
o Content Standard 4: Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and culture.
▪ Differentiate among a variety of historical and cultural context in terms of
characteristics and purposes of works of art.
• Massachusetts Standards:
o Learning Standards: Elements and Principles of Design: Students will demonstrate
knowledge of the elements and principles of design.
o Connections Strand: Roles of Artists in Communities: Students will describe the
roles of artists, patrons, cultural organizations, and arts institution in societies of the
past and present.

STAGE 3: THE LEARNING PLAN

❖ Materials and Equipment:
▪ Tracing paper
▪ Grid paper
▪ Drawing pens & pencils
▪ Erasers
▪ Watercolor Pencils
▪ Markers
▪ Computer & internet

❖ Vocabulary with definitions:

➢ Graffiti Art: Consists of images, words, messages, and writings; applied to subway walls and trains,
buildings, and public fixtures.
The 1970s saw the rise of large-scale mural art and the proliferation of graffiti in major cities in
the eastern part of the US. Graffiti Art (originally derived from street graffiti) is done on canvas
or paper rather than in public spaces. Influenced by street-wise teenagers who spray-painted New
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 York City subway cars, billboards, garbage cans, doorways, and the walls of abandoned buildings.
Their work got noticed and soon Graffiti Art became associated with bold & intricate word
designs, and raw cartoon-like figures that symbolized urban youth culture, alienation, and
rebelliousness. (Katz, 317).
➢ Public Art: Developed in the late 1960s, Public Art is made for and owned by the community (an
ancient concept going way back to cave paintings, frescoes, and commemorative statues). In a
climate of expansive ideas that were redefining “art,” some artist began viewing their work as a part
of the public arena rather than as a private commodity. This change in thinking converged with
government initiatives to support art in public spaces. (Borriss-Krimsky, 161)
➢ Murals: A work of art, usually large in scale, painted on or attached to a wall or ceiling .
➢ Street Art (AKA: Post-Graffiti): Typically, the term street art or the more specific post-graffiti is
used to distinguish contemporary public-space artwork from territorial graffiti, vandalism, and
corporate art.Street art is a label often adopted by artists who wish to keep their work unaffiliated,
and strongly political. Street artists are those whose work is still largely done without official
approval in public areas. This is why Street Art is sometimes considered "post-graffiti" and
sometimes even "neo-graffiti." Street art can be found around the world and street artists often
travel to other countries foreign to them so they can spread their designs. Whereas traditional
graffiti artists have primarily used free-hand aerosol paints to produce their works,[6] "street art"
encompasses many other media and techniques, including; Mosaic tiling, Murals, Stencil art,
Sticker art, Street installations, Woodblock, Video projection…
➢ Elements of Art & Design: color, value, shape, texture, form, line, space
➢ Principles of Art & Design: rhythm, unity, pattern, emphasis, contrast, balance, movement
▪ Bubble Letter: A style of graffiti letters, balloonish and rounded in shape, easily rendered and
relatively basic. Used primarily for throw ups.
▪ Burner: A full-fledged piece. Large full blown, with multiple color fills, background,
characters, wildstyle letters, etc. Heavily detailed.
▪ Cloud: A background element used frequently in pieces. Tightly rendered, they can appear as
tight bubbles, or loosely rendered as faded areas of color.
▪ Computer Style: A particular type of wildstyle that looks very angular and has “digital”
qualities, or resembles the renderings the one would define as being “technological” or
“robotic” in nature.
▪ Crazy: Wild and imaginative, going to the extreme “that is a crazy style!”
▪ Cutting Lines: A painting technique used on characters and the fills of letters to create sharp
edges and very thin lines, thinner than skinny caps.
▪ Fade: To blend or mix colors.
▪ Fill: The color patterns inside of the letters of a piece or throwups
▪ Mural: Large-scale type of piecing, done on a wall, top-to-bottom and end-to-end. Sometimes
called a production. Encompasses all the elements of a burner, only bigger.
▪ Outline: Sometimes called a sketch, the drawing done in a piece book (aka: sketchbook) prior
to doing an actual piece; Also the final outline done around a piece to complete it.
▪ Piece: Short for masterpiece; “It’s the last stop on the graff train” (Martinez, 40). It is the
result of all your efforts: your letters, characters, and backgrounds all working together and
intermingling with symbols, quotes, and tags. It requires more time than a throw up, and
incorporates 3-D effects, many style elements, color patterns and the like. Characters and
symbols are also used. Also, the action of going out to paint graffiti, but not tagging. “to
piece.”
1. Tag: A writer’s signature, his “nom de plume,” the most basic form of graffiti, it is
essentially the writer’s logo. Also the action of signing your name as in “to tag”.
2. Character: An illustrated figure added to a piece to add emphasis or push the idea of the
burner forward. Sometimes the character takes the place of a letter in the piece.

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 3. Background: The colors or designs that sit behind the letters. Originally done to discern
the letter from the miscellaneous tags and whatever; lies beneath the artwork to make it
stand out.
▪ Semi-wildstyle: A style of letters with more elements and flourishes than normal lettering, but
not as illegible as wildstyle.
▪ Throw UP: Your name in quickly drawn bubble letters with one or two colors and an outline.
Done very quickly, used to cover space, grab attention and show that you were there.
▪ 3-D: An added dimension of style, a 3-D style added for a realistic effect to letters.
▪ Wildstyle: An elevated style of letters, with lots of arrows, connections, and complex color
patterns. Difficult to master and entirely unreadable.

❖ Visual Image Resources:

Jean-Michel Basquiat (aka: “Samo”), Keith Haring, “Statue of Liberty”, B anksy, Untitled, 2008,
“Untitled Skull”, 1981, mixed media 1986, Screen-print, Edition 41/100 Stencil Art, Los Angeles, CA

❖ Text, media, and web resources:

Brite, Jane. Art: After School.

Katz, E., Lankford, E., & Plank, J. (2000). Themes and Foundations of Art. Chicago. National Textbook Co.

Lowenfeld, Viktor. Creative and Mental Growth., 8 th Edition.

Martinez, Scape. GRAFF: The Art & Technique of Graffiti. 2009. IMPACT Books, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Warren, W. Street Art: Colouring Book. 2009. London. Worldwide Co.

(2009) The Home of Graffiti Art. Retrieved October 10, 2009, from The Graffiti Creator web site:
http://www.graffiticreator.net/index.htm

(2009) Graff Letters. Retrieved October 10, 2009, from Learn Graffiti.net web site:
http://www.learngraffiti.net/abc_page.htm

(2009) Street Art. Retrieved October 10, 2009, from Wikipedia.com web site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_art

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❖ Learning Activities & Instruction
➢ Introduction- Mock Trial: The teacher will introduce the project through a mock trial of “The
City of Boston versus The Graffiti Artist” and, through this trial, the teacher will ask the class the
first essential question: Is Graffiti Art or Vandalism? The teacher will then write at the top of the
blackboard, in big letters, the following: “Is Graffiti Art or Vandalism?” The teacher will select
two students to volunteer at the front of the classroom, one will be representing “the City of
Boston” and the other will be representing the Graffiti Artist. The teacher will then draw a vertical
line down the center of the board and ask each of the student volunteers to “argue their case” by
reading the excerpts (see below) that the teacher provided to them.

➢ The teacher will provide the following excerpts to each student to read:
▪ The Graffiti Artist:
“I’m going to speak my mind, so this won’t take very long. Despite what they say graffiti is not the lowest form of art.
Although you might have to creep about at night and lie to your mum it’s actually one of the more honest art forms availab le.
There is no elitism or hype…The people who run our cities don’t understand graffiti because they think nothing has the right
to exist unless it makes a profit, which makes their opinion worthless…The people who truly deface our neighbo r h o o ds a r e
the companies that scrawl giant slogans across building and buses trying to make us feel inadequate unless we buy their st u f f .
They expect to be able to shout their message in your face from every available surface but you’re never allowed to answer
back. Well, they started the fight and the wall is the weapon of choice to hit them back. Some people become cops b ec a u se
they want to make the world a better place. Some people become vandals because they want to make the world a better
looking place” (Banksy, 3).
▪ The City of Boston:
“Subway Graffiti art may be considered as ephemeral as Soho wall art. As quickly as the “pieces” are created, they are wa sh e d
from the trains with solvent by transit authorities. Is this censorship? In any case, it is the public that pays for this clea n - u p.
The New York transit authorities estimate that it costs taxpayers $300,000 a year and it takes 80,000 man -hours t o r est o r e
the city’s transit cars (Cooper 1984). Much of the Graffiti art is destroyed almost as quickly as it is created. This is accept ed
and expected by the artists as they anticipate an opportunity to fill their next “moving canvas.” Graffiti…is considered an a r t
form by many artists, art critics, and art historians. This does not mean, however, that it is okay for yo u o r a n yo n e else t o
make graffiti. As you know, defacing public property is against the law. Making graffiti also creates expen ses f o r b u sin ess
people and for taxpayers who must pay to have the graffiti removed. Even if you ar e the “Michelangelo” of your
neighborhood, you should not mark on public property or on private property that is not your own. When you feel the n eed
to express yourself through the visual arts, use media and materials in a responsible way. Don’t damage or destroy other
people’s property” (Katz, 318).

• The teacher will then ask the class to tell her what reasons they heard from both sides of this
argument and the teacher will write the students’ responses on the board, below the corresponding
side of either “Graffiti IS Art” or “Graffiti IS NOT Art”.
• After all the class responses are written on the board, the teacher will ask the students the second
essential question: What inspired Graffiti art and when did it first begin to appear?

➢ Slideshow - Graffiti’s Influences & History: please see attached power point file.
• The teacher will show students a slideshow about Graffiti Art’s influences and provide a historical
perspective about the development of Graffiti Art. The slideshow’s visual examples of inspira tions
for Graffiti art will include images of album art, comic books, consumer products, and Arabic
calligraphy. Then, the teacher will engage the students in a discussion about the various motives for
writing Graffiti, and will then write another chart on the board, writing the following titles at the
top of each column: “Public Art” and “Street Art”. The teacher will then ask the students about
the differences between these two categories, which column Graffiti Art would fit into, and if they
know of any other names or corresponding subcategories of forms of art similar to Graffiti Art
(such as “Guerilla Art” or Murals). The teacher will engage students in a discussion about
LEGAL versus ILLEGAL Graffiti, as the class helps her list and define these Concepts on the
board.
• Teacher Demonstration- Principles of Art & Design: The teacher will show students three works
of art by Jean-Michel Basquiat (aka: “Samo”),Keith Hering, and Banksy. The teacher will discuss
the background and life of these artists, and explain why each artist’s work is considered Graffiti
style. The teacher will introduce the third essential question: Why are people who make Graffiti
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 considered to be “artists”? , which will then lead into the terms and concepts of the Elements a nd
Principles of Art and Design being introduced to the students, pointing out examples of each
element and principle through discussions about the three artworks.
• The teacher will introduce the concept of the “Piece” and its three required components. This will
begin the teacher’s lesson about the fourth essential question, being What are the essential
components of a “piece”? How can Graffiti “Piece” incorporate the b asic elements o f a rt a nd
principles of design, while representing the artist’s own identity and message?
➢ The teacher will show the class the benchmark product as an example, along with the thumbnail
sketches and three separate final “layer” drawings (text, character & background) to demonstrate to
students the process they will go through to achieve their final product of a “Piece”. The teacher
will pass out the handouts which describe the “Piece” as a process, and describe what the
requirements are for their first assigned project through a rubrics handout (example rubric is
included).
➢ Therefore, the first class will address all the essential questions of this lesson, and explain the
assigned project, including the components of a Graffiti “Piece”. The teacher will show examples
of “Pieces” which utilize the Elements and Principles of Art and Design. The teacher will then
discuss the first component of the “Piece” with the students, which is the TEXT. The teacher will
discuss the purpose and usefulness of thumbnail sketches, and then have the students do sketches
of their name, testing out different fonts and styles. At the same time, the students will take turns,
going to the computer and printing out examples of their name in different fonts from the website
Graffiti Creator.com so that they can receive further ideas of inspiration. The teacher will have the
students complete at least six thumbnail sketches of their name, repeated, but with a different font
each time (such as bubbles, wildstyle, throwup…) and demonstrating an experimentation of
shadow, outline, fill…
➢ The second class will be about the character or symbol. The teacher will ask the class about
symbols and characters and give the class a corresponding handout which shows examples of
characters and symbols. The teacher ask the class to tell her what symbols and characters they
would want to incorporate in their “pieces” and why. The teacher will write down on the board a
list of the brainstormed characters and symbols that the students consider to be representative of
themselves, starting with the Framingham High School “Eagle” mascot as an example. The teacher
will ask the students to sketch their character or symbol and then draw the final version of their
character or symbol onto the tracing paper.
➢ The third class will be about the background and the teacher will go through the same procedures
of discussion, as she did the day before when the students learned about symbols. The teacher will
show examples of symbols and pass out a corresponding handout which shows more examples of
backgrounds, such as clouds, abstract, pattern, bricks, skyline, and breakthrough as all ideas for
experimentation for the students to learn new ways to create their own backgrounds. The teacher
will ask the students to sketch their background and then draw the final version of their
background onto tracing paper. At the end of the third day of class, the teacher will have an
individual check-in with each student to see where they are at in the “piece” making process. At
this time, the goal of each student should be to have all three layers of their “piece” completed, on
three separate sheets of tracing paper.
➢ The fourth and fifth classes will be about the development of their “piece” composition as a
unified whole, and into a final “piece” of artwork. The teacher will divide the students up into
groups of four or five, and help them decide on arrangements of their three layers for the final
“piece”. Students will show their peers all three layers on tracing paper, and then receive advice
and suggestions about how to arrange the three layers in the best composition possible for their
final “piece” product. Students will bounce ideas off of each other and have time to reference any
other graffiti books available in the art class room, for them to look at for further ideas. As the
students are working on the composition of all three layers for their final “piece”, the teacher will
help them by providing constructive comments and guidance.
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➢ At the end of the project, the students will have the opportunity to search the internet and Graffiti
reference books for any further ideas. The teacher will then lead a discussion with the students
about how successful they felt they were in the completion of their pieces? What was the easiest
part? What was the most challenging? Why did you choose that combination of colors, that font
and style of writing, or that character and backdrop? How does the backdrop represent you?
Which of the three layers is most representative of you and your message and/or identity? The
teacher will assign the students a journal assignment to reflect on their process, discuss the “piece”
of one other peer student in the class, analyze their take on the influences of Graffiti Art in their
lives, and discuss what they learned from this lesson that was most interesting to them

• The students will engage in discussion to answer all of the essential questions, starting with
“Is Graffiti Art or Vandalism?”. The students will participate in a mock trial about Graffiti,
by being the jury and discussing the points of argument for each side. The students will
watch a teacher demonstration and view examples of “pieces” along with the “benchmark
product” that the teacher has. The students will learn about the elements & principles of art
and design, and how they are visible within the artworks of inspirational Graffiti artists, such
as Banksy, Keith Hering, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. The students will learn about the
process of creating their “piece” and the three components involved, along with the criteria
they will be graded for on the rubric. The students will research ideas and inspiration about
graffiti through the internet and reference books available in the art classroom. The students
will complete six thumbnail sketches of the first “piece” layer, being their names, in different
fonts and colors and shading styles. The students will brainstorm a list of characters and
their meaning on the board, and discuss ways of incorporating their character or symbol
within their piece, with the guidance and help of their teacher and fellow students. The
students will complete the second “layer” of their “piece” on tracing paper. The students
will learn about ideas and different ways of incorporating the background into their piece.
The students will break up into groups and present their 3 layers, each on tracing paper, and
they will share their thoughts and feelings about their “piece” thus far. The students will
receive and provide advice to their peers about how to complete their final “piece”. Each
student will have 3 final layers of the text, symbol, and background, each drawn on a
separate sheet of tracing paper. The students will present their final piece in class and
explain the connection between their chosen elements of art and design AND how they
connect to their own self-identity or personality AND in what way. The students will the
engage in a discussion about the process and their effectiveness of conveying motion. They
will complete a journal response to reflect on the process of creating their final “piece” and
how they feel about their final product.

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 SCREEN SHOTS &
EXAMPLES FROM
GRAFFITI CREATOR’s
ONLINE WEBSITE

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