Alberta High School Fine Arts - Printing Classic Paintings

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This is a project designed for high school level art courses in the province of Alberta, where the curriculum requires students to experiment with various media and create digital designs using programs like Blender and ZBrush. By having students use these programs, they can create three-dimensional versions of classic paintings, making them accessible to visually-impaired individuals. I created a 3D representation of Ludolf Backhuysen's "The Coming Squall," which demonstrates this concept. To learn more about the project, visit my website at https://2teacher4u.wordpress.com/high-school-fa-3d-classic-paintings/, where you can find progress pictures, connections to the curriculum, and the project design. Here's how I created this project: I used Blender 2.74 to create different objects within the scene and then textured them using the sculpt mode. This process allowed me to achieve a realistic representation of the painting. Project: 3D Classic Paintings Objectives: This project aligns with the Alberta High School Fine Art curriculum at all three grade levels, as well as Design studies CTS courses. Students will develop their skills in composition, use art criticism vocabulary, and experiment with representational formats. Compositions: Art 10: Students will extend their knowledge of design elements and principles through practice, analyze their own works using art criticism vocabulary, and experiment with various formats. Art 20: Students will create compositions using non-traditional approaches, solve problems by varying design elements for specific visual effects, use art criticism techniques to interpret and evaluate their own works and others', demonstrate control over composition components, and develop a portfolio of works representing their personal style. Art 30: Students will use personal experiences as sources for image making, develop and solve design problems, analyze and evaluate their own works in relation to professional artists' works, and develop a portfolio of works showcasing their personal style. Encounters: Art 10: Students will become aware of the relationship between function and form in artistic productions. Art 20: Students will investigate the impact of technology on artist intentions and productions, acquire visual skills useful for comprehending different art forms, and analyze factors generating a work of art or an artistic movement. Audiences: The main audience for this project is high school Fine Arts students with prior experience using digital design software. The project can be adapted to post-secondary or junior high school level learning outcomes. Preparation: Students must have access to digital design software like Blender or ZBrush, and a 3D printer. Other sculpting and modeling software can also be used in place of these programs. Steps: 1. Find a classic painting (portrait or scene) that students enjoy and get the teacher's permission to use it for the assignment. 2. Plan and design a digital setup for the 3D representation of the painting. 3. Print their finished model. Results: The model I provided is my exemplar to my students, where I chose Ludolf Backhuysen's "The Coming Squall" as the painting and used Blender to create objects within the scene. I textured the faces, designed a base for the painting with the title, and printed it. In the document provided on this Thing, you'll find a grading rubric that you're free to use if you wish. Instead of grading students based on the appearance of the final print, consider evaluating them based on how well they can determine the scene by using their fingertips, as well as the likeness to the original and progress screenshots. Differentiation: Some students may want to create famous sculptures, but I recommend avoiding it due to the availability of sculpture files online that could be easily passed off as someone else's work. Because of the connections to the curriculum, students should choose famous paintings instead of ones they've made.