The drawing formulae which consists of two ovals is an adaptable way to create characters. Photoshop and the Internet encourage creativity.
Once the students have learnt this technique and understand the process they may want to push it further.
The two oval formulae is adaptable.
- Turn the character on its side by shifting the line that shows the centre of the face
- arrange the arms and legs accordingly.
- overlap the shapes so that the arm and leg farest away are blocked out by what is nearer.
- here is an example of a character turned on its side
- add character traits,
- clothing
- and other props so that they act as visual cues
- add words if they help create a meaningful scene
- here is an example of the figure developed further
- So that the techniques do not become clouded keep the image simple when starting.
- Once the students have constructed a scenario for the character they can begin to script from the ideas that have been stimulated.
- This example lends itself to a conversation about "why a baby would be sitting up in its sleep?"
I moulded this simple line character in Photoshop.
It is really handy if all classrooms have Photoshop installed. If you have access to Photoshop it can fit neatly, spontaneously and adaptively into creative arts lessons. Because it is such a versatile programme and if you have the Internet connected the students can try ways of creating collage characters.
- The can try a range of colours until they settle for a scheme that suites the character.
- From the internet they can pick and choose all kinds of Clip Art add ons. They can try on hats clothes, hair styles and other attributes.
- As the personality of the character develops the students can try bits and pieces they find from around the Internet until they hit on something that completes the story.
The completion of the baby sleeping story is that this baby has had a brain reader applied to its head. Whilst it is on reading his mind the baby sits quietly dreaming. The students called the character Crainoh!
The idea evolved very simply but the potential as a story writing stimulous is very wide.
There is also potential for the students to evolve their stories in a multi variant way which allows them to push their creativity to the limits.
Have fun! Please let us know if you come up with good stories.
