Make A Mark

Vocabulary:

• Medium/Media: the actual material used to make the mark
• Ground: the surface on which you apply the medium
• Support: whatever the ground is attached to
• Process: the way you apply the media

Possible Activities

• Have kids explore and find different things that make marks on a piece of paper
• Talk about shadows. Even though they are fleeting, do they still count as a mark? The following is a work by Kumi Yamashita who uses unique processes to create incredible art.

• Read the book, "Seven Blind Mice" by Ed Young
• What kinds of media did he use in creating this book?
• What other forms of media would also work?
• Have the kids create their own book to explore the uses of different media. 
• Check out the following video for own example of how a child recreated this story by using their own art and recording it.

Example media/ground/support/process:

MEDIA

There are so many different forms of marks--
allow the kids to think outside the box and have fun with it.

• cement
• leaf
• rust
• wood chip
• white flower
• pine
• water
• fire hydrant
• rock
• dry leaf
• dirt
• grass
• newspaper
• purple flower
• dandelion
• soap

PROCESSES

• Flick with brush
• Rolling a tire with paint
• Throwing medium at ground
• Computer program
• Covering ground with medium then scrape away what you don't want
• Attach crayons to bottom of door, open and close the door
• Blowing paint/watercolor
• Draw/paint with pen in mouth
• Apply medium to one side of paper, fold in half
• Apply medium to cloth, whip your ground with the cloth

SUPPORTS

• earth
• computer monitor
• refridgerator
• computer keyboard
• house
• lamp
• chest of drawers
• clock
• tree
• table

GROUNDS

• particle board
• metal
• CD case
• clothes
• light bulb
• milk jug
• pillow case
• computer screen
• dirt
• rock