Session 1 · CREATE: Arrange
Where does the eye go first?
- 10 minMini-lesson: visual hierarchy and emphasis. Show a mural and ask: what do you see first, second, third? How did the artist make that happen (size, contrast, colour, placement)?
- 10 minDraw four thumbnail layouts (matchbox size) for your work: symbol big, symbol small, off-centre, framed.
- 25 minChoose the strongest thumbnail and start the final work at full size.
- 5 minFive-second test: show a partner your work for five seconds, hide it and ask what they remember. That is your focal point.
Session 2 · CREATE: Transform
Critique and refine
- 15 minCritique circle in fours: each artist shows their work, stays silent, and listens to 'I notice… I wonder… What if…' comments. The artist writes them down.
- 30 minMake at least two deliberate changes based on the feedback, e.g. push contrast, remove a distracting detail, enlarge the symbol.
- 5 minProcess page: write each change and why you made it ('I made the background darker so the kete stands out').
Getting started
Refine one part of the work at a time: focal point first, then background, then details.
Stretch
Push contrast further to sharpen the main idea, or add a hidden second symbol that rewards a longer look.
Checkpoint
The work is resolved, with at least two changes documented and linked to feedback.
Activities for this week
- Gesture as symbol: How can a movement stand for an idea?
- Thumbnails and the five-second test: How do artists control what you look at first?
- Critique circle: How can feedback make a work stronger without hurting anyone?
Useful this week
- Public and street art ↗ Murals and public art in Aotearoa: see how big works guide the eye.