Using the Alphabet in Art

I'm not sure why, but I love incorporating lessons using the alphabet. One really cool project I did with my students was having them design positive and negative space using an alphabet that I found online. Here is my unfinished (as usual) example. As you can see my letters match the word. C is for camouflage, E for emphasis, F for form, and so on.

I'm sorry that I cannot give credit for the above alphabet, I did this project a while ago, before I started blogging. I have a scanned a blank copy and you can find it on my resource page. I also found the following really cool project after writing this blog and felt an update was needed. Check this out Collaborative collages. It is from a School Specialty blog.  And I just happened to have found a bunch of magazines in my mailbox the other day!

Since the subject of today's blog is using the alphabet in art, check out the cool birthday present from my daughter-

 I can't wait to hang it in my art room. My students are gonna love it!  I don't think my daughter realizes just how obsessed I am with the concept of using interesting photos as alphabet letters. I have been on the search for my own letters and have yet to complete an alphabet. She just knows that when we are out and about that I am always taking weird photographs. She found this shop BGIE (Best Gift Idea Ever) while on vacation in St. Augustine. Click on the name to connect to their site. Amazing!! They have over a dozen shops throughout the United States! And their new product, in some of the stores, is putting the letters on magnets. I am hoping to buy a set this week! I have been in touch with the manager at the St. Augustine shop.

They can be used in so many different ways! Centers? Drawing challenges? Inspiration? My mind is going into overload! I was eating pretzels yesterday and was playing and making letters with them! Think of all the fun my students can have making letters with recycled materials and photographing them with iPads. OH YEAH!! Technology in the art room!

Here are a few of the letter photos that I've taken over the last few years:

 

 

 

I'm planning on having some fun making and photographing letters along with my students to complete my alphabet. One concern I have about a few of my photos is that I know some of the places I took them have all these rules in place so that they can't be used without permission (in regard to profiting from the photo). Just something to keep in mind. It's fun looking around and finding the letters!

I know that doing a photography lesson along with the alphabet has been done before. Since my son, who decided to return to school about 2 years ago, did this photo montage as one of his class assignments. I found it interesting that he could use letters from signs as opposed to letters in nature or in architecture. Or from recycles..........

Photo credit: Peter Depp

I'm really excited to be getting ready for the new school year, being out on medical leave was NOT fun. Students return on August 15 and I have planned so many wonderful lessons!

LET THE ART ADVENTURES BEGIN!!

Thanks for reading! 

I would really love to hear about your lessons using the alphabet!