Basic 7 · Creative Arts and Design · Design in Nature and the Manmade Environment
Elements of Design, Observational Drawing and Composing Music
In this topic you will identify the elements of design in nature, make an observational still-life drawing of a calabash, and create a short musical work that reflects the culture of your community.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Identify and record the elements of design found in nature
- Make an observational drawing of a still-life object with correct shape and proportion
- Create and perform a short rhythm that reflects a community event
What you already know
- Design in nature and the manmade environment
- Shading techniques and tonal scales
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
Lesson 1
- Strand
- Design
- Sub-strand
- Design in Nature and the Manmade Environment
- Indicator
- B7.1.1.1.2 – Research to identify and record what constitutes the ‘elements of design’ in nature and as building blocks for composition and creative expression of ideas
Introduction
Every design, whether a leaf or a logo, is built from a few basic parts. These parts are called the elements of design. Learning them is like learning the alphabet of art.
1. The Elements of Design
| Element | Meaning | Where we see it in nature |
|---|---|---|
| dot (point) | the smallest mark | seeds in a pawpaw, spots on a guinea fowl |
| line | a mark joining two points | grass blades, cracks in dry soil, zebra stripes |
| shape | a flat (2D) area with edges | the outline of a leaf or fish |
| form | a solid (3D) object | a coconut, a stone, an anthill |
| colour | what the eye sees when light reflects off a surface | flowers, sunsets, bird feathers |
| texture | how a surface feels or looks as if it would feel | tree bark, pineapple skin, snail shell |
| space | the area around or between objects | gaps between branches |
2. Types of Line
Lines can be straight, curved, zigzag, wavy, thick, thin, broken or dotted. Each kind gives a different feeling. Vertical lines, like tall palm trees, suggest strength. Horizontal lines, like the sea at Cape Coast, suggest calm. Diagonal and zigzag lines, like lightning, suggest movement and excitement.
3. Shapes and Forms
Shapes are either geometric or organic. Geometric shapes, such as circles, squares and triangles, are regular and measured. Organic shapes, such as leaves, clouds and animals, are free and irregular. Most shapes in nature are organic. Forms are the 3D version of shapes: a circle becomes a sphere, a square becomes a cube and a triangle becomes a cone or pyramid.
Remember: Shape is flat (2D); form is solid (3D).
New words
- elements of design
- The basic parts used to make any design.
- organic shape
- A free, irregular shape like those in nature.
- geometric shape
- A regular, measured shape such as a circle or square.
- texture
- How a surface feels or looks as if it would feel.
Summary
- The elements of design are dot, line, shape, form, colour, texture and space.
- Lines and shapes can express feelings such as calm, strength or movement.
- Nature is rich in organic shapes and natural textures.
Class activity: Elements Scrapbook
- Collect leaves, seeds, feathers or bark (or photographs of them).
- Paste or draw them in your sketchbook.
- Label which element of design each one shows best.
You need: Local leaves, Woven basket, Pencils
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. Which is an element of design?
- A. Texture
- B. Balance
- C. Rhythm
- D. Unity
Show answer
Answer: TextureThe others are principles.2. A leaf outline is an example of…
- A. an organic shape
- B. a geometric shape
- C. a form
- D. a dot
Show answer
Answer: an organic shapeIt is free and irregular.3. A form is three-dimensional.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueIt has length, width and depth.4. How a surface feels is called its ______.
Show answer
Answer: textureRough, smooth, etc.5. Name four elements of design and give an example of each from nature.
Show answer
Answer: Line: grass; dot: seeds; texture: bark; colour: flowers.Any four.6. Explain what feeling vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines can suggest.
Show answer
Answer: Vertical: strength; horizontal: calm; diagonal: movement or excitement.Lines express mood.
Lesson 2
- Strand
- Visual Arts
- Sub-strand
- Design in Nature and the Manmade Environment
- Indicator
- B7.2.1.1.1 – Identify and determine the nature and uses of tools materials and techniques needed for still-life drawing and shading pattern making and modelling
Introduction
A calabash looks simple, but drawing it well takes careful looking. Observational drawing means drawing exactly what you see, not what you think an object looks like.
1. Looking Before Drawing
Place the calabash where light falls on it from one side. Walk around it and study its outline, its height compared with its width, and where it is light or dark. Decide which side gives the most interesting view.
2. Steps in Observational Drawing
- Use a viewfinder to choose your view and decide whether the paper should be upright or sideways.
- Lightly mark the top, bottom and sides of the object on the paper.
- Measure proportions: hold your pencil at arm's length and compare the width with the height.
- Sketch the main outline with light HB lines, using simple shapes such as circles and ovals.
- Correct the outline, then add details such as the stalk end, cracks or carved patterns.
- Shade at least four tones: highlight, light tone, mid-tone and dark tone.
- Add the cast shadow on the table.
3. Proportion
Proportion: The size of one part compared with another part or with the whole.
If the calabash is about one and a half times as wide as it is tall, your drawing must show the same relationship. Measuring with the pencil helps you check this. Keep your arm straight and close one eye each time you measure.
4. Judging the Drawing
When you finish, step back and compare your drawing with the object. Ask: Is the outline the right shape? Are the proportions correct? Do the tones show that the calabash is round? Is there a shadow that "sits" the object on the table? Honest checking helps you improve.
Tip: Draw large. A drawing that fills most of the paper shows more detail than a tiny one.
New words
- observational drawing
- Drawing exactly what you see.
- viewfinder
- A card frame used to choose a view.
- proportion
- The size relationship between parts.
- cast shadow
- The shadow an object throws onto a surface.
Summary
- Observational drawing records what you actually see.
- Measure with a pencil to get proportions right.
- Four tones and a cast shadow make an object look solid.
Class activity: Calabash Drawing
- Set up a calabash with light from one side.
- Make an observational drawing following the steps.
- Exchange drawings with a partner and give one strength and one suggestion.
You need: Local calabash still-life object, Drawing paper, Charcoal pencils
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. A card frame used to choose a view is a…
- A. viewfinder
- B. palette
- C. easel
- D. stencil
Show answer
Answer: viewfinderIt frames the view.2. The shadow an object throws on the table is the…
- A. cast shadow
- B. highlight
- C. mid-tone
- D. outline
Show answer
Answer: cast shadowIt "sits" the object.3. Observational drawing means drawing from memory.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: FalseIt means drawing what you see.4. The size of one part compared with another is called ______.
Show answer
Answer: proportionSize relationship.5. Describe how to measure proportion with a pencil.
Show answer
Answer: Hold the pencil at arm's length, close one eye, and compare the width of the object with its height using your thumb on the pencil.Sighting.6. Why is light from one side useful for still-life drawing?
Show answer
Answer: It creates clear highlights, shadows and a cast shadow, which make the object look 3D.Strong tones show form.
Lesson 3
- Strand
- Performing Arts
- Sub-strand
- Media and Techniques
- Indicator
- B7.2.2.2.4 – Create and produce own musical works that reflect the history and culture of the people of the community
Introduction
Every community in Ghana has music for its important events: harvests, funerals, festivals and work. In this lesson you will create your own short piece of music based on a story or event from your community.
1. Music and Community Life
Music records the history and culture of a people. Fishermen at Elmina sing as they pull their nets. Farmers in the north sing during communal work. Festivals such as Homowo, Hogbetsotso, Damba and Aboakyer have their own drum rhythms and songs. When you compose music about your community, you help keep its culture alive.
2. Building Blocks of a Rhythm
| Element | Meaning |
|---|---|
| beat (pulse) | the steady heartbeat of the music |
| rhythm | a pattern of long and short sounds over the beat |
| tempo | the speed of the music |
| dynamics | how loud or soft the music is |
| ostinato | a short pattern repeated again and again |
3. Steps in Creating a Short Musical Work
- Choose a theme from your community, such as a harvest, a fishing trip or a festival.
- Agree on a steady beat played on clappers or a bell.
- Create a rhythm pattern on the drum that fits the theme, for example fast and joyful for a festival.
- Repeat the pattern as an ostinato and add a contrasting pattern for the middle.
- Plan the order: introduction, main pattern, contrasting pattern, return of the main pattern, ending.
- Rehearse, perform and explain how the music reflects your theme.
Write a simple rhythm
Use "ta" for a one-beat sound and "ti-ti" for two half-beat sounds to write a four-beat pattern for a harvest dance.
- Beat 1: ta
- Beat 2: ti-ti
- Beat 3: ti-ti
- Beat 4: ta
Answer: ta | ti-ti | ti-ti | ta, played four times as an ostinato
New words
- rhythm
- A pattern of long and short sounds.
- tempo
- The speed of music.
- ostinato
- A short pattern repeated many times.
- compose
- To create a new piece of music.
Summary
- Music reflects and preserves community history and culture.
- Beat, rhythm, tempo, dynamics and ostinato are building blocks for composing.
- A short musical work has a clear plan from introduction to ending.
Class activity: Community Rhythm Composition
- Choose a community theme and create a four-beat rhythm on the drum.
- Add a steady pulse on clappers and a contrasting middle section.
- Perform for the class and explain the link to your theme.
You need: Atumpan drum, Wooden clappers, Printed music-notation cards
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. The speed of music is called…
- A. tempo
- B. rhythm
- C. pitch
- D. dynamics
Show answer
Answer: tempoFast or slow.2. A short pattern repeated again and again is an…
- A. ostinato
- B. octave
- C. interval
- D. anthem
Show answer
Answer: ostinatoRepeated pattern.3. Festival music in Ghana often has its own special rhythms.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueEach festival has its music.4. How loud or soft music is, is called ______.
Show answer
Answer: dynamicsVolume level.5. List the steps in creating a short rhythmic work about your community.
Show answer
Answer: Choose theme, set beat, create rhythm, repeat as ostinato, add contrast, plan order, rehearse and perform.Main steps.6. Explain how the tempo and dynamics of a piece about a funeral might differ from one about a festival.
Show answer
Answer: Funeral music is usually slower and softer; festival music is faster and louder.Mood shapes music.
Homework
- Draw a natural object and label at least four elements of design in it.
- Write a four-beat rhythm using ta and ti-ti for an event in your community.