Basic 8 · Creative Arts and Design · Drawing
Digital Design Projects, Making Prints and Displaying Dance and Drama
In this topic you will complete a digital design project, produce a printed artwork using relief and stencil techniques, and plan and display dance and drama pieces from different times and cultures.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Complete a digital design using freehand drawing, shading and colour
- Produce a printed artwork on paper or cloth
- Plan and display dance and drama pieces that reflect different times and cultures
What you already know
- Digital drawing and printmaking techniques
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
- Drawing
- Indicator
- B8.1.2.1.2 – Demonstrate skills in using available digital tools, materials and techniques for freehand and outline drawing, shading and coloring to create designs from lines simple shapes and forms
Introduction
Practising digital tools is one thing; finishing a complete design is another. In this lesson you will plan and complete a digital design for a real purpose.
1. Choosing a Purpose
Every good design has a purpose. You might design a logo for your school club, a poster for a cultural festival, a pattern for a T-shirt or a greeting card for Independence Day. The purpose decides the size, colours and message of the design.
2. Steps in the Project
- Write a short brief: the purpose, the audience and the message.
- Sketch two or three ideas on paper.
- Choose the best idea and open the drawing application.
- Draw the outline freehand with the stylus, then refine it.
- Add shading and colour on separate layers.
- Add text, if needed, using clear fonts.
- Save, export and share the design for feedback.
3. Evaluating a Digital Design
| Question | Yes or no |
|---|---|
| Does the design meet its purpose? | |
| Is the main idea clear at a glance? | |
| Are colours harmonious and readable? | |
| Are elements and principles of design well used? | |
| Is the text spelled correctly and easy to read? |
4. Digital Design Careers
Digital design skills are valuable. Graphic designers create logos and adverts for businesses; illustrators draw for books and games; fashion and textile designers plan prints digitally; animators create cartoons and films. Ghana's growing media and advertising industries offer many such opportunities.
5. Sharing and Feedback
Share your design with classmates and ask for one strength and one suggestion. Use their comments to improve the design. Feedback is part of every professional design process.
New words
- design brief
- A short statement of a design's purpose, audience and requirements.
- graphic designer
- A person who designs visual communication such as logos and posters.
- font
- A style of lettering.
- feedback
- Comments that help improve work.
Summary
- A digital design project starts with a brief stating purpose, audience and message.
- Steps include sketching, drawing, shading, colouring, adding text and exporting.
- Evaluation and feedback improve the design, and digital skills lead to many careers.
Class activity: Digital Design Project
- Write a brief and sketch ideas.
- Complete the design on a tablet using layers.
- Present it and evaluate it with the checklist.
You need: Tablet with offline drawing application, Stylus, Printed Ghanaian motif reference
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. A short statement of a design's purpose is a…
- A. design brief
- B. font
- C. layer
- D. stencil
Show answer
Answer: design briefPlan.2. Which career uses digital design for logos and adverts?
- A. graphic designer
- B. farmer
- C. nurse
- D. carpenter
Show answer
Answer: graphic designerVisual communication.3. Feedback can help improve a design.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueComments.4. A style of lettering is a ______.
Show answer
Answer: fontTypeface.5. List four steps in completing a digital design project.
Show answer
Answer: Write a brief, sketch ideas, draw and colour digitally, export and share.Any four.6. Why is the purpose of a design important?
Show answer
Answer: It decides the size, colours, message and style so the design works for its audience.Purpose.
Lesson 2
- Strand
- Visual Arts
- Sub-strand
- Media and Techniques
- Indicator
- B8.2.1.1.2 – Experiment by using techniques in print making to generate own ideas and make visual artworks
Introduction
Now that you know the techniques, you can produce a complete printed artwork, such as a decorated cloth, a set of cards or a poster.
1. Planning the Print
| Item | Example |
|---|---|
| purpose | a table mat for the school canteen |
| technique | relief printing with a yam stamp, plus stencil border |
| motif | Sankofa symbol |
| pattern | half-drop repeat with a border |
| colours | black motif on cream cloth, red border |
| materials | yam, knife, fabric paint, cotton cloth, sponge, card |
2. Producing the Print
- Prepare the cloth by washing, drying and ironing it flat.
- Mark guide lines lightly with chalk to keep the pattern straight.
- Carve the stamp and test it on scrap paper.
- Print the motif in a half-drop repeat, re-inking each time.
- Cut a border stencil from card and dab red paint along the edges.
- Let the cloth dry, then iron the back to fix the paint.
3. Common Problems and Solutions
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| blurred prints | use less paint and press straight down |
| uneven colour | apply paint evenly with a sponge |
| crooked rows | use chalk guide lines |
| smudges | let each print dry before printing nearby |
4. Presenting the Work
Display the printed cloth with a label showing the title, technique, motif and its meaning. Explain how you used the principles of design, such as rhythm in the repeated motif and contrast in the black and red colours. Printed works can be sold, giving learners a chance to earn from their skills.
New words
- repeat pattern
- A pattern made by repeating a motif.
- guide line
- A light line used to keep work straight.
- fix
- To make paint permanent, for example by ironing.
- border
- A decorative edge.
Summary
- Plan the purpose, technique, motif, pattern, colours and materials.
- Produce the print carefully using guide lines and even paint.
- Solve common problems and present the work with an explanation.
Class activity: Print Production
- Plan and produce a printed cloth or set of cards.
- Use at least two techniques.
- Display and explain your work.
You need: Carved yam stamp, Fabric paint, Plain cotton cloth
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. Light lines used to keep prints straight are…
- A. guide lines
- B. borders
- C. motifs
- D. outlines
Show answer
Answer: guide linesAlignment.2. Blurred prints are often caused by…
- A. too much paint
- B. too little cloth
- C. dry stamps only
- D. straight pressing
Show answer
Answer: too much paintExcess paint.3. Ironing can fix fabric paint.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueHeat sets paint.4. A decorative edge is a ______.
Show answer
Answer: borderEdge pattern.5. List four steps in producing a printed cloth.
Show answer
Answer: Prepare the cloth, mark guide lines, carve and test the stamp, print the pattern (or add a border, dry and iron).Any four.6. Explain how rhythm and contrast are shown in a printed cloth.
Show answer
Answer: Rhythm comes from the repeated motif; contrast from dark motifs on light cloth or contrasting border colours.Principles.
Lesson 3
- Strand
- Performing Arts (Dance and Drama)
- Sub-strand
- Creative and Aesthetic Expression
- Indicator
- B8.2.2.3.8 – Plan and display own and others’ dance and drama pieces that reflect a range of different times and cultures
Introduction
A dance or drama is finally complete when it is performed before an audience. Good planning makes the performance smooth and memorable.
1. Pieces from Different Times and Cultures
Ghana has dances and dramas from many periods and peoples: ancient royal dances such as Kete, war dances such as Atsiagbekor, colonial-era concert party plays, and modern contemporary dances. Displaying a range of pieces shows how performance has changed over time and how cultures differ.
2. Planning a Display
| Item | Questions |
|---|---|
| programme | Which pieces will be performed and in what order? |
| cast and crew | Who are the performers, drummers, narrators and stage managers? |
| costumes and props | What clothing and objects suit each culture and time? |
| venue and stage | Where will it be held and how will the stage be arranged? |
| rehearsals | When and how often will the group practise? |
| audience | Who is invited and how will they be informed? |
3. Introducing Each Piece
Before each piece, a narrator should introduce it: its name, the people it belongs to, when it is performed and what it means. For example: "Our next item is Bamaya, a harvest dance of the Dagomba people, performed to thank God for rain." This helps the audience understand and appreciate what they see.
4. Stage Arrangement
Arrange drummers at the back or side so they can see the dancers. Leave enough space for movement. Make sure the audience can see clearly. Plan entrances and exits so that performers do not collide. A stage manager keeps the programme moving on time.
New words
- programme
- The planned order of items in a performance.
- cast
- The performers in a show.
- narrator
- A person who introduces or explains a performance.
- stage manager
- A person who organises the stage and timing.
Summary
- Displays can include dance and drama pieces from different times and cultures.
- Planning covers the programme, cast, costumes, venue, rehearsals and audience.
- Narrators introduce each piece, and good stage arrangement keeps the performance smooth.
Class activity: Cultural Display
- Plan a short display of three dance or drama pieces from different cultures.
- Prepare a programme and narrator introductions.
- Rehearse and perform for another class.
You need: Atumpan drum, Calabash rattle, Printed photographs of Ghanaian dance poses
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. The performers in a show are the…
- A. cast
- B. audience
- C. venue
- D. programme
Show answer
Answer: castPerformers.2. Bamaya is mainly a…
- A. harvest dance
- B. war dance
- C. royal dance only
- D. funeral dirge
Show answer
Answer: harvest danceDagomba.3. A narrator can introduce each piece to the audience.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueExplanation.4. The planned order of items in a show is the ______.
Show answer
Answer: programmeRunning order.5. State four things to plan for a dance and drama display.
Show answer
Answer: Programme, cast, costumes, venue (or rehearsals, audience).Any four.6. Why should each piece be introduced to the audience?
Show answer
Answer: So the audience understands its origin, occasion and meaning and can appreciate it properly.Understanding.
Homework
- Write a narrator's introduction for a Ghanaian dance or drama piece.