The Animation of Sand Drawing- A Mid-term Exam

By the beginning of December, students have an understanding of what it takes to create an animated video using clay as their medium. They do not underestimate the time or the exploration, the importance of storyboards, or the action of using digital cameras or laptops. But what about incorporating an unusual and somewhat fussy medium to use in conjunction with the digital technology.
This is the exact exploration I am looking for in a mid-term exam. A continuation of disciplined art actions with a different focus or medium to experience with. I will introduce the medium of sand which has its limitations to work with in terms of precision, endurance, concentration and artistic vision. Students will be in teams to create this project and will be graded as team members who are valid to the creation of their video and be graded for their individual part as an artist who brings an idea through an artistic process to fruition.
Three weeks before winter break and Mid-term exam week, I introduce this project as an in-school Art exam that is to be finished and turned in on the day of their scheduled exam. I pass out the rubric for the standards they are going to be graded on as well as assessments that we will be incorporating throughout the three weeks. The students will have to make the time during class to work on this project and will have to pace themselves as well as organize as a team. I have made the teams because I want to see specific students working with each other.
I give each team a folder in which drawing paper and a notebook are held as well as the project desciption, the rubric and a CD to hold their finished video. I want the students to keep track of their ideas, changes made, sketches, problems and great moments of success.
I introduce the students to the materials which I have placed on a large table. Each team will use one digital camera with memory card, a frame set up to hold the camera stationary over a piece of frosted plexiglass that is framed itself and has a light source coming through is from the bottom ( a light table in essence), and a large coffee can of fine white sandbox sand.
I explain the actions to be used to create a photograph and offer each team a release system for exposing the digital film so there is no movement of the camera.
I explain the very important elements of working with sand and a medium. The first element being the texture and tones that students have to work with. Using fine white sand has the advantage of affecting the tonality of grey colors that can be achieved is very unique since if the sand is spread thickly or thinly, the tones change as well as the transparency. Sand that is piled high looks black in tint on camera since no light can show through and areas that have no sand appear white on camera. This is a study if you will, of black and white photography and animation.
The second element is the positive and negative shapes, spaces, and contrast that can be manipulated and exploited to the benefit of the production.
The third element is the planning and producing of photographs, video and images in sand. The students will have to visualize the effects being made and produced as they render the sand and take photos. Since we are using digital film, the students can always back track to see where they were in the filming, where they want to go and adjust scenes accordingly. But, students will also have to rely on instinct, inprovisation and each other in order to keep a productive flow of action. I tell the students that as they go along in the production, the animation they render will be improvised and this is something I will be looking at in their exam.
A lot of thought has to be investigated in this exam, but we have three weeks and I want the students to explore and have fun. I really don't want to stress them out, since they have other exams to study for and I want them to be creative. We will assess the processes and productions as the days go by in the form of me facilitating and asking open ended questions about their process with each team. I will take notes and observe what works and what is weak within each team. Students may come in throughout their free time at school to work together if they can and I do have alittle free time after school if they feel the need. I try to make these three weeks open for them since they are learning, creating, and witnessing art in progress.
On the exam day, students finish up, clean up, write a self-assessment on their role in the production, and pass in their CD of their creation. I have time to watch them and go through their notes, ideas, thumbnail sketches and watch their videos for the improvisations and actions. It's been a good three weeks and I am going to miss the animation unit as well as the actions in the Art room.